Chapter 44
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The city created by Shizuko’s group of technologists was, to put it positively, groundbreaking, but to put it negatively, it was an excessively unique city. First of all, each household had a sunken hearth and an irori (traditional Japanese hearth) installed. There were also places to put wet towels to increase humidity. This was a measure taken in response to the sharp increase in mortality rates from December to February. In winter, temperatures drop and humidity decreases, causing viruses and bacteria that cause diseases to become more active and lead to major outbreaks. The measures taken were to increase humidity and raise the temperature inside the houses. However, using fire to achieve this naturally resulted in a significant amount of firewood being used. In order to combat the cold, forests were cut down and efforts were made to secure firewood, resulting in the production of bald mountains in the short term, but leading to poverty in the long term. However, Shizuko easily solved this problem.
The solution is bamboo charcoal. Bamboo charcoal has lower heat intensity compared to other types of charcoal like binchotan, and its burning time is also shorter, around 3 to 4 hours compared to 5 to 6 hours for wood charcoal. Bamboo charcoal is inferior to wood charcoal in all aspects, but the growth speed of bamboo, which serves as the raw material, is overwhelmingly faster compared to trees. It takes about three to four months for bamboo to reach a mature size, and about four years to achieve the quality required for bamboo products and other processed goods. In contrast, cedar and cypress trees, even after 20 years, only grow to around 10 meters.
The most suitable type of bamboo for bamboo charcoal is Moso bamboo, but it is said that Moso bamboo spread throughout Japan during the Edo period. There are various theories, including the theory that it was brought back by people related to temples from China, but none of them have been confirmed. If possible, Shizuko, who wanted to mass-produce Moso bamboo charcoal, asked Kyujiro to obtain seeds or underground stems. She asked him to search for them through two routes: temple-related individuals who had a theory of transmission, and smuggling from China. It is easy to distinguish Moso bamboo, Madake bamboo, and Chikurin bamboo.
Moso bamboo has one ring of nodes, and the new bamboo has white powder attached, so the white powder under the ring is noticeable. Madake bamboo has two rings of nodes, and if it is thin, the upper ring is noticeable. The texture of the upper ring is smooth without any angles. Chikurin bamboo also has two rings of nodes like Madake bamboo, but the entire stem appears whitish, and the upper ring is relatively angular.
Therefore, it was said that if there is one section (fushi) ring and white powder on a new bamboo ring, it is moso bamboo. It was said that if it is an underground stem, there are about five, and if it is a seed, there are as many as possible, and Kyujiro agreed with his usual suspicious smile. With the deal concluded, Shizuko handed over an advance payment and construction costs to Kyujiro. Officials and people from temples and shrines are weak to money. Shizuko thought that she would need funds for that, so she added that amount and gave it to Kyujiro. She thought that she would need to exercise restraint for a while since she had spent quite a bit of money, but it was only a temporary decrease in liquid assets, and she did not realize that she had assets comparable to those called wealthy farmers in the future. As a temporary measure until moso bamboo is obtained, Shizuko creates bamboo groves of madake and chikuren bamboo. Since both are quite extensive bamboo groves, there will be no shortage of fuel.
When making bamboo charcoal, byproducts such as bamboo vinegar and wood tar can be collected. However, these need to be separated by allowing the raw liquid to settle for at least three months using a method called the settling process. Bamboo vinegar has a wide range of uses, including deodorizing, sterilizing, preventing bacteria and insects, improving soil quality, reducing pesticide use, making compost, skincare, and preventing bathwater from cooling down too quickly. Wood tar, unlike coal tar derived from petroleum, has antibacterial properties and has a unique scent that distinguishes it from the petroleum-like smell of coal tar. It also has similar properties to bamboo vinegar, such as insect repellent, mold prevention, water resistance, acid resistance, oil resistance, salt resistance, preservation, and termite resistance. When applied to building materials, it provides insect repellent and waterproof properties, and once dried, it does not soften even at high temperatures. When completely dried, it becomes odorless. Due to its high sterilization properties, it has been traditionally used as medicine in Finland. By diluting it with water, the applications can be further expanded. The only drawback is that it requires settling, so instant mass production is not possible.
We decided to adapt the toilet situation to the Edo period. We installed pit toilets everywhere and regularly emptied them into cesspools, processing them into fertilizer. Additionally, we encouraged the habit of bathing to improve hygiene. Daily bathing was difficult in terms of cost, but we arranged for fuel so that people could bathe two or three times a week. Naturally, we used bamboo as fuel. Bamboo contains a lot of oil, so it burns quickly. Its hollow structure allows it to burn completely without the need to boil excessive amounts of water, which was convenient.
Regarding meals, we have set up a “dining hall”. It is more efficient to cook meals together in one place rather than each household cooking separately. It is also more convenient to collect food waste in bulk from the “dining hall” rather than collecting it individually from each household. In addition, we have installed composting bins specifically for organic waste collection in various locations in the city, and we conduct regular collection. However, the women have not been freed from the laborious task of cooking. The women who work in the dining hall were originally the ones who cooked at home. As a result, there are differences in the taste of the dishes served in the dining hall. Shizuko was concerned that there would be a bias towards certain dining halls based on taste preferences, but surprisingly, the townspeople found the different tastes of each dining hall to be a form of entertainment.
The security industry has decided to build its system based on modern police organizations. While it may sound good, in reality, it is a simple organization that selects dedicated police officers and stations them in substations set up in various parts of the city, where they work in shifts. Nonetheless, the organization operates on the basis of a two-person cell, with a dog and a security officer as a set. With training, dogs can respond to various tasks such as security, reconnaissance, message delivery, and detecting injured soldiers. Even just building a basic training and establishing a master-dog relationship can allow humans to benefit from the various abilities that dogs naturally possess.
The reason why dogs are dogs can be easily understood by unraveling history. The relationship between dogs and humans is so deep that it is not an exaggeration to say that dogs are the oldest partners of humanity. Ancient human fossils found all over the world almost always include dog fossils, indicating the length of their history. The reason why it was dogs and not other animals is because dogs were able to quickly sense enemies approaching from the darkness in times when light was scarce. Thanks to the social nature of dogs and their excellent sense of smell and hearing, humans have overcome countless crises. The history of military dogs is also long, with their use dating back to ancient Greece where they were used as a military unit. In the ancient Roman Empire, dog units were created to fight against enemies who dispersed and fought in forests, such as the Celtic and Germanic tribes, giving them an advantage in battle. Dogs were also used for defense, with the Greeks and Romans keeping dogs in forts to detect the approach of enemies with their sharp sense of smell and hearing. Since the time of Aristotle, dogs have been brave and fearless warriors, as well as loyal friends to humans.
Japanese dogs, especially, possess qualities such as simplicity, loyalty, and bravery. They make excellent guard dogs. Simply by patrolling the streets regularly, they serve as a deterrent against infiltrators. Even if an intrusion were to occur, the dogs would detect any abnormal smells or presence. However, even if infiltrators manage to overcome these obstacles, it would be difficult for them to obtain useful information. This is because the city, created by Shizuko’s group of technicians, is not a place for researching and developing military technology, but rather a city for adapting military technology for civilian use and reproducing various modern tools.
Just as the townspeople were finally getting used to the life in the artisan district, Shizuko’s first outrageous demand came crashing down on them.
“Oh… you want me to create something similar to this…?”
The person who was at the front of the gathered carpenters steps forward to represent the group and poses a question to Shizuko.
“That’s right. To be precise, it’s about reproducing this part of the lid.”
Intentionally letting their confusion show, Shizuko smiled kindly. However, it’s no wonder they were confused. What Shizuko showed them was what we now call a plastic bottle. The craftsmen couldn’t hide their confusion at something they had never seen or heard of before.
“This is also using the screw technology used in matchlock guns. By doing this, the liquid contents do not overflow and a high level of airtightness is achieved. Watch closely.”
I flipped over one of the several PET bottles that were inside the sports bag, as well as a bamboo water bottle with just a wooden board inserted as a lid. As a result, the wooden board in the bamboo water bottle was overwhelmed by the force of the water, causing it to fly out and the water inside to overflow. However, the PET bottle managed to contain the water without spilling its contents and without the lid coming off.
“Oh, oh my…”
The craftsmen, while expressing their surprise and admiration, raise their voices in awe. Shizuko, having determined that there are no issues with the grasp, proceeds with the conversation while they are still moved.
“The duration is two months, and the condition is to reproduce it with a bamboo water bottle and to have the exact diameter as specified in the blueprint. Feel free to use the research funds provided in this wooden box. Oh, and make sure to strictly adhere to the timeframe. Otherwise, the lord’s wrath will befall upon us.”
After handing over the design blueprints, research funds, and original products for the PET bottle caps, Shizuko left the carpenter’s gathering place before they could say anything. After a while, when they finally caught up with their understanding, they cautiously touched the PET bottles. At first, they were hesitant and fearful, but gradually, their artisan spirit ignited, and they immersed themselves without looking back.
I also do similar things for weaving craftsmen, pottery craftsmen, and blacksmiths. For weaving craftsmen, I recreate T-shirts, underwear, and loincloths that were inside sports bags. For pottery craftsmen, I master the use of climbing kilns and establish a system to mass-produce pottery. For blacksmiths, I recreate numerous agricultural tools that Shizuko has written about.
