Japanese city to create record breaking Demon Slayer art out of rice

A Japanese city renowned for its rice field art is set to team up with Demon Slayer to celebrate the release of the first film in the ‘Infinity Castle Arc’ this July.

The city of Gyoda has received considerable attention on an annual basis for its impressive rice field art, a unique agricultural endeavor that has achieved recognition from the Guinness World Records™ as the largest rice field artwork.

The project frequently collaborates with various forms of popular media and content and this year will be no exception.

For 2025, the rice field art will feature the main protagonist of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Tanjiro Kamado, to commemorate the release of the first film in the Infinity Castle trilogy on July 18th.

This year’s design features Tanjiro Kamado

A giant 301,390 square foot rice field artwork of Tanjiro will be meticulously created, and some lucky fans will get to help with the process of planting the rice that will form the finished piece.

Each year, the city of Gyoda extends an invitation to individuals to participate in the creation of the magnificent rice field artwork through opportunities as either “rice planting volunteers” or participants in “rice planting experiences”.

The “rice planting volunteer” event is specifically geared towards individuals who are junior high school students or older and will be held on Saturday, June 14th, starting at 8:30 a.m. in the rice fields situated to the east of the Kodairen Kaikan tower, which is close to Gyoda’s Kodai Hasu no Sato (Ancient Lotus Park).

Each year volunteers plant the rice that will make up the artwork

Participants in this program will undertake the important and challenging task of carefully planting the rice seedlings, which will eventually form the design once grown.

While experienced individuals are encouraged to apply, those without prior experience are also welcome to participate.

The event has a limited capacity of 300 participants, and participation is offered free of charge.

Participants will receive several attractive benefits as a token of appreciation for their efforts, including a gift of locally harvested rice after the autumn harvest season and a volunteer activity certificate upon request.

Last year’s artwork was based on the Kiriko Festival that takes place on Japan’s Noto Peninsula

In contrast, the “Rice Planting Experience” offers a more casual opportunity to engage in the rice planting process, requiring a participation fee of 1,000 yen.

There is no age limit for this experience, making it accessible to individuals of all ages.

As such, it is ideally suited for those who are new to the practice of rice planting as well as families with young children.

This experience will also be held in the rice fields located on the east side of the Kodairen Kaikan Tower, taking place on Sunday, June 15th, starting at 9:30 a.m.

The activity is designed to be completed within a relatively short period in the morning, making it a perfect opportunity to create lasting memories without a significant time commitment.

A previous anime themed design was based on Ao Ashi

Participants in the “Rice Planting Experience” will also receive gifts of rice following the autumn harvest.

The deadline for submitting applications for both the “rice planting volunteer” event and the “Rice Planting Experience” is Thursday, April 25th.

Applications can be conveniently submitted through several methods: in person at the city hall’s agricultural policy department, via a user-friendly online application form available on the city’s website, or by telephone or fax.

In the event that the number of applicants exceeds the available spaces, a lottery will be conducted to select the participants, and successful applicants will be notified around the middle of May.

Around 300 people take part in the rice planting events

By allowing participants to take part in the rice planting process, Gyoda City hopes to bring together both fans of anime and Japanese culture in a practical and hands-on way.

For anyone interested in taking part in the unique experience of creating a giant rice field artwork, further information on how to apply can be found on Gyoda City’s official website.

Source: Gyoda City