Nara Senji

Japanese: 奈良専二 - なら・せんじ

Year of death: May 4, 1892 (Meiji 25)
Year of birth: September 13, 1822 (October 27, 1822)
Along with Nakamura Naozou and Funatsu Denjihei, he was known as one of the Three Elder Farmers of the Meiji Era. He was the eldest son of Nara Sashirou, the head of the Ikedo Village Group in Miki County, Sanuki Province (Miki Town, Kagawa Prefecture). As a boy, he studied at a private school in the local area, and was skilled in mathematics, showed a talent for machine work, and was also familiar with farming. During the Koka era (1844-1848), he selected a single-stalk rice variety, named it Nara rice, and popularized it. In 1851, he became the head of the Ikedo Village Group, and subsequently held public positions such as Kagawa Prefecture's Industrial Promotion Office and Deputy Head of Household. While working on improving and inventing farming tools, he devised ideas for rice polishing machines, improved hair pulling cars, and improved sugar cane pressing machines, and in 1868, he invented a type of earthenware crusher powered by animal power called the "koromagwa," which helped reduce the labor required by farmers and improve efficiency. In 1817, he exhibited his books "Nouka Tokubeiban" (manuscript) and "Koromagwa" at the first Domestic Industrial Exposition held in Tokyo, where he received an award, which led to his national success. At the 15th Exposition, he was awarded the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce's Medal for his contributions to rice cultivation improvement. In 1816, he handed over the family business to his adopted son Eitaro and moved to Tokyo, where he worked at the Mita Breeding Station of the Agriculture Bureau and furthered his studies. In 1818, he was invited by Chiba Prefecture to become an agricultural department member and devoted himself to improving rice cultivation. In 1820, he was invited by landowner Sasaki Taemon and others in Hanadate Village, Senboku County, Akita Prefecture (Omagari City) to go to the area, where he instructed on agricultural improvements, and died in the village. <References> Susuda Reikichi, "Commentary on the 'Shinsen Rice Cultivation Improvement Method'" (Meiji Agricultural Book Collection, Volume 2)

(Taguchi Katsuichiro)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：明治25.5.4(1892)
生年：文政5.9.13(1822.10.27)
中村直三,船津伝次平と共に明治三老農と呼ばれた。讃岐国三木郡池戸村(香川県三木町)の組頭奈良佐四郎の長男。少年時代近郷の私塾に学び,数理に長け機械工作に才能を示し,また農事に親しんだ。弘化年間(1844～48)一本稲を選抜し,奈良稲と名づけ普及させる。嘉永4(1851)年池戸村組頭となり,次いで香川県勧業掛,副戸長など公職を務めるかたわら,農具の改良,発明にも力を注ぎ,精米機の工夫,毛引車の改良,甘蔗圧搾機の改良などを行い,明治1(1868)年には「ころまぐわ」と呼ぶ一種の畜力砕土器を発明,農民の労力軽減,能率向上に尽くした。10年東京で開かれた第1回内国勧業博覧会に著書『農家得益弁』(稿本)と「ころまぐわ」を出品,賞を受けたのが契機となり全国的に活躍するようになる。15年の共進会では米作改良の功で農商務卿から功労章を授けられた。16年家業を養子栄太郎に譲って上京,農務局三田育種場に勤めて研鑽を積み,18年には千葉県の招きで農務課員となり米作改良に尽力。23年秋田県仙北郡花館村(大曲市)の地主佐々木多右衛門らの招きで同地に赴き,農事改良を指導,同村で客死。<参考文献>須々田黎吉「『新撰米作改良法』解題」(『明治農書全集』2巻)

(田口勝一郎)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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