One morning Noriko, my host, told me we were going to a traditional "rasberry event." she instructed me to wear pants that i could roll up. i was so confused, were we going to smash the rasberries with our feet? soon, all questions were answered when we arrived at the annual tokunoshima "rice paddy event." her thick accent got me all excited to stuff my face with fresh rasberries, but this was not the case. the event is for the celebration of the first rice planting. many people from town, young and old, roll up their pants, jump in and help plant the first rice seedlings of the season. there was a group of elders, who were all clearly octogenarians, singing island folk songs in the native dialect. they were all singing in different keys and beating their tyco drums at different speeds. i didnt blame them because i noticed their leader was staggering around, shochu in hand, flailing his arms about.