Ishikawa Rikinosuke (石川理紀之助)
Rikinosuke ISHIKAWA (1845 - 1915) was born in Akita Prefecture. He was an experienced farmer (an exemplary good farmer) and an instructor of agricultural techniques. He was admired as "a saintly farmer" and known to say "Do your work yourself; don't ask other people to do it for you."
Achievements
Rikinosuke had great success as an instructor of agricultural techniques in various places from the end of Edo Period to the Meiji and Taisho Periods. He saved and instructed to improve a poor village in Senboku County, Akita Prefecture. In addition, he surveyed not only industries and economics but also geographies, histories, personalities, and customs of two prefectures, eight counties, forty-nine towns and villages, and based on the research, proposed comprehensive future plans, 'Tekisanshirabe' (1896 - 1902).
His words, "If you are going to do something, keep doing it until you see the result," were quoted by Prime Minister Yasuo FUKUDA in his administrative policy speech on January 18, 2008.
Books
"Rounou-bankouroku" (The Late Journal of an Experienced Farmer) (published in 1916) - the actual record of Senboku County above-mentioned in this article.
"Tekisanshirabe- yoroku" (published in 1917) - the book recommended to survey wider areas not included in the previous research based on the success of 'Tekisanshirabe.'
'Kosakukai (The Farmer's Association),' included in "The collected works of books on Japanese Agriculture, Volume 63, Agricultural Community Development," Edited by Tsuneo SATO (Rural Culture Association, 1995) ISBN 4-540-94013-9 - records of meetings held by the farmer's association.