There are also things that we do together. Shizuko ordered the production of a wooden barrel still by blacksmiths and carpenters. She had always misunderstood that stills were made of metals like stainless steel and rubber. However, she realized that rubber did not exist or, even if it did, during the Edo period when making shochu through distillation, they did not have access to luxury materials. She tried to think of any hints and remembered visiting a “wooden barrel still” during her trip to Kagoshima. It used a small amount of metal and bricks, but the majority was made of wood and bamboo. The principles and ingenuity of the still were the same, whether made of wood or metal. Therefore, Shizuko ordered the production of a wooden barrel still, believing that there was no reason why it couldn’t be made.
“Hmm… I want some rubber, but I’m not sure if Factis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factice), which is produced by adding sulfur to vegetable oils, is a sufficient substitute for natural rubber… However, there are so many different ratios, I’m not sure which one is the best…”
Even without natural rubber, substitute materials for rubber can be created. One such substitute is called “factice.” The history of factice is ancient, and in medieval Europe, it was made by reacting linseed oil with sulfur to create a resilient resinous substance that could be utilized. Due to its preservative properties, there are records of it being primarily used as a surgical pharmaceutical. However, after the emergence of synthetic rubber, its role shifted to that of an additive, plasticizer, and processing aid.
“If we assume that we can obtain vegetable oil from sunflowers… the problem is sulfur. It’s easy to obtain sulfur because it’s used in black gunpowder, but I don’t think we’ll have a plentiful supply to continue using it for experiments.”
Shizuko understands that it is currently difficult to reuse large amounts of sulfur due to development priorities. As plant oil is also a valuable resource, she understands that indulgent research is not possible at the moment.
We have various technicians working on creating products, but the life blacksmiths in particular face strict requirements. It is not enough for them to simply create finished products. They must continuously provide feedback on any issues that arise during use, and work to resolve them through iterative development and version upgrades. These everyday tools will continue to be used even after the unification of the country. It is necessary to gradually improve their quality, even if they start off loosely made. The earlier we start, the more issues we can identify and address, so it is important to continue testing, even if the reproducibility is low. For this reason, Shizuko has ordered that once a certain level of form is achieved, usage experiments should be conducted.
It’s not enough to just give instructions to people on the street. Shizuko also needs to cultivate the seedlings and seeds that were in the sports bag.
The owner of the notebook wishes to cultivate seeds and seedlings. However, it is clearly impossible to grow everything. The combinations are all mixed up. Even if it may be fine in the first year, the soil would likely deteriorate within a few years. Seeing the owner haphazardly collecting seeds and seedlings, Shizuko thought that they were a novice in agriculture. Novices tend to want to grow a large variety of plants just for the sake of quantity. In fact, Shizuko herself did that in the beginning and ended up destroying her vegetable garden. But that approach doesn’t work. It’s important to companion plant, but if you cultivate in a way that attracts natural enemies, the crops will all suffer.
First, I thought it was necessary to organize the seeds and seedlings, so I opened the sports bag again. However, a problem arose at this point. At first glance, I couldn’t tell, but upon closer observation, I noticed that some of the seedlings were damaged. Judging from the extent of the damage, it seemed like they had been subjected to a strong force from the side. She thought that maybe she had collided with something while holding the bag, but she considered it pointless to immediately find out the cause and decided to check the seedlings and seeds again.
Upon confirmation, it was determined that the plum seedlings had suffered the most severe damage. Plum trees are weak in self-pollination, so they need to be grown alongside varieties with abundant pollen. Perhaps due to being on the outermost side, both varieties had sustained significant damage. In modern times, it might be possible to repair them, but in the Sengoku period where tools like reinforcement tape were not available, Shizuko had no choice but to give up. And it wasn’t just the plum trees that were damaged; two lemon seedlings and one mandarin orange seedling were also beyond repair. In the end, only one lemon seedling and two mandarin orange seedlings on the innermost side remained unharmed. The tragedy continued as one broken seedling had pierced through a snack pineapple seedling. Out of the twenty snack pineapple seedlings, six had to be discarded. The broken seedling had also torn open a bag containing flower seeds, mixing the seeds of Kidachi aloe, Strelitzia, and cosmos. Recognizing that it would take time to separate the mixed seeds, Shizuko made the difficult decision to dispose of them.
In the end, we will grow two types of rice, as well as barley. The vegetables will include spinach, Chinese cabbage, white kidney beans, snow peas, potatoes, okra, and peanuts. The fruits will be lemons, mandarins, watermelons, and pineapple. As for flowers, we will have white chrysanthemums, sunflowers, aloe vera, golden carp, French marigolds, and bay laurel.
I considered using barley and sunflowers as green manure, but I needed sunflower seeds and barley grains. Therefore, I decided to use barley solely for its soil improvement effects, taking advantage of its deep-rooted nature. I decided to crush the sunflower except for the seeds and incorporate it as green manure. I will grow laurel and French marigold as companion plants to promote symbiosis. The reason I don’t grow other flowers successfully is that I don’t have the resources to do so. In the modern era, it would be possible with fertilizers, compost, and various pesticides, but in the Sengoku period where those are not available, it would be pointless to grow them. The selection was made based on cost-effectiveness. Also, basil and similar plants have a terrifying reproductive ability, so I decided it would be better not to grow them like the others. Even in Shizuko’s time, there are many negative connotations such as “crop guerrilla” and “terrorist” associated with gardening. Both in home gardens and professional farms, there are varieties that can only be cultivated in specific environments. Basil falls into that category, but it would be a waste to throw it away since it can be used for making pickled plums. So I decided to isolate the cultivation area from others and use simple brick planters. The golden shachihoko is just a cactus, so there is little reason to grow it, but since it requires little effort, I judged it to be fine.
While calculating the timing for preparing other seeds, a new instruction from Nobunaga reaches Shizuko. The content of the instruction is “Increase salt production.” This was expected, so it wasn’t a problem. However, there was another order. It was a mysterious order to “relocate the residents of Shizuko’s village to the expanding city.”
Shizuko, who was not convinced by the sudden relocation of residents, decided to request an audience to hear the reasons. Surprisingly, the permission for the audience was granted quickly. Whether it was expected or Nobunaga was in a good mood, Shizuko thought it was convenient and hurried to meet with him. During the audience, Shizuko questioned Nobunaga about the reason for suddenly moving the villagers at this time. There was a possibility that the agricultural output would decrease, making it difficult to pay sufficient taxes. Shizuko asked if it was necessary to relocate the people immediately despite these risks.
“I don’t mind” or “It doesn’t matter”
In response, Nobunaga’s answer was simple. Due to Nobunaga’s confident attitude, Shizuko momentarily wondered if she had worried unnecessarily.
“But if we continue like this, there is a possibility of a significant decrease in production… Even if we ignore that problem, is there a reason to forcefully proceed with human migration?”
But immediately shaking his head, I asked Nobunaga what he was thinking.
“If the tax revenue for this year is at least low, there won’t be any long-term problems as long as the tax revenue increases from next year onwards. To achieve that, it is necessary to relocate the farmers who have inherited your skills to various locations and continue the succession.”
After settling the bill, Nobunaga reveals his secret plan to Shizuko alone. His plan is so outlandish that it can be called unprecedented, even in the Sengoku period or in modern times. His plan, based on thorough efficiency, includes the following elements.
First, recruit 20 to 30 people from each village. However, the initial group of 30 peasants, including Shizuko, is excluded. With the gathered numbers, create six villages, and then consolidate three to five villages around each of these as satellites. The consolidated villages are referred to as “groups,” and three of these groups together are called a “town.” Nobunaga refers to it as “San-kumi no Ichi-machi.”
The “San-Kumi-Ichi” system works as follows. In the first year, it is the same as what Shizuko did, where the base village provides agricultural education and support to each village. Then, the harvested rice from the first year is offered as “collateral” to the Oda family. From the second year onwards, each “group” rotates the crops they cultivate every year. For example, in the first year, “Group A” cultivates rice and soybeans, “Group B” cultivates rice and sweet potatoes, and “Group C” cultivates rice and chicken eggs. In the second year, “Group A” cultivates rice and sweet potatoes, “Group B” cultivates rice and chicken eggs, and “Group C” cultivates rice and soybeans. In the third year, “Group A” cultivates rice and chicken eggs, “Group B” cultivates rice and soybeans, and “Group C” cultivates rice and sweet potatoes. Then, in the fourth year, the same crops as the first year are cultivated, and the “collateral” offered three years ago is returned. However, new “collateral” is required for the next three years. This is similar to a fixed contract with a two-year or three-year term in modern times. Naturally, if one wants to terminate the contract within the three years, a significant penalty fee will be incurred. If one cannot pay, the collateral in the form of stored rice will be confiscated as a penalty. After repeating this loop five times, the tax rate changes from five public and five private to four public and six private.
As part of further welfare benefits, mochi is delivered during New Year and Harvest Festival. Each villager receives three pieces, and one kagami mochi is sent to each village. This is also meant to increase motivation for work. In addition, Nobunaga was considering special privileges as a measure to improve the motivation of the farmers and prevent betrayal. However, he would not make these public. Following Machiavelli’s principle of “benefits should be given gradually to make people savor them for a long time,” he would gradually implement the parts that correspond to the whip and the candy. Of course, it is not just about giving candy, but also making subtle improvements to balance things out.
