A STUDY OF THE JÔRI SYSTEM PADDY FIELDS AROUND MITO CITY

Abstract

This report deals with some results of the restoration works for the ancient paddy field pattern developed by the jori System, a grid-pattern land development, in the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture. Restoration work was accomplished by means of tracing the forms of the land partitions for paddy fields developed by the jori System in relation to topographies. The form of these partitions was assertained by referring to the land-register maps with the aid of topographical analysis by on-the-spot investigations chiefly relying on soil maps. The survey reveals that, in the lowlands across which the River Kuji runs, there are orderly laid-out paddy fields by the jori System and many of them are located in backmarshes. Ancient paddy fields with this system were successfully restored on the left side of the River Asa by referring to the old land-register maps available, while most paddy fields there were displaced by the land readjustment enforced in 1909. It may be said that there were not many gridiron fields of the jori origin in the lowlands along the River Naka. The facts that the scope of the jori System paddy fields is quite limited on the right side of the Naka and that the pattern of field network is irregular on the left side are in contrast to the studies by others. Attached maps will show these facts.