A TOWN IN JAPAN WELL KNOWN FOR ITS RICE PADDY ART DEDICATES THIS YEAR’S PIECE TO A POPULAR ANIME SHOW DEMON HUNTER
Two of Japan's most important cultural exports are manga and anime. With millions of readers and viewers, Demon Slayer has one of the biggest fan bases among these, both in Japan and globally. Due to its indisputable appeal, Gyoda, a community that has gained notoriety for its annual rice paddy painting project, dedicated its 2025 design to this significant franchise before a major release.
The method utilised in Gyoda's rice paddy art, often referred to as tanbo art, involves planting various types of rice in a precise arrangement. The inhabitants of Gyoda paint enormous murals in a variety of green hues, using the many tints of the stalks as they grow as their canvas. Because of the size of their pieces, they were even awarded the Guinness World Record for "the world's largest paddy art" in 2015.
Tanjiro Kamado, the main character from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, is included in this year's rice paddy artwork. Additionally, the artwork commemorates the July 18 release in Japan of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba–The Movie: Infinity Castle, the first part of the Mugen Castle trilogy. This photograph of Tanjiro, with his checkered attire, spans around 3 hectares (roughly 7.4 acres). 10,275 seedlings make up the portrait, which is the most ever for a rice paddy artwork at Gyoda.
It took a team of hundreds of people and two days of labour to bring this sculpture to life. 514 volunteers braved the mud on the second day to plant the remaining seeds after 676 individuals came up on the first day to plant the seeds. Photos released by the local government depict participants diligently working while Tanjiro's image gradually surfaced from the earth over several days.
The organisers anticipate that the piece will peak in the middle of July and continue to be visible through October.If you love the Demon Slayer franchise but can't make it to Japan to take it in with your own eyes, photographer @haskap1017 has shared some pictures and footage of this rice paddy art as it has taken shape this season.