Uchizome - Uchizome

...Based on the idea that the first work of the year will affect the entire livelihood of the year, this is largely done with a sense of anticipatory celebration. The first day of work in the fields is called hoeing, sakuhajime, or uchizome. Early in the morning on the 2nd, 4th, or 11th day of the New Year, people go to the fields that correspond to the lucky direction of the year and hoe several times, and offer New Year decorations, sacred sake, washed rice, etc. that they have brought with them. At this time, they line up pieces of washed rice or osonae (rice cakes) and call crows, and depending on which washed rice or pieces they eat, they use sakuura to tell fortunes about the crop. In some places, compost is also spread on the fields. ...

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Uchizome" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…年間最初の労働がその年の生業全体に影響を及ぼすという考えに基づき，多分に予祝の意味をこめて行われる。田畑の仕事始めは鍬入れ，作始め，打ちぞめなどといわれ，正月2,4,11日などの早朝にその年の恵方（えほう）に当たる田畑へ出て数鍬うない，持って行った正月飾りや神酒，洗米などを供えてくるが，その際洗米やオソナエ(餅)の砕片を並べて烏呼びをし，どの洗米や砕片を食うかによって作占（さくうら）をする風もある。堆肥を田畑に散らしたりする所もある。…

※「打ちぞめ」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報