“That, that seems stingy…”
“A ruler should not fear the reputation of being stingy. And as long as the outcome is good, the means are always justified. Therefore, even if I deceive the people, as long as I make them believe that the outcome is beneficial for them, they will not be concerned about my policies. It is enough to show them moderate dreams and keep them well-fed.”
“I see… I understand. I have spoken foolishly without grasping the true intention of the lord.”
“Good. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions in the future. It can lead to better ideas.”
Shizuko was genuinely surprised by those words. Nobunaga believed that he had unwavering confidence in his own thoughts and was not easily swayed by other people’s opinions. When Nobunaga noticed Shizuko’s gaze, he calmly said, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s not something particularly surprising. Until now, I had always believed that my own thoughts were correct. But through you, I have come to realize how limited my own experiences are and how vast the world is. There are many people in this world who know things that I am unaware of. Therefore, I have decided to learn from their knowledge and experiences and incorporate them into my own being.”
In late February, Shizuko began working on creating a large-scale salt field under Nobunaga’s direct management. Since Shizuko lived inland, it was necessary to develop the coastal area in order to create the salt field. However, the coastal area was underdeveloped, and most of the places were like wasteland. There was another problem: water.
In the long and narrow Chita Peninsula, there are no major rivers, resulting in chronic water shortages. Therefore, the situation is such that the farmers rely on ponds that collect rainwater to sustain their livelihoods. As a result, if a drought occurs, they quickly fall into famine.
Until the completion and operation of the Aichi Canal in September 1961, which stretches 112 kilometers from the upper reaches of the Kiso River to the tip of the Chita Peninsula, farmers constantly battled the fear of drought. The Aichi Canal can be compared to an artery in the human body, as it serves as the main waterway transporting water and nutrients to various parts of the region through its 1,012-kilometer network of branch canals, similar to capillaries. The key figures behind this massive project were Kotaro Kuno, a dedicated farmer, and Tatsuo Hamashima, a teacher at Anjo Agricultural and Forestry High School. Their envisioned future took nine years of planning and four years of construction, with a total cost of 42.3 billion yen, making it the first post-war large-scale national project in Japan.
Fortunately, the population is not as high as it was during the Showa era, so there is no need for people to kill each other over a drop of water. It is possible to obtain drinking water from the streams in uninhabited areas. However, it is nearly impossible to obtain water for agricultural use, and river construction is also difficult due to the lack of rivers other than small streams. As a result, a large salt field was created in the vicinity of the Chita Peninsula, and water for daily use, including drinking water, was drawn from the Tobishiro River. The people that Nobunaga had prepared were supposed to settle there, and that was supposed to be the end of it. However, this was only within Shizuko’s expectations, and reality proved to be harsh.
“Fisheries association?”
Shizuko tilts her head in response to the words of the village chief, who represents the settled villagers.
“Yes. In the discussion with Lord Oda, we have decided to settle here and focus on salt production. However, we felt uneasy relying solely on salt, so we conveyed this to Lord Oda.”
“Oh well, I understand how you feel.”
I understand why the village chief and the villagers feel anxious about relying solely on salt production. If salt production were to fail, the only thing waiting for them would be hunger.
“At that time, Lord Oda suggested that I consider engaging in fishing as a side job. And it seems that Shizuko-sama will provide technical guidance on fishing. Is that correct?”
“Well… (It would be so much easier if I could say I didn’t hear! Well, if it’s okay with me, I think I can provide guidance on the main points).”
That’s what Shizuko said, but she only “knows” the methods of fishing and doesn’t have any actual experience in commercial fishing. She has the blueprints for large fishing boats and transport ships, but those blueprints are written with measurements in modern units, so it’s impossible to immediately construct them.
(If that town succeeds, I think it would be a good idea to have the lord unify the units of measurement to the MKS system. It wouldn’t be funny if there were errors when using a conversion table. It might be better to unify the standards, even if it means temporarily reducing revenue and profit.)
Standardizing criteria makes it difficult for fraud to occur and reduces the number of unscrupulous merchants. By calculating the harvest amount based on the size of the land, it is possible to predict the annual tribute with a fairly accurate value and return the surplus to the subjects. In the long run, unit standardization is beneficial. The establishment of weights and measures was also a symbol of power until the early modern period. Hideyoshi, who succeeded Nobunaga, and Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa shogunate, also implemented standardization of weights and measures.
“Nice to meet you, Suiyasen. Thank you in advance.”
“Um, excuse me, but I can’t seem to find the fishing boat. Where is it located?”
They are people that Nobunaga gathered from somewhere, as usual. I know that he built a house for them, but there is no sign of the crucial fishing boat. There is also no sign of a pier to dock the fishing boat. Shizuko felt frustrated, thinking that it might start with building a fishing boat.
“No, it was mentioned that Oda-sama would be able to provide that.”
But it was needless worry. It seems that the construction of the fishing boat is being done in a different location, and it hasn’t arrived yet.
“If that’s the case, then it’s fine. Let’s see… Well, I think starting with fixed net fishing, basket fishing, and octopus pot fishing would be good. Once we get used to it, it would be nice to try gathering fishing. And maybe we can also do clam digging on the coast…?”
sigh
“(You don’t have to look so worried, I’ll explain it to you! First, let’s talk about the fixed net fishing.)”
In the end, Shizuko ended up having to explain until it was time to go home.
About a week later, the fishing boats finally arrived at their location. A few days after receiving the report, Shizuko immediately headed to their village. Upon arrival, she saw that there were three medium-sized fishing boats and a total of eleven small two-seater boats, similar in size to a rowboat, moored at the dock. They had also completed the construction of makeshift octopus traps and bait-filled “baskets,” as well as the necessary gear for longline fishing. They had installed them on the day the boats were delivered. The simple structure of the fishing gear, such as the octopus traps and baskets, made it relatively easy for even amateurs to catch a certain amount of fish. However, due to their high fishing efficiency, there are restrictions on the number of baskets that can be used nowadays, in order to protect the resources.
“With all that’s been going on, it’s been three days since it was installed, so I think it’s about time to collect it, don’t you think?”
Hey. Unfortunately, the attempts with the fishing line yesterday and the day before yesterday were unsuccessful. So today, I have changed the location for setting it up. Of course, as Shizuko-san suggested, I haven’t gone to a place where the flag cannot be seen.
Once a maritime accident occurs, a major disaster is inevitable. The most famous maritime accident in the world occurred on April 14, 1912, when the British-registered passenger ship “Titanic” collided with an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage. 1,517 people died in the accident. On May 29, 1914, the Canadian-registered passenger ship “Empress of Ireland” collided with the Norwegian-registered cargo ship “Storstad” and sank in the St. Lawrence River due to dense fog. The death toll and number of missing reached 1,024. In Japan, on April 15, 1910, the Japanese Navy’s “Sixth Submarine” sank during a gasoline diving experiment training in Hiroshima Bay. Captain Sakujiro Sasaki and all 14 crew members died in the accident.
If a maritime accident were to occur during the Sengoku period, it would be even more tragic. Being thrown out of the ship and carried away by the tide would mean the end. They would never be able to set foot on land alive again. They are not only fishermen but also craftsmen who make salt. It is necessary for them to strictly adhere to the strategy of “valuing life above all else.” Therefore, Shizuko imposed certain rules on them.
When engaging in fishing, it is important to set up a flag to indicate the location of the village (a clear return target). Wear a bamboo tube tied with straw rope as a substitute for life-saving equipment. Tie yourself and the boat together with a rope while working (safety line). Avoid fishing at night or on bad weather days (to avoid danger).
I informed them that if they couldn’t abide by those rules, their fishing boats would be taken away and they would be dedicated to salt production. At first, they didn’t fully understand the necessity of those rules, but they realized it yesterday when a villager was thrown off the boat. They learned that the sea weather is unpredictable and even a slight negligence can be fatal. They came to understand, through experience, that Shizuko’s rules are meant to avoid such dangers as much as possible.
“Oh, looks like you’re back. From what I can see… you have a somewhat subtle expression on your face, don’t you?”
“Oh, I guess the fishing results weren’t good, huh?”
While discussing such matters, the fishing boat arrived at the pier. They tied the rope to the mooring post to secure the boat. After that, the fishermen lowered the boxes that were likely filled with their catch from the fishing boat. Judging by the way several people were carrying them, it seemed like they had a good harvest, but for some reason, their expressions were stern. When all the boxes were lined up in front of Shizuko, one of the fishermen held the lid of one of the boxes and said this.
“For now, I brought everything back, but… um, what is this?”
As the lid is lifted, words are spoken. Inside, there was an octopus. There were also other marine mollusks like squid and cuttlefish.
“(… Have you never seen it before? Um, may I ask you one thing, is this your first time fishing in the sea by any chance?)”
“U-um, well. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve only been fishing in rivers until now… Actually, this is my first time going out to sea like this.”
As expected. They were specialized fishermen in river fish. That’s why they were making strange faces when they saw marine creatures, Shizuko understood.
