Nara Senji (奈良専二)
Senji NARA (1822 - May 4, 1892) was an exemplary farmer and agricultural advisor, who was born in Kagawa Prefecture. Nara is known as the "three best exemplary farmers of Meiji Period," who developed and established the agricultural methods in Japan.
Brief Personal History
NARA was born in Ikenobe-mura Village, Miki District, Sanuki Province (currently Oaza Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita District, Kagawa Prefecture) in 1822, as the eldest son of a farmer, Saizo NARA.
He had an ambition to "promote the national development of Japan through the development of agriculture" from his childhood; he invented an agricultural instrument--a handcart to carry agricultural produce--when he was only 8 years old; he continued to work practically as the leading advisor of various agricultural fields, including the improvement and production of new rice varieties.
In 1883, he moved to Tokyo when he was in his 60's, with a new determination of dedicating himself to the development of agriculture. Since then, he worked on the studies of agricultural techniques and technology in Tokyo, Chiba and Ibaraki Prefectures, while he also passed on his knowledge to following farmers as an advisor of agricultural methods.
In 1890, he was offered a post as an agricultural advisory from Hanadate Village, Senboku District, Akita Prefecture (currently Daisen City). He moved to Hanadate Village and stayed at the house of a large farmer of the village, Taemon SASAKI; he planted the spirit of labour to the local farmers that "the lives of us can not be sustained without serious labour." He steadily achieved results--he encouraged to stock breeding rabbits and horses, raise silkworms, while he also gave instructions on how to produce natto (fermented soybeans) and tofu (bean curd), and the plow method of a dry rice field utilizing horse power. He also left many writings on the themes of agriculture in general.
The first redevelopment of arable land was operated in Senboku District under the instruction of NARA, which laid the foundation of modern agriculture in Japan.
NARA died of pneumonia on May 4, 1892, in Kawajiri Village, Minami Akita District, Akita Prefecture (currently Akita City).
His writings
"The Note on the Benefit and Profit of Farmers"
"The Method of Cultivating Tea Grass on Wasteland to Turn It into Arable Land"
"The Method of Raising Edible Rabbit"