Mutual aid illuminating feet As economic globalization progresses, mutual assistance based on the spirit of cooperation is indispensable for maintaining and developing vulnerable communities.  From the Edo period when the cooperative’s sprouts were visible to the present age, when society was in turmoil, cooperatives became “resilience” and demonstrated their power.  We light the footsteps of pioneers of Japanese cooperatives. In Asahi City, Chiba Prefecture, there is a museum of Yugaku Ohara who launched the “Senzokabukumiai (ancestral share association)”, which can be said to be the prototype of nogyokyodokumiai (agricultural cooperatives).  In Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a museum of Sontoku Ninomiya who created the “Hotoku thought” by adding “Sincerity” … Continue reading →

Humanity guidance based on “Seigaku (Chinese Natural Science)” At the end of Edo period of 1830s (Tempo year), Yugaku Ohara (1797-1858) , who worked hard as rural leaders for the reconstruction of the village exhausted by famine and others, started its activities in Nagabe village, Shimofusa country (Asahi City, Chiba Prefecture). Born in the house of samurai of the Owari country (Aichi Prefecture), since being　insulated from his father at the age of 18, he arrived at Boso area after wandering Kyoto, Osaka, Shinshu, and Edo.  Meanwhile, he studied Confucianism, Divination lore, Buddhism, and Agricultural techniques. At that time the domestic economy was facing a crisis.  The Shogunate　& clan system began … Continue reading →

Protect villagers’ lives by joining of the all households Senzokabukumiai, which was credit cooperatives, began new business which was revolutionary during feudal age.  All the villagers of Nagabe village (Asahi-shi, Chiba prefecture) joined to create a consumer association, and it began a joint purchase business. Purchased goods included items necessary for agriculture such as agricultural tools, fertilizers and seeds, and daily necessities such as foods, sardines, udon(noodle), tea, clothes such as cotton, cloths, dishes, tables, tea bowls, combs, ornament hairpin. Not only to buy good things cheaply.  There was a philosophy policy of “not using luxuries”.  It can also be viewed as a prototype of modern comprehensive nogyokyodokumiai (agricultural cooperatives) … Continue reading →

Help each other in pairs of houses  Under the hill near the Yugaku Ohara Memorial at Nagabe, Asahi city, Chiba Prefecture, there are about 10a rectangular rice fields lined up neatly.  Once upon a time, the village houses were located centered on the shrine at top of the hill. On the other hand, the rice fields were located in the lowland. So, it was inconvenient for agricultural work. With the cooperation of the disciples, Yugaku carried out large-scale of arable land exchange and consolidation.  Children also worked for fixing and treading the footpath in the foot to learn the importance of mutual cooperation. Each one pairs of 2 houses were … Continue reading →

Consideration for heavy work of agricultural work Improvement of schedule making efficiency Yugaku Ohara focused on planning and rationality of agricultural work.  He guided farmers to make an annual agricultural calendar called “work assignment schedule (Shigotowari-hikae).”  It remains in Endo family, the headman at that time. The calendar indicated the labor force such as the size of arable land and the number of families, and estimated the annual labor amount for each work.  For example, in the case of the March, it indicated “wheat harvest, 5 persons 1 day, 5 man-days labor”, and ” rice planting, 5persons 17 days, 85 man-days labor”.  In addition, the annual calendar indicated the schedule … Continue reading →