Monday , 10 February 2025
Home Agricultural: Farming, News & Trends The “Great Tenmei Famine” Over 200 Years Ago Sparks Reflection in Japan

The “Great Tenmei Famine” Over 200 Years Ago Sparks Reflection in Japan

156
Asama volcano in Japan

Recently, the rice shortage has become a hot topic in Japanese media. In many regions, rice purchases have been restricted, and some Japanese citizens have started replacing rice with noodles as their staple food. Some media outlets have even used the term “rice crisis” in their reports.

Food security has always been a major concern in Japan. The country has experienced frequent natural disasters and repeated famines throughout its history. Even during the relatively peaceful and stable Edo period, Japan faced four major famines, each resulting in significant loss of life and hindering social development. The “Great Tenmei Famine,” which occurred between 1782 and 1788, was especially devastating, reportedly claiming around 900,000 lives over the course of several years.

Cattle, Horses, and Dogs Were Eaten

In 1782, extreme cold in northeastern Japan caused crop failures, and many people died from cold and starvation due to a lack of relief. The high death toll initially failed to attract the attention of the Edo shogunate or most local rulers, who assumed that once the next year’s harvest was bountiful, things would return to normal. However, events soon unfolded in ways no one had anticipated.

In 1783, Mount Iwaki in the north erupted, followed by an eruption of Mount Asama northwest of Edo (now Tokyo). Lava and rock blocked rivers, causing floods, and large amounts of volcanic ash blocked sunlight and covered farmland. Continuous heavy rains followed. Under these conditions, the rice crisis in the northeast not only persisted but worsened as the crop failure spread. Years of poor harvests compounded the situation, causing labor shortages and a lack of production materials, further exacerbating the food crisis. This vicious cycle plunged people into dire straits, with tragic scenes unfolding one after another.

At the height of the famine, people in Hirosaki Domain (present-day Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture) fled daily to other regions to beg for food. However, no food was available in neighboring areas. Even wild vegetables and boars from the mountains were gone, as well as cattle, horses, and dogs, which were essential for production. In some cases, people even resorted to cannibalism to survive.

Commercial Policies Depleted Grain Reserves

At the time, many elderly and children who needed care were abandoned by their families, and large numbers of weakened refugees died far from home. The unburied corpses piled up, leading to outbreaks of disease. Multiple calamities struck simultaneously, and refugees were in dire conditions, with some severely affected areas losing nearly half of their population.

Were natural disasters the only cause of such severe famine? Some scholars believe that it also resulted from Japan’s fragile rice production system and misguided policies. During the Edo period, Japan expanded its farmland and increased rice production. However, outdated irrigation systems and agricultural techniques limited growth, and food production could not keep up with the needs of the growing population. Frequent natural disasters further strained the system, leading to repeated famines and sharp population declines.

In the Great Tenmei Famine, in addition to natural disasters and structural limitations, poor response strategies worsened the situation. During the Tenmei era, those in power adopted a “pro-commerce” policy—promoting commercial trade, endorsing monopolistic industries, encouraging consumption, and permitting the cultivation of non-rice cash crops. While this policy boosted the commodity economy, excessive consumption and the reduction of staple crop cultivation posed significant risks for Japan, which relied heavily on agricultural production and had a weak economic foundation.

Local domains transported rice harvested within their territories to major cities for sale in exchange for money and goods, depleting grain reserves and straining domain finances. This also destabilized rice prices, which skyrocketed during the Tenmei period. With insufficient reserves, merchants refused to release their stored grain, exacerbating the relief efforts.

Shifting to an Agriculture-First Policy

In response to the crisis, most central and local leaders in Japan were initially indifferent and then powerless. However, Yonezawa Domain (now Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture) and Shirakawa Domain (now Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture) were among the few areas less affected by the famine. Their rulers had adhered to policies of frugality and encouraging agriculture, ensuring stable finances and more effective relief efforts in the face of natural disasters. These examples made people realize the shortcomings of the previous pro-commerce policies.

Toward the end of the Great Tenmei Famine, hungry people across Japan began rioting, attacking rice shops and destroying stores to protest the high rice prices and the ineffective relief measures. Public security in major cities such as Edo deteriorated sharply. Eventually, Matsudaira Sadanobu, the ruler of Shirakawa Domain, was promoted to a key national position and implemented proactive famine relief policies. He worked to stabilize rice prices, provide relief to refugees, encourage their return, and restore production. These policy shifts, along with the recovery of food production, led to the gradual alleviation of the famine by the end of 1788.

The painful lessons of the Great Tenmei Famine significantly impacted Japan’s subsequent governance. Matsudaira Sadanobu abandoned the previous pro-commerce policies in favor of a focus on agriculture, frugality, and concern for the welfare of the people. While these measures eased social tensions to some extent, they also dealt a heavy blow to the commodity economy and urban commercial industries, laying the groundwork for future reform failures and economic stagnation.

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

AgLaunch 1

AgLaunch Accelerates Innovation: 8 Startups Selected

In a significant move to foster innovation in agriculture, AgLaunch, a leading...

How to Efficiently and Quickly Irrigate Your Plantation

In modern agriculture, the design and implementation of irrigation systems are crucial...

mushroom

Mushroom Cultivation in 2025: Situation, Challenges and Prospects in Europe

Mushroom cultivation in Europe is a strategic agricultural sector that combines tradition...

California wildfires

California Wildfires: Economic Losses May Hit $250B-$275B

“Driven by winds exceeding 40 miles per hour, the fire quickly consumed...