＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49) on X
Recently, the anime movie “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train” has become a huge hit, even making the news, but another game called “Sakunahime: Of Rice and Ruin” is also so popular that it’s out of stock, and I’ve heard it’s being called the “Reiwa rice riots.”
As a member of the baby boomer generation, I’m not very familiar with either, but I feel a greater sense of familiarity with “Sakunahime: Of Rice and Ruin” as it has a heartwarming feel similar to “Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi” and Studio Ghibli anime.
1. About “Sakunahime: Of Rice and Ruin”
(1) About “Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin”
“Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin” is a video game developed by Edelweiss and released by Marvelous Inc. on November 12th of this year.
It is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC (Steam).
This is an action RPG in which the fertility goddess, Sakuna, faces off against the demons who rule Hinoe Island. There’s even been a phenomenon where players are frequently referencing the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ website for tips on how to grow good rice.
The game’s serious focus on depicting rice cultivation is so remarkable that it has even attracted the attention of the Japan Agricultural Cooperative Association (JA). The JA Public Relations Department wrote on their official Twitter account, “Um… to all those playing a certain rice-growing game… if you’d like, please take a look at our association’s instruction booklet, ‘Create a rice field and experience rice farming’! I haven’t played the game myself yet, so I don’t know how much help it will be, though…”
The campaign has also been featured in the agricultural industry newspaper, The Japan Agricultural News.
Shinmei Holdings is also running the first of its collaboration campaign with “Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin” until November 30th, where players can enter a lottery to win newly released game software and other prizes.
(2) Game System
Rice cultivation is divided into the “planting period,” “growing period,” and “harvesting period.” The protagonist grows through rice cultivation and acquires agricultural techniques to improve the efficiency of rice farming.
The “planting period” consists of “plowing,” “seed selection,” “raising seedlings,” and “transplanting.”
The “growing period” consists of “watering,” “fertilizing,” “weeding,” and “pest and beneficial insect control.”
The “harvesting period” consists of “harvesting,” “raising rice racks,” “threshing,” and “hulling.”
The protagonist’s abilities improve depending on the quality and quantity of rice harvested, and they may also learn skills as they grow.
In addition, ability scores gained during this period are carried over to the action portion, so the more rice farming you do, the more advantageous you will be in the action portion.
(3) Story
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, the daughter of the war god Takeribi and the fertility god Toyohana, has been living a life of luxury but has instead become dissolute. One day, as punishment for causing trouble with humans, she is forced to investigate Hinoe Island, which is ruled by demons.
2. The Secret Behind the Popularity of “Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin”
(1) Beautifully depicted nostalgic, traditional Japanese landscapes.
The nostalgic, traditional Japanese landscapes reminiscent of “Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi” and the heartwarming, beautiful scenery reminiscent of “Studio Ghibli” anime are very appealing.
(2) The characters have a warm and fuzzy feel that’s comforting.
The characters, like those in “Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi” and Studio Ghibli anime, have a heartwarming, comforting feel.
(3) The film depicts rice farming in an easy-to-understand and detailed way, something that many children are unfamiliar with.
I’m a member of the baby boomer generation, and my father was a part-time farmer who worked for the Japanese National Railways (now JR West) while also growing small amounts of rice. I helped with tasks like watering rice fields, weeding barnyard millet, and harvesting rice.
I think I have some understanding of the hardships and challenges of farming.
However, I think most children in cities and suburbs today have no idea what rice farming or field farming is. I imagine the same is true for parents living in cities and suburbs.
I often see news reports of city dwellers happily participating in “farming experiences,” and I think it’s because it’s their first experience and a novelty.
Even though it’s just a game, children are likely drawn to the novelty of a rice farming simulation.
Japan has long been known as the “Land of Abundant Rice and the Rice Fields of Toyoashihara.” This means “a country where lush ears of rice grow in abundant reed fields” and “a country where rice flourishes and prospers by divine will.”
However, after the war, the spread of bread consumption and the “rice production reduction policy” that accompanied the decline in demand for rice led to a rapid decline in paddy fields.
I feel that the developers of this game have a strong “love for rice farming” and a “strong will to restore Japan to its former status as a rice-producing and agricultural powerhouse.”
(4) The game has “rice farming simulation elements” and “exhilarating action elements where you fight demons.”
This game isn’t just a rice-growing game; it also features exhilarating action as you fight demons using farming tools and feather robes. The demon-fighting aspect is similar to “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.”
The secret to its appeal is likely its combination of “simulation elements that let you experience realistic rice farming” and “exhilarating action elements that let you fight demons.”
(5) Retro Boom and Renewed Attention to Japanese Mythology and Demon Legends, Such as the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
Just like in Momotaro and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, “demons” appear in this game.
Recently, there has been a “retro boom” in which people nostalgically reminisce about the Showa era as the “good old days.”
Apart from that, although it’s not exactly a boom, I feel like there’s been a renewed interest in Japanese mythology and demon legends, such as the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
The name “Ama-no-Hime” is likely taken from “Amaterasu Omikami” (or “Amanohohino-Mikoto”), the child of “Amaterasu Omikami” (or Amaterasu Omikami), who appears in “Japanese mythology” in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
Perhaps as a reaction to the modern “age of omnipotence of science,” more and more people are becoming interested in and excited by “mysterious stories,” “mystical phenomena,” and “myths.”