Rikinosuke Ishikawa, an agricultural leader during the Meiji era, was born in 1945 in the village of Koizumi (present-day Kanaashi-Koizumi District, Akita City). In 1865, he married into the Ishikawa family, the landlord here in the village of Yamada (present-day Shōwa-Toyokawa-Yamada, Katagami City). Based on his own thorough research on the geography, history, and culture of the villages, he produced a report entitled “Tekisan-Shirabe” (meaning “Research on Optimal Production”), which served as basis for his coaching of agricultural villages. He worked hard from early morning until late in the evening with the belief that “a sleeper must not keep others awake” (that is, a leader must move first so that others will move).
He initiated the annual seed exchange gathering event in 1878, which has become an important annual social event for farmers in Akita Prefecture. This event continues to date. Thus, teachings of Rikinosuke Ishikawa are still with the people of Akita.
This heritage site has such buildings as Shōan (“Hut of Noble Modesty”), where this leader spent his last days; Kojindō-Bunko (“Library of Old Men”), which stored his collection of books; and Bikōsō (“Warehouse in Preparation for Hard Days”), which stockpiled rice in case of drought and poor crops.
Katagami City
