Ojika is an agricultural and fishing island where seasonal harvest and catch dictate the way of life year-round. Islanders begin their year with spring, enjoying the loving embrace of the sun and the sweet chirping of warblers. Spring is also a paddy-planting season on Ojika Island. In summer you can taste the honey melons and watermelons as well as a variety of summer vegetables: all locally grown. Autumn is the most festive season: farmers, fishermen, and business owners hold festivals around the island to thank the gods for the blessings of the past year and extend good wishes for prosperity in the following year. Winter is the busy season for farmers who harvest broccoli and tomatoes while okaasan (“mother” in Japanese) get busy making kankoro mochi, a local specialty of sweet potatoes, ginger, and rice, which they then gift to neighbors and friends. The seasonality is celebrated on this small island, where every month has something to look forward to.