“Well, well, it might be unreasonable, but please try to remember it now. Now, what else is included?”
Open the wooden box that serves as a substitute for a cooler box. Inside the basket fishing, there were shrimp and crabs. There were mostly kuruma shrimp and lots of blue crabs. Check the longline. There were also some goby and sandfish mixed in, but overall, there seemed to be a lot of horse mackerel. Upon closer inspection, there were a few pufferfish mixed in, so Shizuko grabbed one of them with her hand to show the villagers.
“Well, this pufferfish is dangerous to eat. Please make sure not to eat it by mistake.”
“What happens when you eat it?”
“I will eventually lose my life after struggling and suffering.”
Shizuko confidently answers the village chief’s question. The main component of the poison that accumulates in the body, such as pufferfish, is tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin is a substance that is about 850 times more toxic than the famous poison “potassium cyanide” often seen in movies and dramas. If ingested orally, a standard adult male can die from consuming 1-2mg. It also has the property of not decomposing at temperatures of around 300 degrees Celsius, which is within the range of cooking. Furthermore, once it is taken into the body, it is difficult to decompose through drug administration, and the only option is to administer a cardiac stimulant to activate the heart and use diuretics to promote the excretion of the poison through urine. Additionally, tetrodotoxin affects the nervous system and can cause respiratory distress, so along with drug administration, assistance with artificial respiration is necessary.
“By the way, the location of the poison and its type varies depending on the species. It can also change depending on the season. Additionally, there are cases where the poison can enter the body just by handling it, so if you see a pufferfish, please promptly return it to the sea.”
“He, hey”
By the time I finished speaking, the village chief’s face had turned pale. However, tetrodotoxin is truly a dangerous poison. The only relief is that simply touching a pufferfish does not result in being poisoned.
“Well, it’s easy to understand when it swells up like this. Well, should we say goodbye to this one and let it go into the sea?”
With that, Shizuko throws the pufferfish towards the sea with all her might. The pufferfish makes a beautiful arc and falls into the ocean. After making sure of that, Shizuko turns her body back towards the villagers.
“Well then… first, let’s talk about how to prepare a live octopus.”
“Shall we end it?”
“Yes, octopus, squid, and fish are too lively if left as they are. If we don’t prepare them properly, they might thrash around and become dangerous.”
After saying that, Shizuko casually grabbed a suitable octopus and placed it on the prepared table. The octopus, still full of energy, intimidated those around it with its eight tentacles adorned with multiple suckers. On the other hand, Shizuko held something resembling a thickened bamboo skewer in her hand. She had prepared this tool, considering it necessary for finishing off octopuses, squids, and fish.
“The main edible part consists of eight legs with many suckers attached to them. They are also called tentacles. And this part that looks like a head is equivalent to the abdomen in humans. The actual head is located where these eyes are. So, you can either use a knife between the two eyes or use a tool like this to stab it and finish it off.”
If you cut between the eyes with a knife or repeatedly stab with a tool like a thousand-layered needle, the octopus will be killed. It is relatively easy to confirm whether you have successfully hit the vital point.
“If you hit it well, its entire leg will turn white all at once. Look, just now its leg, which had a reddish tint, turned white all at once, didn’t it?”
Just as she said, the octopus’s tentacles had turned completely white, as if they had been bleached. The legs that were moving just a moment ago now hung limply, and it was clear at a glance that it had died.
“Oh!”
The fishermen, including the village chief, are expressing their admiration.
“Afterwards, I will insert my finger into the head and remove the internal organs. I will wash them with coarse grated radish to remove any sliminess.”
“Daikon… is it?”
“Yes, salt is fine, but using grated daikon radish to remove the sliminess is more cost-effective than using expensive salt.”
The mechanism by which salt removes the sliminess of octopus is that the protein is denatured and hardened by the salt, causing it to float to the surface. On the other hand, daikon radish causes the octopus to float to the surface through the action of its digestive enzyme system. Daikon radish is more effective at removing sliminess and also contains diastase (amylase) which helps to tenderize the octopus. However, daikon radish is weaker at removing sliminess, so it takes more time.
“Since the slime is more likely to remain on the inside, be careful while washing.”
Instead of using salt, wash the daikon radish thoroughly by grating it slowly. Only then will the pre-processing be complete.
“Now, it’s everyone’s turn, right?”
Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Shizuko said to the fishermen, “Hurry up and get used to it, okay?” It was not just their imagination that this statement implied a sense of urgency. This was because Shizuko further added, addressing their confusion.
“Don’t worry, there are plenty of octopuses.”
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
The city created by Shizuko’s group of technologists was, to put it positively, groundbreaking, but to put it negatively, it was an excessively unique city. First of all, each household had a sunken hearth and an irori (traditional Japanese hearth) installed. There were also places to put wet towels to increase humidity. This was a measure taken in response to the sharp increase in mortality rates from December to February. In winter, temperatures drop and humidity decreases, causing viruses and bacteria that cause diseases to become more active and lead to major outbreaks. The measures taken were to increase humidity and raise the temperature inside the houses. However, using fire to achieve this naturally resulted in a significant amount of firewood being used. In order to combat the cold, forests were cut down and efforts were made to secure firewood, resulting in the production of bald mountains in the short term, but leading to poverty in the long term. However, Shizuko easily solved this problem.
The solution is bamboo charcoal. Bamboo charcoal has lower heat intensity compared to other types of charcoal like binchotan, and its burning time is also shorter, around 3 to 4 hours compared to 5 to 6 hours for wood charcoal. Bamboo charcoal is inferior to wood charcoal in all aspects, but the growth speed of bamboo, which serves as the raw material, is overwhelmingly faster compared to trees. It takes about three to four months for bamboo to reach a mature size, and about four years to achieve the quality required for bamboo products and other processed goods. In contrast, cedar and cypress trees, even after 20 years, only grow to around 10 meters.
The most suitable type of bamboo for bamboo charcoal is Moso bamboo, but it is said that Moso bamboo spread throughout Japan during the Edo period. There are various theories, including the theory that it was brought back by people related to temples from China, but none of them have been confirmed. If possible, Shizuko, who wanted to mass-produce Moso bamboo charcoal, asked Kyujiro to obtain seeds or underground stems. She asked him to search for them through two routes: temple-related individuals who had a theory of transmission, and smuggling from China. It is easy to distinguish Moso bamboo, Madake bamboo, and Chikurin bamboo.
Moso bamboo has one ring of nodes, and the new bamboo has white powder attached, so the white powder under the ring is noticeable. Madake bamboo has two rings of nodes, and if it is thin, the upper ring is noticeable. The texture of the upper ring is smooth without any angles. Chikurin bamboo also has two rings of nodes like Madake bamboo, but the entire stem appears whitish, and the upper ring is relatively angular.
Therefore, it was said that if there is one section (fushi) ring and white powder on a new bamboo ring, it is moso bamboo. It was said that if it is an underground stem, there are about five, and if it is a seed, there are as many as possible, and Kyujiro agreed with his usual suspicious smile. With the deal concluded, Shizuko handed over an advance payment and construction costs to Kyujiro. Officials and people from temples and shrines are weak to money. Shizuko thought that she would need funds for that, so she added that amount and gave it to Kyujiro. She thought that she would need to exercise restraint for a while since she had spent quite a bit of money, but it was only a temporary decrease in liquid assets, and she did not realize that she had assets comparable to those called wealthy farmers in the future. As a temporary measure until moso bamboo is obtained, Shizuko creates bamboo groves of madake and chikuren bamboo. Since both are quite extensive bamboo groves, there will be no shortage of fuel.
When making bamboo charcoal, byproducts such as bamboo vinegar and wood tar can be collected. However, these need to be separated by allowing the raw liquid to settle for at least three months using a method called the settling process. Bamboo vinegar has a wide range of uses, including deodorizing, sterilizing, preventing bacteria and insects, improving soil quality, reducing pesticide use, making compost, skincare, and preventing bathwater from cooling down too quickly. Wood tar, unlike coal tar derived from petroleum, has antibacterial properties and has a unique scent that distinguishes it from the petroleum-like smell of coal tar. It also has similar properties to bamboo vinegar, such as insect repellent, mold prevention, water resistance, acid resistance, oil resistance, salt resistance, preservation, and termite resistance. When applied to building materials, it provides insect repellent and waterproof properties, and once dried, it does not soften even at high temperatures. When completely dried, it becomes odorless. Due to its high sterilization properties, it has been traditionally used as medicine in Finland. By diluting it with water, the applications can be further expanded. The only drawback is that it requires settling, so instant mass production is not possible.
We decided to adapt the toilet situation to the Edo period. We installed pit toilets everywhere and regularly emptied them into cesspools, processing them into fertilizer. Additionally, we encouraged the habit of bathing to improve hygiene. Daily bathing was difficult in terms of cost, but we arranged for fuel so that people could bathe two or three times a week. Naturally, we used bamboo as fuel. Bamboo contains a lot of oil, so it burns quickly. Its hollow structure allows it to burn completely without the need to boil excessive amounts of water, which was convenient.
