Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to clarify how Sakuma Girin (1823‒1899), a resident of Kawauchi Village, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture, constructed his views on agriculture in order to survive in a community after a disaster through an examination of his writings submitted to "The Agriculturist (Nougyou-Zasshi)." This paper, thus, discusses how people living after a disaster internalized their experiences. Girin contributed to the recovery of his village from the Famine of Tenpou, which occurred in the 1830's. Although one may be a person affected by a disaster, it is difficult to be constantly aware of the occurrence of disasters. Nonetheless, based on his experiences, Girin sought out a state of agriculture while holding to an awareness of disaster response. Where the cultivation of fields was the main means of livelihood, emphasis was placed on the cultivation of cold-tolerant crop varieties, rather than production expansion. In addition, in secondary occupations, Girin invented and proposed the cultivation of emergency crops and sidelines that made use of familiar natural surroundings, also practicing these himself. These practices of Girin were implemented while utilizing the new media of the Meiji period (1868‒1912). Disasters and modernization are events that compel the rationalization of local society from the outside. While living in this milieu, Girin created a livelihood rooted in the local land, constructing views of agriculture that aimed to guarantee the lives of others, not simply practiced for one's own benefit.
