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A Roment of NasunlopmeveDe

Nasunogahara, the agricultural
frontier of the Meiji era
Nasunogahara is a vast plateau in the Nasu region.
While it was one of the largest wildland areas of
Honshu, agriculture was not introduced here until
the Meiji era. The region lacked the water
necessary for agriculture, but it developed aspeople worked hard to reclaim the wildlands.

What kind of place isNasunogahara?
Nasunogahara lies in northern Tochigi
Prefecture. According to Japan Heritage, thearea consists of four cities and towns in the
Nasu region: Nasushiobara, Ohtawara,Yaita, and Nasu. The Sabi and Kuma
Rivers flow through the centerof Nasunogahara, while the
Naka River runs to thenortheast and the Houki
River runs to theThe Nasu region issouthwest.

Nasunogahara

Nasu area
Tochigi
Prefecture

shown in green, and thebrown area inside it is
Nasunogahara.

1

One of Japan’slargest alluvial fans

An alluvial fan is terrain created by triangleshaped deposits of sand and gravel that iscarried down from mountains by rivers.
Composite alluvial fans are formed when
multiple alluvial fans combine, andNasunogahara is one of the largest in Japan.
A canyon river

2Kinu River

The once vastwildlands

The Nasunogahara region was once coveredby two vast wildland plains called
Nasunishihara and Nasuhigashihara. The
wild grasses and reeds that flourished in thewildlands were an important source ofthatching for roofs and feed for horses.

A river emerging
from the mountains
to ﬂow out to a plain

3

A river withoutwater—the Sabi River

Water seeps into thesand and gravel

It deposits sand andgravel carried fromthe mountains

1

The Sabi River with no water

Despite its name, no water can be seen along
the Sabi River, making it one of thecharacteristic sights of the Nasunogahara area.
The water seeps underground, leaving theriverbed full of dry rocks. Water flows in theriver only after heavy rains, etc.

The water disappears,leaving a dry riverbed

How alluvial fans work
The sand and gravel deposits are thickest at theentrance to the canyon, and gradually thin out
the further they get from the canyon.

Duke Matsukata’s Villa in Nasunogahara

The water reemerges
downstream

Wild grasses and reeds reminiscent of thewildlands of the Meiji era. Places where thesegrasses and reeds (known as kaya) were harvested
are called kayaba.

The Sabi River with water

One of the largest wildland
reclamation projects in Japanand the Meiji Aristocrats
The Meiji era saw an influx of Western culture as the country soughtto accelerate its development. Various industries thrived amid efforts
toward national prosperity. It was against this backdrop that
Nasunogahara, with some of the largest wildlands in Japan, became
the focus of efforts to develop it for agricultural use and reclamationbegan at the hands of the Meiji aristocratic class as well as prominent
locals.
One of the driving forces

behind the nobles involved indeveloping Nasunogahara
w a s a d e s i re to e m u l ate
Western nobles who had vastlands at their disposal.

Water seeps into the thick sand and gravel deposits
in the upper part of the Sabi River, and no waterflows along the riverbed. There is less sand andgravel downstream, so the water emerges to flow
along the surface.

2