Regarding meals, we have set up a “dining hall”. It is more efficient to cook meals together in one place rather than each household cooking separately. It is also more convenient to collect food waste in bulk from the “dining hall” rather than collecting it individually from each household. In addition, we have installed composting bins specifically for organic waste collection in various locations in the city, and we conduct regular collection. However, the women have not been freed from the laborious task of cooking. The women who work in the dining hall were originally the ones who cooked at home. As a result, there are differences in the taste of the dishes served in the dining hall. Shizuko was concerned that there would be a bias towards certain dining halls based on taste preferences, but surprisingly, the townspeople found the different tastes of each dining hall to be a form of entertainment.
The security industry has decided to build its system based on modern police organizations. While it may sound good, in reality, it is a simple organization that selects dedicated police officers and stations them in substations set up in various parts of the city, where they work in shifts. Nonetheless, the organization operates on the basis of a two-person cell, with a dog and a security officer as a set. With training, dogs can respond to various tasks such as security, reconnaissance, message delivery, and detecting injured soldiers. Even just building a basic training and establishing a master-dog relationship can allow humans to benefit from the various abilities that dogs naturally possess.
The reason why dogs are dogs can be easily understood by unraveling history. The relationship between dogs and humans is so deep that it is not an exaggeration to say that dogs are the oldest partners of humanity. Ancient human fossils found all over the world almost always include dog fossils, indicating the length of their history. The reason why it was dogs and not other animals is because dogs were able to quickly sense enemies approaching from the darkness in times when light was scarce. Thanks to the social nature of dogs and their excellent sense of smell and hearing, humans have overcome countless crises. The history of military dogs is also long, with their use dating back to ancient Greece where they were used as a military unit. In the ancient Roman Empire, dog units were created to fight against enemies who dispersed and fought in forests, such as the Celtic and Germanic tribes, giving them an advantage in battle. Dogs were also used for defense, with the Greeks and Romans keeping dogs in forts to detect the approach of enemies with their sharp sense of smell and hearing. Since the time of Aristotle, dogs have been brave and fearless warriors, as well as loyal friends to humans.
Japanese dogs, especially, possess qualities such as simplicity, loyalty, and bravery. They make excellent guard dogs. Simply by patrolling the streets regularly, they serve as a deterrent against infiltrators. Even if an intrusion were to occur, the dogs would detect any abnormal smells or presence. However, even if infiltrators manage to overcome these obstacles, it would be difficult for them to obtain useful information. This is because the city, created by Shizuko’s group of technicians, is not a place for researching and developing military technology, but rather a city for adapting military technology for civilian use and reproducing various modern tools.
Just as the townspeople were finally getting used to the life in the artisan district, Shizuko’s first outrageous demand came crashing down on them.
“Oh… you want me to create something similar to this…?”
The person who was at the front of the gathered carpenters steps forward to represent the group and poses a question to Shizuko.
“That’s right. To be precise, it’s about reproducing this part of the lid.”
Intentionally letting their confusion show, Shizuko smiled kindly. However, it’s no wonder they were confused. What Shizuko showed them was what we now call a plastic bottle. The craftsmen couldn’t hide their confusion at something they had never seen or heard of before.
“This is also using the screw technology used in matchlock guns. By doing this, the liquid contents do not overflow and a high level of airtightness is achieved. Watch closely.”
I flipped over one of the several PET bottles that were inside the sports bag, as well as a bamboo water bottle with just a wooden board inserted as a lid. As a result, the wooden board in the bamboo water bottle was overwhelmed by the force of the water, causing it to fly out and the water inside to overflow. However, the PET bottle managed to contain the water without spilling its contents and without the lid coming off.
“Oh, oh my…”
The craftsmen, while expressing their surprise and admiration, raise their voices in awe. Shizuko, having determined that there are no issues with the grasp, proceeds with the conversation while they are still moved.
“The duration is two months, and the condition is to reproduce it with a bamboo water bottle and to have the exact diameter as specified in the blueprint. Feel free to use the research funds provided in this wooden box. Oh, and make sure to strictly adhere to the timeframe. Otherwise, the lord’s wrath will befall upon us.”
After handing over the design blueprints, research funds, and original products for the PET bottle caps, Shizuko left the carpenter’s gathering place before they could say anything. After a while, when they finally caught up with their understanding, they cautiously touched the PET bottles. At first, they were hesitant and fearful, but gradually, their artisan spirit ignited, and they immersed themselves without looking back.
I also do similar things for weaving craftsmen, pottery craftsmen, and blacksmiths. For weaving craftsmen, I recreate T-shirts, underwear, and loincloths that were inside sports bags. For pottery craftsmen, I master the use of climbing kilns and establish a system to mass-produce pottery. For blacksmiths, I recreate numerous agricultural tools that Shizuko has written about.
There are also things that we do together. Shizuko ordered the production of a wooden barrel still by blacksmiths and carpenters. She had always misunderstood that stills were made of metals like stainless steel and rubber. However, she realized that rubber did not exist or, even if it did, during the Edo period when making shochu through distillation, they did not have access to luxury materials. She tried to think of any hints and remembered visiting a “wooden barrel still” during her trip to Kagoshima. It used a small amount of metal and bricks, but the majority was made of wood and bamboo. The principles and ingenuity of the still were the same, whether made of wood or metal. Therefore, Shizuko ordered the production of a wooden barrel still, believing that there was no reason why it couldn’t be made.
“Hmm… I want some rubber, but I’m not sure if Factis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factice), which is produced by adding sulfur to vegetable oils, is a sufficient substitute for natural rubber… However, there are so many different ratios, I’m not sure which one is the best…”
Even without natural rubber, substitute materials for rubber can be created. One such substitute is called “factice.” The history of factice is ancient, and in medieval Europe, it was made by reacting linseed oil with sulfur to create a resilient resinous substance that could be utilized. Due to its preservative properties, there are records of it being primarily used as a surgical pharmaceutical. However, after the emergence of synthetic rubber, its role shifted to that of an additive, plasticizer, and processing aid.
“If we assume that we can obtain vegetable oil from sunflowers… the problem is sulfur. It’s easy to obtain sulfur because it’s used in black gunpowder, but I don’t think we’ll have a plentiful supply to continue using it for experiments.”
Shizuko understands that it is currently difficult to reuse large amounts of sulfur due to development priorities. As plant oil is also a valuable resource, she understands that indulgent research is not possible at the moment.
We have various technicians working on creating products, but the life blacksmiths in particular face strict requirements. It is not enough for them to simply create finished products. They must continuously provide feedback on any issues that arise during use, and work to resolve them through iterative development and version upgrades. These everyday tools will continue to be used even after the unification of the country. It is necessary to gradually improve their quality, even if they start off loosely made. The earlier we start, the more issues we can identify and address, so it is important to continue testing, even if the reproducibility is low. For this reason, Shizuko has ordered that once a certain level of form is achieved, usage experiments should be conducted.
It’s not enough to just give instructions to people on the street. Shizuko also needs to cultivate the seedlings and seeds that were in the sports bag.
The owner of the notebook wishes to cultivate seeds and seedlings. However, it is clearly impossible to grow everything. The combinations are all mixed up. Even if it may be fine in the first year, the soil would likely deteriorate within a few years. Seeing the owner haphazardly collecting seeds and seedlings, Shizuko thought that they were a novice in agriculture. Novices tend to want to grow a large variety of plants just for the sake of quantity. In fact, Shizuko herself did that in the beginning and ended up destroying her vegetable garden. But that approach doesn’t work. It’s important to companion plant, but if you cultivate in a way that attracts natural enemies, the crops will all suffer.
First, I thought it was necessary to organize the seeds and seedlings, so I opened the sports bag again. However, a problem arose at this point. At first glance, I couldn’t tell, but upon closer observation, I noticed that some of the seedlings were damaged. Judging from the extent of the damage, it seemed like they had been subjected to a strong force from the side. She thought that maybe she had collided with something while holding the bag, but she considered it pointless to immediately find out the cause and decided to check the seedlings and seeds again.
Upon confirmation, it was determined that the plum seedlings had suffered the most severe damage. Plum trees are weak in self-pollination, so they need to be grown alongside varieties with abundant pollen. Perhaps due to being on the outermost side, both varieties had sustained significant damage. In modern times, it might be possible to repair them, but in the Sengoku period where tools like reinforcement tape were not available, Shizuko had no choice but to give up. And it wasn’t just the plum trees that were damaged; two lemon seedlings and one mandarin orange seedling were also beyond repair. In the end, only one lemon seedling and two mandarin orange seedlings on the innermost side remained unharmed. The tragedy continued as one broken seedling had pierced through a snack pineapple seedling. Out of the twenty snack pineapple seedlings, six had to be discarded. The broken seedling had also torn open a bag containing flower seeds, mixing the seeds of Kidachi aloe, Strelitzia, and cosmos. Recognizing that it would take time to separate the mixed seeds, Shizuko made the difficult decision to dispose of them.
In the end, we will grow two types of rice, as well as barley. The vegetables will include spinach, Chinese cabbage, white kidney beans, snow peas, potatoes, okra, and peanuts. The fruits will be lemons, mandarins, watermelons, and pineapple. As for flowers, we will have white chrysanthemums, sunflowers, aloe vera, golden carp, French marigolds, and bay laurel.
