Minuma
Encyclopedia
or is an area of paddy field
s and other agricultural fields along the Minuma Irrigational Canal. The area encompasses 1260 hectares and straddles across five wards of the city of Saitama
(Kita-ku
, Ōmiya-ku
, Minuma-ku
, Urawa-ku
, and Midori-ku
). Despite its close proximity to major urban areas such as Saitama-Shintoshin Station
and Ōmiya Station
, idyllic scenery consisting of paddy fields, farmlands, forests and rivers still remains.
. The Shiba River and Katayagawa River constitute the region's major stream system.
to the early Edo Period
, the high sea level associated with Holocene climatic optimum
linked the region with Tokyo Bay
and nearly two-thirds of the area occupied by former city of Urawa
was under water. This is supported by many midden
s found in the region which date back to the early Jōmon period. Subsequently, as the climate cooled down, the retracting shoreline left the region a countless number of marshlands and wetland
s, resulting in the creation of Minuma.
Between the early Edo Period and the mid-Edo Period, the area was converted into a reservoir by for irrigation. In 1629, the project began with constructing a levee between current Tsukishima in Saitama and Kisoro in the city of Kawaguchi
. The structure was called , literally meaning eight chō levee, since the length of the levee was approximately eight chō
(870 meters). The reservoir mounted to cover roughly 1200 hectares with the average depth of one meter.
The mid-Edo Period to the Post-war
Era marked the time span during which the area was actively utilized for agriculture by draining the reservoir. In 1727, the reservoir levee was demolished and rice paddies were constructed on the reclaimed site. To ensure continual access to irrigational water in the region, an irrigation canal system supplied by the Tone River
was introduced. Canals were dug roughly in a north-south direction along the two plateaus that sandwich the region.
Paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
s and other agricultural fields along the Minuma Irrigational Canal. The area encompasses 1260 hectares and straddles across five wards of the city of Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
(Kita-ku
Kita-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, occupying the northern part of the city. It is surrounded by Minuma-ku , Ōmiya-ku , Nishi-ku of Saitama city and Ageo city .-History:...
, Ōmiya-ku
Omiya-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Greater Tokyo Area and about 25 km north of central Tokyo. Ōmiya-ku is surrounded by Nishi-ku , Kita-ku , Minuma-ku , Urawa-ku , Chūō-ku , and Sakura-ku of Saitama city.Ōmiya-ku is the most active commercial and business centre in...
, Minuma-ku
Minuma-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, occupying the northeastern part of the city. It is surrounded by Iwatsuki-ku , Midori-ku , Urawa-ku , Ōmiya-ku , Kita-ku of Saitama city and cities of Ageo and Hasuda .-History:Until May 1, 2001 it was an eastern part of Ōmiya city...
, Urawa-ku
Urawa-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Japan. It is surrounded by Midori-ku , Minami-ku , Chūō-ku , Ōmiya-ku , and Minuma-ku of Saitama city....
, and Midori-ku
Midori-ku, Saitama
is one of the ten wards of Saitama located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.-Geography:Midori-ku is located at the south-eastern corner and covers an area part of former Misono Village and an eastern section of former Urawa City. A wide area of green farmland, Minuma Rice Paddies, forms the central...
). Despite its close proximity to major urban areas such as Saitama-Shintoshin Station
Saitama-Shintoshin Station
is a train station in Saitama, Japan, on the Keihin-Tōhoku Line, Takasaki Line, and Tōhoku Main Line.- Adjacent stations :-External links:*...
and Ōmiya Station
Omiya Station (Saitama)
is a railway station in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Japan. It is a major interchange station for the East Japan Railway Company .-JR East:* Tōhoku Shinkansen* Akita Shinkansen* Yamagata Shinkansen* Jōetsu Shinkansen* Nagano Shinkansen...
, idyllic scenery consisting of paddy fields, farmlands, forests and rivers still remains.
Geography
The area stands on the Shiba River Lowland, which is located inside of the Ōmiya Plateau in the central Kantō plainKanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
. The Shiba River and Katayagawa River constitute the region's major stream system.
History
From the JōmonJomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
to the early Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, the high sea level associated with Holocene climatic optimum
Holocene climatic optimum
The Holocene Climate Optimum was a warm period during roughly the interval 9,000 to 5,000 years B.P.. This event has also been known by many other names, including: Hypsithermal, Altithermal, Climatic Optimum, Holocene Optimum, Holocene Thermal Maximum, and Holocene Megathermal.This warm period...
linked the region with Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
and nearly two-thirds of the area occupied by former city of Urawa
Urawa, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, until it merged into the city of Saitama together with two other cities, Omiya and Yono, on May 1, 2001. In 2003, the former area of Urawa became Urawa-ku, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku, which are wards of the city of Saitama...
was under water. This is supported by many midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
s found in the region which date back to the early Jōmon period. Subsequently, as the climate cooled down, the retracting shoreline left the region a countless number of marshlands and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s, resulting in the creation of Minuma.
Between the early Edo Period and the mid-Edo Period, the area was converted into a reservoir by for irrigation. In 1629, the project began with constructing a levee between current Tsukishima in Saitama and Kisoro in the city of Kawaguchi
Kawaguchi, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1933.As of January 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 517,171, the second largest in Saitama Prefecture after Saitama, and a population density of 9,276.61 persons per km². The total area is 55.75 km²...
. The structure was called , literally meaning eight chō levee, since the length of the levee was approximately eight chō
Japanese units of measurement
' is the traditional Japanese system of measurement. The name shakkanhō originates from the name of two of the units, the shaku, a unit of length, and the kan, a mass measurement.The system is Chinese in origin...
(870 meters). The reservoir mounted to cover roughly 1200 hectares with the average depth of one meter.
The mid-Edo Period to the Post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
Era marked the time span during which the area was actively utilized for agriculture by draining the reservoir. In 1727, the reservoir levee was demolished and rice paddies were constructed on the reclaimed site. To ensure continual access to irrigational water in the region, an irrigation canal system supplied by the Tone River
Tone River
The is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is in length and has a drainage area of...
was introduced. Canals were dug roughly in a north-south direction along the two plateaus that sandwich the region.