THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
September 10, 2024 at 18:06 JST
Hundreds of pest-repelling lamps create a magical illumination display at a pear orchard in Sera, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Sept. 7. (Jun Ueda)
SERA, Hiroshima Prefecture—Enchanting dots of yellow light stretch over the fields here like will-o'-the-wisps in the darkness, transforming the nighttime landscape into an ethereal wonderland.
Tourists are welcome to witness this breathtaking sight, even though it is not intended for them—these insect-repelling lights were installed to protect the prized pear crop from nocturnal pests.
Sera Taiho Farm grows pears on 40 hectares of land here, catering to both markets and fruit-picking tourists.
The fruit in the orchard is not bagged as it grows on the trees, allowing the pears to absorb sunlight and develop a higher sugar content.
To safeguard the pears from inevitable pest damage, the farm has installed 1,600 lamps that emit a specific wavelength of yellow light that repels insects.
“It’s not a tourist attraction, but you are still welcome to enjoy this unique sight,” said farm owner Kentaro Matsumura.
The lamps will remain lit from dusk until dawn every night until early October, when the harvest will be complete.
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
