Saheta Akiba (秋葉 左平太 unknown–1740)

A man at the heart of the Iinuma-style (land reclamation from ponds) new rice field project

View of a field created by land reclamation from a pond.

At the time paddy fields were scarce and the idea of developing new rice fields out of ponds had already been expressed, however without really coming into practice. Akiba grasped the opportunity given by a stimulation policy in favour of the creation of new paddy fields, as part of the Kyoho Reforms, to submit his application form and completely devote himself to the task, by relentlessly negotiating with the shogunate upon exploitation techniques and process, and by showing instruction leadership and eventually overcoming all hardships.

Today paddy fields stretch throughout the entire area and land reclamation made from ponds has been completed with Yoshida-style irrigation canals. Places like Shinden-Mura (New-Field-Village) count among the many available records of these past achievements.

Japanese version of this article available here.