苗代(なわしろ) - nawashiro

A refers to a bed for rice seedlings. When the rice seedlings grow, they are transplanted into the rice paddies. Rice seedlings are usually transplanted in the early summer, and the transplantation is called taue in Japanese.

稲の苗を育てるための田。苗代で育てられた稲の苗は、初夏の頃に水田に植え替えられる。この作業を田植えと呼ぶ。