Every summer, the city of Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture turns rice paddies into giant canvases, planting colorful rice varieties to form massive works of art. Known as tanbo art, these living murals stretch across nearly three hectares and can only be fully appreciated from above. Gyoda’s rice paddy art holds the Guinness World Record for the largest of its kind, and each year it draws visitors eager to see what design will emerge from the fields.
For 2026, Gyoda is celebrating the world of gaming. Specifically, world-building game Minecraft.
In June, about 1,000 volunteers and others planted rice seedlings in four colors. The seedlings have grown steadily, and popular characters from the game plus a blocky Minecraft-style picture of the Gyoda Tower, where visitors can view the art, have emerged in the rice paddy.
The artwork typically reaches its full beauty by mid-July and stays vibrant through October. Visitors can view the rice paddy art from the Observatory, which offers a 360-degree view from 50 meters above ground. It’s an easy day trip from Tokyo, and admission to the observatory is just 400 yen. Whether you’re a Minecraft fan or simply appreciate creative uses of nature, Gyoda’s rice paddy art is a stunning blend of tradition, teamwork, and gaming culture.
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