I considered using barley and sunflowers as green manure, but I needed sunflower seeds and barley grains. Therefore, I decided to use barley solely for its soil improvement effects, taking advantage of its deep-rooted nature. I decided to crush the sunflower except for the seeds and incorporate it as green manure. I will grow laurel and French marigold as companion plants to promote symbiosis. The reason I don’t grow other flowers successfully is that I don’t have the resources to do so. In the modern era, it would be possible with fertilizers, compost, and various pesticides, but in the Sengoku period where those are not available, it would be pointless to grow them. The selection was made based on cost-effectiveness. Also, basil and similar plants have a terrifying reproductive ability, so I decided it would be better not to grow them like the others. Even in Shizuko’s time, there are many negative connotations such as “crop guerrilla” and “terrorist” associated with gardening. Both in home gardens and professional farms, there are varieties that can only be cultivated in specific environments. Basil falls into that category, but it would be a waste to throw it away since it can be used for making pickled plums. So I decided to isolate the cultivation area from others and use simple brick planters. The golden shachihoko is just a cactus, so there is little reason to grow it, but since it requires little effort, I judged it to be fine.
While calculating the timing for preparing other seeds, a new instruction from Nobunaga reaches Shizuko. The content of the instruction is “Increase salt production.” This was expected, so it wasn’t a problem. However, there was another order. It was a mysterious order to “relocate the residents of Shizuko’s village to the expanding city.”
Shizuko, who was not convinced by the sudden relocation of residents, decided to request an audience to hear the reasons. Surprisingly, the permission for the audience was granted quickly. Whether it was expected or Nobunaga was in a good mood, Shizuko thought it was convenient and hurried to meet with him. During the audience, Shizuko questioned Nobunaga about the reason for suddenly moving the villagers at this time. There was a possibility that the agricultural output would decrease, making it difficult to pay sufficient taxes. Shizuko asked if it was necessary to relocate the people immediately despite these risks.
“I don’t mind” or “It doesn’t matter”
In response, Nobunaga’s answer was simple. Due to Nobunaga’s confident attitude, Shizuko momentarily wondered if she had worried unnecessarily.
“But if we continue like this, there is a possibility of a significant decrease in production… Even if we ignore that problem, is there a reason to forcefully proceed with human migration?”
But immediately shaking his head, I asked Nobunaga what he was thinking.
“If the tax revenue for this year is at least low, there won’t be any long-term problems as long as the tax revenue increases from next year onwards. To achieve that, it is necessary to relocate the farmers who have inherited your skills to various locations and continue the succession.”
After settling the bill, Nobunaga reveals his secret plan to Shizuko alone. His plan is so outlandish that it can be called unprecedented, even in the Sengoku period or in modern times. His plan, based on thorough efficiency, includes the following elements.
First, recruit 20 to 30 people from each village. However, the initial group of 30 peasants, including Shizuko, is excluded. With the gathered numbers, create six villages, and then consolidate three to five villages around each of these as satellites. The consolidated villages are referred to as “groups,” and three of these groups together are called a “town.” Nobunaga refers to it as “San-kumi no Ichi-machi.”
The “San-Kumi-Ichi” system works as follows. In the first year, it is the same as what Shizuko did, where the base village provides agricultural education and support to each village. Then, the harvested rice from the first year is offered as “collateral” to the Oda family. From the second year onwards, each “group” rotates the crops they cultivate every year. For example, in the first year, “Group A” cultivates rice and soybeans, “Group B” cultivates rice and sweet potatoes, and “Group C” cultivates rice and chicken eggs. In the second year, “Group A” cultivates rice and sweet potatoes, “Group B” cultivates rice and chicken eggs, and “Group C” cultivates rice and soybeans. In the third year, “Group A” cultivates rice and chicken eggs, “Group B” cultivates rice and soybeans, and “Group C” cultivates rice and sweet potatoes. Then, in the fourth year, the same crops as the first year are cultivated, and the “collateral” offered three years ago is returned. However, new “collateral” is required for the next three years. This is similar to a fixed contract with a two-year or three-year term in modern times. Naturally, if one wants to terminate the contract within the three years, a significant penalty fee will be incurred. If one cannot pay, the collateral in the form of stored rice will be confiscated as a penalty. After repeating this loop five times, the tax rate changes from five public and five private to four public and six private.
As part of further welfare benefits, mochi is delivered during New Year and Harvest Festival. Each villager receives three pieces, and one kagami mochi is sent to each village. This is also meant to increase motivation for work. In addition, Nobunaga was considering special privileges as a measure to improve the motivation of the farmers and prevent betrayal. However, he would not make these public. Following Machiavelli’s principle of “benefits should be given gradually to make people savor them for a long time,” he would gradually implement the parts that correspond to the whip and the candy. Of course, it is not just about giving candy, but also making subtle improvements to balance things out.
“That, that seems stingy…”
“A ruler should not fear the reputation of being stingy. And as long as the outcome is good, the means are always justified. Therefore, even if I deceive the people, as long as I make them believe that the outcome is beneficial for them, they will not be concerned about my policies. It is enough to show them moderate dreams and keep them well-fed.”
“I see… I understand. I have spoken foolishly without grasping the true intention of the lord.”
“Good. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions in the future. It can lead to better ideas.”
Shizuko was genuinely surprised by those words. Nobunaga believed that he had unwavering confidence in his own thoughts and was not easily swayed by other people’s opinions. When Nobunaga noticed Shizuko’s gaze, he calmly said, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s not something particularly surprising. Until now, I had always believed that my own thoughts were correct. But through you, I have come to realize how limited my own experiences are and how vast the world is. There are many people in this world who know things that I am unaware of. Therefore, I have decided to learn from their knowledge and experiences and incorporate them into my own being.”
In late February, Shizuko began working on creating a large-scale salt field under Nobunaga’s direct management. Since Shizuko lived inland, it was necessary to develop the coastal area in order to create the salt field. However, the coastal area was underdeveloped, and most of the places were like wasteland. There was another problem: water.
In the long and narrow Chita Peninsula, there are no major rivers, resulting in chronic water shortages. Therefore, the situation is such that the farmers rely on ponds that collect rainwater to sustain their livelihoods. As a result, if a drought occurs, they quickly fall into famine.
Until the completion and operation of the Aichi Canal in September 1961, which stretches 112 kilometers from the upper reaches of the Kiso River to the tip of the Chita Peninsula, farmers constantly battled the fear of drought. The Aichi Canal can be compared to an artery in the human body, as it serves as the main waterway transporting water and nutrients to various parts of the region through its 1,012-kilometer network of branch canals, similar to capillaries. The key figures behind this massive project were Kotaro Kuno, a dedicated farmer, and Tatsuo Hamashima, a teacher at Anjo Agricultural and Forestry High School. Their envisioned future took nine years of planning and four years of construction, with a total cost of 42.3 billion yen, making it the first post-war large-scale national project in Japan.
Fortunately, the population is not as high as it was during the Showa era, so there is no need for people to kill each other over a drop of water. It is possible to obtain drinking water from the streams in uninhabited areas. However, it is nearly impossible to obtain water for agricultural use, and river construction is also difficult due to the lack of rivers other than small streams. As a result, a large salt field was created in the vicinity of the Chita Peninsula, and water for daily use, including drinking water, was drawn from the Tobishiro River. The people that Nobunaga had prepared were supposed to settle there, and that was supposed to be the end of it. However, this was only within Shizuko’s expectations, and reality proved to be harsh.
“Fisheries association?”
Shizuko tilts her head in response to the words of the village chief, who represents the settled villagers.
“Yes. In the discussion with Lord Oda, we have decided to settle here and focus on salt production. However, we felt uneasy relying solely on salt, so we conveyed this to Lord Oda.”
“Oh well, I understand how you feel.”
I understand why the village chief and the villagers feel anxious about relying solely on salt production. If salt production were to fail, the only thing waiting for them would be hunger.
“At that time, Lord Oda suggested that I consider engaging in fishing as a side job. And it seems that Shizuko-sama will provide technical guidance on fishing. Is that correct?”
“Well… (It would be so much easier if I could say I didn’t hear! Well, if it’s okay with me, I think I can provide guidance on the main points).”
That’s what Shizuko said, but she only “knows” the methods of fishing and doesn’t have any actual experience in commercial fishing. She has the blueprints for large fishing boats and transport ships, but those blueprints are written with measurements in modern units, so it’s impossible to immediately construct them.
(If that town succeeds, I think it would be a good idea to have the lord unify the units of measurement to the MKS system. It wouldn’t be funny if there were errors when using a conversion table. It might be better to unify the standards, even if it means temporarily reducing revenue and profit.)
Standardizing criteria makes it difficult for fraud to occur and reduces the number of unscrupulous merchants. By calculating the harvest amount based on the size of the land, it is possible to predict the annual tribute with a fairly accurate value and return the surplus to the subjects. In the long run, unit standardization is beneficial. The establishment of weights and measures was also a symbol of power until the early modern period. Hideyoshi, who succeeded Nobunaga, and Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa shogunate, also implemented standardization of weights and measures.
“Nice to meet you, Suiyasen. Thank you in advance.”
“Um, excuse me, but I can’t seem to find the fishing boat. Where is it located?”
