Blessings of the steep slopes
Indigenous millets have been cultivated in the Higashi-Iya Motoi area of Miyoshi City for generations. In particular, Yatsumata (finger millet), a indigenous species of Higashi Iya, originates from Africa and has been cultivated in the mountainous areas of Japan for a long time. However, its cultivation areas have decreased over time, and it is now called “phantom millet”. Recently, Yatsumata has attracted worldwide attention as a superfood and slow food because of its high nutritional value and resilience to harsh climatic conditions. Harvested Yatsumata is threshed and sold as either grains or powder. It is also being commercialized as sweets and other products that take advantage of its characteristics and flavor.
Preserving Yatsumata for future generations
Yatsumata is rare. Due to the aging farming population and a decrease in the number of farmers, Yatsumata production was once limited to a single farmer, making its continued cultivation and seed preservation difficult. To address this, local volunteers established the Iya Millet Products Association in 2016 to safeguard Yatsumata seeds and ensure their preservation for future generations. As part of this effort, the cooperative has named a sloping field in Motoi village “Village of Yatsumata,” where local elementary school students and residents experience growing Yatsumata and making “Koeguro”. This is a valuable opportunity for children to experience indigenous farming on the sloping land.
Unique agricultural tools for steep slopes
In Motoi village, people have preserved a unique farming tool culture adapted to sloping land. For soil preparation, farmers use tools such as the "Hitoribiki", which is used to dig trenches between ridges along contour lines, and the “Sarae”, which helps restore the soil that has been displaced by wind and rain. In the cultivation of Yatsumata, everything from sowing to harvesting remains entirely manual, using indigenous farming tools.
A landscape with Koeguro
Kaya straw harvested in the fall is bundled and dried to create “Koeguro” which is a fertilizer. The landscape of Yatsumata cultivation and harvesting reflects a harmonious interaction between diverse people and nature.
