So-called “Warigae (_??__??_)” Runrig Land Use System is applicable only to the internal matter of the village, which holds possession of the land as the common property.
 Under the system, the farmers mutually change their lands by lot drowing which takes place periodically every 20 years, or even every 3 years, although the management of land and the products thereof belong to the respective farmers in charge during the settled period.
 In Japan, the system in question was established in the Medieval Era, and had expanded during the Tokugawa Shogunate era, but it was prohibited by the Meiji Government.
 It has nevertheless continued in existence in many regions in the form of the common fields of local villages.
 The system has regionally different types of form, but has many things in common. It is seen in small villages, composed of some 30_??_50 farmers, assembling in settlements of agglomerate type. They are mostly independent but poor, and each individual possession of land is below 1 ha.
 Regionally speaking, it is mostry witnessed in the areas, where damages from cause of nature, such as heavy and frequent storm, flood, and cold weather are occasionally profound. The general yield thereof accordingly is destined to be poor and unstable.
 Moreover, most of the regions are those of monoculture and have no means of production for commercial purpose except rice-growing. Their monetary income was negligible as for the village farmers while the tax imposed on them by the feudal lord was strict and heavy during the era of Edo.
 Thence the poverty struck the livings of farmers in the area. In these villages, therefore, it was difficult for them to maintain village structure and population, and to carry on reproducing the area, unless under some specific land system.
 It is considered by reason of this that the system had to stand on the foundation of equalized share of land and to be carried out independently and in accordance with the will of the farmers.
 As against the above, I witness some cases under quite different and opposite situations which I am reporting as shown in the present monograph.
 Along the right side bank of the river Abukuma, opposite to and beyond the city of Moriyama, there spread the old Moriyama area. Within 30 villages of the area in question, together with other villages therearound, “Warigae” system had been carried out ever since the early days of Edo.
 But later in the year of 1705 the system was re-examined and to be abolishied.
 In spite of the above fact, the 12 villages existed in the southern part of the area, however, had still held the system independently so far up to the end of the Shogunate days. (Fig. I).
 These villages were situated within the flood disaster area of the river “Yata”. There is no denying the fact that it was desirable for them to carry on and stabilize the system in order to share and equalize the loss from disasters among each head. Apart from the above circumstances, the relief works done by the Land Lord (_??__??_) were good and effective.
 Furthermore, the pieces of land of the region were not these of monoculture, but were favoured with consider fair cash incomes other than rice crop. These were Benihana (for use of dye industry), Indigo Ball, Silk raising, the manufacture of farmers' hat, etc.
 Taking an instance of the village of “Kami-Yukiai” their monetary income was estimated about 500 (_??_: dollar=Yen) to 600 Ryo.
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