In a five-variety kodaimai rice patty in Yuno-Cho’s Oosaku area, a giant frog appears in the field!

Translated from the original article at: http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130831-00010001-rtn-l26

Transmitted at 4:23 PM on Saturday, August 31 by the Ryoutan Daily Shinbun

The image of a frog floats over the rice field.

In a rice field in Yakuno-cho's Oosaku area, a giant frog has appeared. Amongst the five different varieties of kodaimai rice, the field serves as a canvas from which the frog can be floating on top of the "rice crop art". Each day the colors change, forming a nice display.

The Imoyama Club, a group of local nature and hiking enthusiasts went to work on creating the artwork. Led by the group’s president Iio Koyo, 50 members assembled. Enjoying rice cultivation, they became involved in exchanges with the city and its farming villages in 2006.

Until now, the group took on the task of creating bears, UFOs, and (local town character) Goya-Sensei. With the area being known as a spot to view scenes of the fall, each year, more and more people come from far away to pay a visit.

Planting took place on a 9-are wide rice field owned by President Iio. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the organization, a frog was chosen through a public vote. With not enough members being recruited by the end of May, friends as far away as Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara called out for assistance, resulting in 70 people offering their cooperation. Ropes were laid down and stretched to form the outline image of the frog. From there, seeds of red, black, green, purple and habutae varieties of godaimai rice were planted.

Despite worries of the lingering intense heat causing a lack of hydration for the plants, growth was favorable, with the image beginning to appear one week ago.

"The growth of the red godaimai rice was slow. Looking at the weather from here on out, I think mid-September will be the best time to come see the crop. On the 22nd, people will be arriving to harvest the rice and plan to hold a harvest festival," said President Iio.

Original text:

夜久野町大岶地区の田んぼに巨大ガエル！　古代米など5種類で

両丹日日新聞 8月31日(土)16時23分配信

田んぼに浮かび上がったカエルの絵

福知山市夜久野町大岶地区の田んぼに、巨大ガエルが現れた。古代米など色が違う5種類の稲穂で、キャンバスに見立てた田に絵を浮かび上がらせる「田んぼアート」の作品。日ごとに色づき、見栄えが良くなっている。

地元を中心とした山登り愛好者約50人で組織している居母山クラブ（飯尾恒洋会長）が取り組んでいる。遊び心をもった稲作を通じて農村と都市の交流、地域活性化につなげようと、06年に始めた。

今までクマやUFO、ゴーヤ先生などを題材に取り組み、地域の秋の風物詩として定着し、遠方から毎年のように見学に来る人も増えている。

田んぼは飯尾会長の所有で、約9アールの広さ。結成50周年となる今年は公募した中からカエルを選び、5月下旬にメンバーだけでなく、親交がある京都、大阪、奈良など遠方の人たちにも声をかけ、約70人が協力して赤、黒、緑、紫、新羽二重の古代米の苗を、カエルの絵の輪郭に合わせて張ったロープを目印に植え付けた。

猛暑が続いて水不足が心配されたが、順調に育ち、1週間ほど前から絵が現れ始めた。

飯尾会長は「赤の古代米の生育が遅く、今後の天候にもよりますが、9月中旬が、一番の見ごろとなると思います。22日には田植えをした人たちも迎えて稲刈りをし、収獲祭を開く計画です」と話していた。