Since long ago, take is found all over the land of Japan and is frequently used for construction material and in craftsmanship. Moreover, bamboo sprouts have long been used as edible material in Japanese cuisine.
Small take is called sasa. Both take and sasa are planted in gardens for visual appreciation. The Japan's oldest story, the "Taketori monogatari"(Taleof Bamboo Cutter), is about the Princess of the Moon found inside a bamboo stalk and in the end returns to the moon, and it is one of the most beloved stories in Japan.
Rice plants go through a process of threshing and polishing to become rice. This plant originally came from tropical regions, and is native to India and Southeast Asia. It was brought to Japan, which is in the temperate zone 2,000 years ago and, with adjustments to fit the climate, it yielded high productivity. Rice cultivation requires much water, and, in this regard, Japan with its high heat and humidity and large amount of rainfall except in winter was suited to paddies. To grow rice in a country like Japan where the mountainous regions occupy 61% of the land, it was necessary for the whole villagers to cooperate in flood control and agricultural endeavors. This is the source of the Japanese tendency to decide and carry things out in groups. Today, new species of rice are being made competitively with even more improvements.