Grass porridge to beat hunger - Wisdom and bonds of a rural community (Tenmei and Tempo periods)

Grass porridge to beat hunger - Wisdom and bonds of a rural community (Tenmei and Tempo periods)

The great famines of the Temmei and Tempo periods shook the dietary habits of the Edo period, when rice was the staple food, to its very core. When rice cultivation was destroyed by poor harvests due to cold damage and long rains, people had no choice but to rely on substitute foods to survive. Diaries and records show rice porridge and dumplings made from a mixture of grass, tree bark, potato leaves, millet, and milia. Although some of these foods were difficult to digest and lacked nutrition, they still made efforts to stave off hunger with their ingenuity.

Community help played an important role in this difficult dietary situation. The serving of porridge to those in need by families who could afford it, and the provision of food at festivals, temples, and shrines were important activities to maintain order and cohesion in the village. This was not merely a form of charity, but also served as a form of mutual support and wisdom to help each other through crises.

The records of food substitutes and almsgiving are not mere descriptions of food, but vividly reflect the perseverance and ingenuity of people trying to survive amidst poverty, as well as the bonds of community. The famine was a tragic time, but it was also a testament to how Japanese rural communities survived by supporting each other.