They are people that Nobunaga gathered from somewhere, as usual. I know that he built a house for them, but there is no sign of the crucial fishing boat. There is also no sign of a pier to dock the fishing boat. Shizuko felt frustrated, thinking that it might start with building a fishing boat.
“No, it was mentioned that Oda-sama would be able to provide that.”
But it was needless worry. It seems that the construction of the fishing boat is being done in a different location, and it hasn’t arrived yet.
“If that’s the case, then it’s fine. Let’s see… Well, I think starting with fixed net fishing, basket fishing, and octopus pot fishing would be good. Once we get used to it, it would be nice to try gathering fishing. And maybe we can also do clam digging on the coast…?”
sigh
“(You don’t have to look so worried, I’ll explain it to you! First, let’s talk about the fixed net fishing.)”
In the end, Shizuko ended up having to explain until it was time to go home.
About a week later, the fishing boats finally arrived at their location. A few days after receiving the report, Shizuko immediately headed to their village. Upon arrival, she saw that there were three medium-sized fishing boats and a total of eleven small two-seater boats, similar in size to a rowboat, moored at the dock. They had also completed the construction of makeshift octopus traps and bait-filled “baskets,” as well as the necessary gear for longline fishing. They had installed them on the day the boats were delivered. The simple structure of the fishing gear, such as the octopus traps and baskets, made it relatively easy for even amateurs to catch a certain amount of fish. However, due to their high fishing efficiency, there are restrictions on the number of baskets that can be used nowadays, in order to protect the resources.
“With all that’s been going on, it’s been three days since it was installed, so I think it’s about time to collect it, don’t you think?”
Hey. Unfortunately, the attempts with the fishing line yesterday and the day before yesterday were unsuccessful. So today, I have changed the location for setting it up. Of course, as Shizuko-san suggested, I haven’t gone to a place where the flag cannot be seen.
Once a maritime accident occurs, a major disaster is inevitable. The most famous maritime accident in the world occurred on April 14, 1912, when the British-registered passenger ship “Titanic” collided with an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage. 1,517 people died in the accident. On May 29, 1914, the Canadian-registered passenger ship “Empress of Ireland” collided with the Norwegian-registered cargo ship “Storstad” and sank in the St. Lawrence River due to dense fog. The death toll and number of missing reached 1,024. In Japan, on April 15, 1910, the Japanese Navy’s “Sixth Submarine” sank during a gasoline diving experiment training in Hiroshima Bay. Captain Sakujiro Sasaki and all 14 crew members died in the accident.
If a maritime accident were to occur during the Sengoku period, it would be even more tragic. Being thrown out of the ship and carried away by the tide would mean the end. They would never be able to set foot on land alive again. They are not only fishermen but also craftsmen who make salt. It is necessary for them to strictly adhere to the strategy of “valuing life above all else.” Therefore, Shizuko imposed certain rules on them.
When engaging in fishing, it is important to set up a flag to indicate the location of the village (a clear return target). Wear a bamboo tube tied with straw rope as a substitute for life-saving equipment. Tie yourself and the boat together with a rope while working (safety line). Avoid fishing at night or on bad weather days (to avoid danger).
I informed them that if they couldn’t abide by those rules, their fishing boats would be taken away and they would be dedicated to salt production. At first, they didn’t fully understand the necessity of those rules, but they realized it yesterday when a villager was thrown off the boat. They learned that the sea weather is unpredictable and even a slight negligence can be fatal. They came to understand, through experience, that Shizuko’s rules are meant to avoid such dangers as much as possible.
“Oh, looks like you’re back. From what I can see… you have a somewhat subtle expression on your face, don’t you?”
“Oh, I guess the fishing results weren’t good, huh?”
While discussing such matters, the fishing boat arrived at the pier. They tied the rope to the mooring post to secure the boat. After that, the fishermen lowered the boxes that were likely filled with their catch from the fishing boat. Judging by the way several people were carrying them, it seemed like they had a good harvest, but for some reason, their expressions were stern. When all the boxes were lined up in front of Shizuko, one of the fishermen held the lid of one of the boxes and said this.
“For now, I brought everything back, but… um, what is this?”
As the lid is lifted, words are spoken. Inside, there was an octopus. There were also other marine mollusks like squid and cuttlefish.
“(… Have you never seen it before? Um, may I ask you one thing, is this your first time fishing in the sea by any chance?)”
“U-um, well. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve only been fishing in rivers until now… Actually, this is my first time going out to sea like this.”
As expected. They were specialized fishermen in river fish. That’s why they were making strange faces when they saw marine creatures, Shizuko understood.
“Well, well, it might be unreasonable, but please try to remember it now. Now, what else is included?”
Open the wooden box that serves as a substitute for a cooler box. Inside the basket fishing, there were shrimp and crabs. There were mostly kuruma shrimp and lots of blue crabs. Check the longline. There were also some goby and sandfish mixed in, but overall, there seemed to be a lot of horse mackerel. Upon closer inspection, there were a few pufferfish mixed in, so Shizuko grabbed one of them with her hand to show the villagers.
“Well, this pufferfish is dangerous to eat. Please make sure not to eat it by mistake.”
“What happens when you eat it?”
“I will eventually lose my life after struggling and suffering.”
Shizuko confidently answers the village chief’s question. The main component of the poison that accumulates in the body, such as pufferfish, is tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin is a substance that is about 850 times more toxic than the famous poison “potassium cyanide” often seen in movies and dramas. If ingested orally, a standard adult male can die from consuming 1-2mg. It also has the property of not decomposing at temperatures of around 300 degrees Celsius, which is within the range of cooking. Furthermore, once it is taken into the body, it is difficult to decompose through drug administration, and the only option is to administer a cardiac stimulant to activate the heart and use diuretics to promote the excretion of the poison through urine. Additionally, tetrodotoxin affects the nervous system and can cause respiratory distress, so along with drug administration, assistance with artificial respiration is necessary.
“By the way, the location of the poison and its type varies depending on the species. It can also change depending on the season. Additionally, there are cases where the poison can enter the body just by handling it, so if you see a pufferfish, please promptly return it to the sea.”
“He, hey”
By the time I finished speaking, the village chief’s face had turned pale. However, tetrodotoxin is truly a dangerous poison. The only relief is that simply touching a pufferfish does not result in being poisoned.
“Well, it’s easy to understand when it swells up like this. Well, should we say goodbye to this one and let it go into the sea?”
With that, Shizuko throws the pufferfish towards the sea with all her might. The pufferfish makes a beautiful arc and falls into the ocean. After making sure of that, Shizuko turns her body back towards the villagers.
“Well then… first, let’s talk about how to prepare a live octopus.”
“Shall we end it?”
“Yes, octopus, squid, and fish are too lively if left as they are. If we don’t prepare them properly, they might thrash around and become dangerous.”
After saying that, Shizuko casually grabbed a suitable octopus and placed it on the prepared table. The octopus, still full of energy, intimidated those around it with its eight tentacles adorned with multiple suckers. On the other hand, Shizuko held something resembling a thickened bamboo skewer in her hand. She had prepared this tool, considering it necessary for finishing off octopuses, squids, and fish.
“The main edible part consists of eight legs with many suckers attached to them. They are also called tentacles. And this part that looks like a head is equivalent to the abdomen in humans. The actual head is located where these eyes are. So, you can either use a knife between the two eyes or use a tool like this to stab it and finish it off.”
If you cut between the eyes with a knife or repeatedly stab with a tool like a thousand-layered needle, the octopus will be killed. It is relatively easy to confirm whether you have successfully hit the vital point.
“If you hit it well, its entire leg will turn white all at once. Look, just now its leg, which had a reddish tint, turned white all at once, didn’t it?”
Just as she said, the octopus’s tentacles had turned completely white, as if they had been bleached. The legs that were moving just a moment ago now hung limply, and it was clear at a glance that it had died.
“Oh!”
The fishermen, including the village chief, are expressing their admiration.
“Afterwards, I will insert my finger into the head and remove the internal organs. I will wash them with coarse grated radish to remove any sliminess.”
“Daikon… is it?”
“Yes, salt is fine, but using grated daikon radish to remove the sliminess is more cost-effective than using expensive salt.”
The mechanism by which salt removes the sliminess of octopus is that the protein is denatured and hardened by the salt, causing it to float to the surface. On the other hand, daikon radish causes the octopus to float to the surface through the action of its digestive enzyme system. Daikon radish is more effective at removing sliminess and also contains diastase (amylase) which helps to tenderize the octopus. However, daikon radish is weaker at removing sliminess, so it takes more time.
“Since the slime is more likely to remain on the inside, be careful while washing.”
Instead of using salt, wash the daikon radish thoroughly by grating it slowly. Only then will the pre-processing be complete.
“Now, it’s everyone’s turn, right?”
Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Shizuko said to the fishermen, “Hurry up and get used to it, okay?” It was not just their imagination that this statement implied a sense of urgency. This was because Shizuko further added, addressing their confusion.
“Don’t worry, there are plenty of octopuses.”
