1) The process of formation of ‘Shinden-Shuraku’ in this region may be classified into three periods; the first (1596-1660), the second (1661-1735) and the third (1736-1859).
In the first period of the formation, ‘Shinden-Shuraku’ was founded in the erosion valleys on the diluvial uplands and in the valleys of Kashiwage in the northern diluvial fields of Noshiro.
In the second period, it was formed in the wide area in the basin of the River Yoneshiro inside the sanddunes along the seaside region, in the erosion valleys of the upland region, and down the river along its branches such as the Rivers Taneume, Fujikoto, Nagaki, Ani, etc. where it was possible to get enough water to drink and to irrigate the paddy-fields. However, in these regions down the River Yoneshiro, the paddy-fields were in danger of being threatened by the flood, so it was necessary for them to built their settlements on the river-terraces or on the uplands near the mountains.
The third period of the reclamation had some elements different from the preceeding periods. ‘Honden’ of the old settlements was reconstructed from its wasted conditions by the water for brought irrigation by means of the excavated flumes.
The rest of the water also made it possible to build such settlements as Takao, Shida, Kukigawa, Yoshida villages, etc., which possessed the character of ‘Okikaeri-Shinden’ type.
2) Next, we are to examine some characteristics of reclamation during these three periods.
In the first period (1596-1660), feudal lords gave the permit of reclamation to ‘Kyunin’, who belongedd to ‘Bushi’ of lower class. The lord granted the ‘Kyunin’ the unqualified right of reclamation only on the condition that it does not constitute an obstacle to ‘Honden’ -management, the reclaimed land being givenn him as an increase in his stipend.
This way of reclamation was called ‘Sashigami-biraki’, and was carried on during the period of Keicho and Kan'ei about 300_??_350 years ago.
The most remarkable way of reclamation in the second period was called ‘Chushin-biraki’.
This period was also characterized by the building of many branch-villages.
In the third period, flumes were excavated by ‘Akita-han’, which relieved the ‘Honden’ in old and exhausted villages of the devastation. The rest of the water for irrigationn also enabled to reclaim ‘Kirizoe-Shinden’.
In this way, the reclamation of the paddy-fields was conducted by the ‘Han’ to relieve villages of their waste in the latter half of the Edo era.
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