Tōhoku region
Tōhoku was traditionally considered the granary of Japan because it supplied Sendai and the Tokyo-Yokohama market with rice and other farming commodities. Tōhoku provided 20 percent of the nation's rice crop. The climate, however, is harsher than in other parts of Honshū due to the stronger effect of the Siberian High, and permits only one crop a year on paddy fields.
Wildlife of Japan
Conifer plantations have replaced natural forest in many areas. Commonly grown trees include the hinoki cypress ("Chamaecyparis obtusa"), Japanese red pine ("Pinus densiflora"), Japanese black pine ("Pinus thunbergii") and Japanese red cedar ("Cryptomeria japonica"). The last is Japan's tallest conifer reaching 40 metres in height.