Is it possible that a monument commemorates a grass-mowing competition? Yes it is possible and here it stands. This is the \u8349\u5208\u308a\u306e\u7891. It is located in Tokyo’s Kita district.
This stone monument commemorates the All-Japan Grass Mowing Championship. The event took place between 1938 and 1944. It was a grand affair. Thousands gathered on the Arakawa River embankment to watch.
Strong competitors from various prefectures participated. Some 40000 people entered the preliminary rounds. Eighty-six young farmers made it to the finals at Akabane-Iwabuchi. They swung their sickles. They competed for the honor of their hometowns.
But what was the reason for this strange competition? Agriculture was seen as the foundation of the nation. Grass mowing and composting were vital to agriculture. The competition promoted these practices.
During the war, Japan faced shortages of feed and fertilizer. The government encouraged the use of wild grasses to increase production. However, the emphasis was more on “farmer spirit” than scientific methods. This was typical of the wartime era.
Competitors used the same sickles. They mowed grass on equal plots of land for one hour. Judges scored the amount of grass cut. They also judged the neatness of the mowing. The winner could cut 400 kg of grass in an hour. The prize was a cow.
An article in a 1940 photography magazine described the scene. Thousands of spectators filled the Arakawa embankment. Contestants from across the nation competed fiercely.
The youth division winner was Mr. Katsuhiko Yanagi from Shizuoka. The middle-aged division winner was Mr. Eigoro Saotome from Miyagi. The compost division winners were the Maeda and Fujinaga groups from Toyama.
The inscription on the \u8349\u5208\u308a\u306e\u7891 reads: “Farmer spirit begins with grass mowing.”
The war escalated and the All-Japan Grass Mowing Championship was discontinued. It never resumed after the war. But the \u8349\u5208\u308a\u306e\u7891 stands as a reminder of this unique event. It symbolizes the importance of agriculture. It also shows the spirit of the Japanese people during a difficult time.
Today the \u8349\u5208\u308a\u306e\u7891 is located in Arakawa-Akasuimon Ryokuchi. It is near the old Iwabuchi Sluice. This area connects the Arakawa Drainage Channel and the Anegawa River. The old sluice was completed in 1924.
The \u8349\u5208\u308a\u306e\u7891 also stands as a symbol. It embodies a nation’s dedication to its roots. It persists even amidst war. The \u8349\u5208\u308a\u306e\u7891 links agricultural tradition with the spirit of the Japanese farmer.