The city created by Shizuko's group of technologists was, to put it positively, groundbreaking, but to put it negatively, it was an excessively unique city. First of all, each household had a sunken hearth and an irori traditional Japanese hearth installed. There were also places to put wet towels to increase humidity. This was a measure taken in response to the sharp increase in mortality rates from December to February. In winter, temperatures drop and humidity decreases, causing viruses and bacteria that cause diseases to become more active and lead to major outbreaks. The measures taken were to increase humidity and raise the temperature inside the houses. However, using fire to achieve this naturally resulted in a significant amount of firewood being used. In order to combat the cold, forests were cut down and efforts were made to secure firewood, resulting in the production of bald mountains in the short term, but leading to poverty in the long term. However, Shizuko easily solved this problem.The solution is bamboo charcoal. Bamboo charcoal has lower heat intensity compared to other types of charcoal like binchotan, and its burning time is also shorter, around 3 to 4 hours compared to 5 to 6 hours for wood charcoal. Bamboo charcoal is inferior to wood charcoal in all aspects, but the growth speed of bamboo, which serves as the raw material, is overwhelmingly faster compared to trees. It takes about three to four months for bamboo to reach a mature size, and about four years to achieve the quality required for bamboo products and other processed goods. In contrast, cedar and cypress trees, even after 20 years, only grow to around 10 meters.The most suitable type of bamboo for bamboo charcoal is Moso bamboo, but it is said that Moso bamboo spread throughout Japan during the Edo period. There are various theories, including the theory that it was brought back by people related to temples from China, but none of them have been confirmed. If possible, Shizuko, who wanted to mass-produce Moso bamboo charcoal, asked Kyujiro to obtain seeds or underground stems. She asked him to search for them through two routes: temple-related individuals who had a theory of transmission, and smuggling from China. It is easy to distinguish Moso bamboo, Madake bamboo, and Chikurin bamboo.Moso bamboo has one ring of nodes, and the new bamboo has white powder attached, so the white powder under the ring is noticeable. Madake bamboo has two rings of nodes, and if it is thin, the upper ring is noticeable. The texture of the upper ring is smooth without any angles. Chikurin bamboo also has two rings of nodes like Madake bamboo, but the entire stem appears whitish, and the upper ring is relatively angular.Therefore, it was said that if there is one section fushi ring and white powder on a new bamboo ring, it is moso bamboo. It was said that if it is an underground stem, there are about five, and if it is a seed, there are as many as possible, and Kyujiro agreed with his usual suspicious smile. With the deal concluded, Shizuko handed over an advance payment and construction costs to Kyujiro. Officials and people from temples and shrines are weak to money. Shizuko thought that she would need funds for that, so she added that amount and gave it to Kyujiro. She thought that she would need to exercise restraint for a while since she had spent quite a bit of money, but it was only a temporary decrease in liquid assets, and she did not realize that she had assets comparable to those called wealthy farmers in the future. As a temporary measure until moso bamboo is obtained, Shizuko creates bamboo groves of madake and chikuren bamboo. Since both are quite extensive bamboo groves, there will be no shortage of fuel.When making bamboo charcoal, byproducts such as bamboo vinegar and wood tar can be collected. However, these need to be separated by allowing the raw liquid to settle for at least three months using a method called the settling process. Bamboo vinegar has a wide range of uses, including deodorizing, sterilizing, preventing bacteria and insects, improving soil quality, reducing pesticide use, making compost, skincare, and preventing bathwater from cooling down too quickly. Wood tar, unlike coal tar derived from petroleum, has antibacterial properties and has a unique scent that distinguishes it from the petroleum-like smell of coal tar. It also has similar properties to bamboo vinegar, such as insect repellent, mold prevention, water resistance, acid resistance, oil resistance, salt resistance, preservation, and termite resistance. When applied to building materials, it provides insect repellent and waterproof properties, and once dried, it does not soften even at high temperatures. When completely dried, it becomes odorless. Due to its high sterilization properties, it has been traditionally used as medicine in Finland. By diluting it with water, the applications can be further expanded. The only drawback is that it requires settling, so instant mass production is not possible.We decided to adapt the toilet situation to the Edo period. We installed pit toilets everywhere and regularly emptied them into cesspools, processing them into fertilizer. Additionally, we encouraged the habit of bathing to improve hygiene. Daily bathing was difficult in terms of cost, but we arranged for fuel so that people could bathe two or three times a week. Naturally, we used bamboo as fuel. Bamboo contains a lot of oil, so it burns quickly. Its hollow structure allows it to burn completely without the need to boil excessive amounts of water, which was convenient.Regarding meals, we have set up a dining hall. It is more efficient to cook meals together in one place rather than each household cooking separately. It is also more convenient to collect food waste in bulk from the dining hall rather than collecting it individually from each household. In addition, we have installed composting bins specifically for organic waste collection in various locations in the city, and we conduct regular collection. However, the women have not been freed from the laborious task of cooking. The women who work in the dining hall were originally the ones who cooked at home. As a result, there are differences in the taste of the dishes served in the dining hall. Shizuko was concerned that there would be a bias towards certain dining halls based on taste preferences, but surprisingly, the townspeople found the different tastes of each dining hall to be a form of entertainment.The security industry has decided to build its system based on modern police organizations. While it may sound good, in reality, it is a simple organization that selects dedicated police officers and stations them in substations set up in various parts of the city, where they work in shifts. Nonetheless, the organization operates on the basis of a two-person cell, with a dog and a security officer as a set. With training, dogs can respond to various tasks such as security, reconnaissance, message delivery, and detecting injured soldiers. Even just building a basic training and establishing a master-dog relationship can allow humans to benefit from the various abilities that dogs naturally possess.The reason why dogs are dogs can be easily understood by unraveling history. The relationship between dogs and humans is so deep that it is not an exaggeration to say that dogs are the oldest partners of humanity. Ancient human fossils found all over the world almost always include dog fossils, indicating the length of their history. The reason why it was dogs and not other animals is because dogs were able to quickly sense enemies approaching from the darkness in times when light was scarce. Thanks to the social nature of dogs and their excellent sense of smell and hearing, humans have overcome countless crises. The history of military dogs is also long, with their use dating back to ancient Greece where they were used as a military unit. In the ancient Roman Empire, dog units were created to fight against enemies who dispersed and fought in forests, such as the Celtic and Germanic tribes, giving them an advantage in battle. Dogs were also used for defense, with the Greeks and Romans keeping dogs in forts to detect the approach of enemies with their sharp sense of smell and hearing. Since the time of Aristotle, dogs have been brave and fearless warriors, as well as loyal friends to humans.Japanese dogs, especially, possess qualities such as simplicity, loyalty, and bravery. They make excellent guard dogs. Simply by patrolling the streets regularly, they serve as a deterrent against infiltrators. Even if an intrusion were to occur, the dogs would detect any abnormal smells or presence. However, even if infiltrators manage to overcome these obstacles, it would be difficult for them to obtain useful information. This is because the city, created by Shizuko's group of technicians, is not a place for researching and developing military technology, but rather a city for adapting military technology for civilian use and reproducing various modern tools.Just as the townspeople were finally getting used to the life in the artisan district, Shizuko's first outrageous demand came crashing down on them.Oh you want me to create something similar to this?The person who was at the front of the gathered carpenters steps forward to represent the group and poses a question to Shizuko.That's right. To be precise, it's about reproducing this part of the lid.Intentionally letting their confusion show, Shizuko smiled kindly. However, it's no wonder they were confused. What Shizuko showed them was what we now call a plastic bottle. The craftsmen couldn't hide their confusion at something they had never seen or heard of before.This is also using the screw technology used in matchlock guns. By doing this, the liquid contents do not overflow and a high level of airtightness is achieved. Watch closely.I flipped over one of the several PET bottles that were inside the sports bag, as well as a bamboo water bottle with just a wooden board inserted as a lid. As a result, the wooden board in the bamboo water bottle was overwhelmed by the force of the water, causing it to fly out and the water inside to overflow. However, the PET bottle managed to contain the water without spilling its contents and without the lid coming off.Oh, oh myThe craftsmen, while expressing their surprise and admiration, raise their voices in awe. Shizuko, having determined that there are no issues with the grasp, proceeds with the conversation while they are still moved.The duration is two months, and the condition is to reproduce it with a bamboo water bottle and to have the exact diameter as specified in the blueprint. Feel free to use the research funds provided in this wooden box. Oh, and make sure to strictly adhere to the timeframe. Otherwise, the lord's wrath will befall upon us.After handing over the design blueprints, research funds, and original products for the PET bottle caps, Shizuko left the carpenter's gathering place before they could say anything. After a while, when they finally caught up with their understanding, they cautiously touched the PET bottles. At first, they were hesitant and fearful, but gradually, their artisan spirit ignited, and they immersed themselves without looking back.I also do similar things for weaving craftsmen, pottery craftsmen, and blacksmiths. For weaving craftsmen, I recreate T-shirts, underwear, and loincloths that were inside sports bags. For pottery craftsmen, I master the use of climbing kilns and establish a system to mass-produce pottery. For blacksmiths, I recreate numerous agricultural tools that Shizuko has written about.There are also things that we do together. Shizuko ordered the production of a wooden barrel still by blacksmiths and carpenters. She had always misunderstood that stills were made of metals like stainless steel and rubber. However, she realized that rubber did not exist or, even if it did, during the Edo period when making shochu through distillation, they did not have access to luxury materials. She tried to think of any hints and remembered visiting a wooden barrel still during her trip to Kagoshima. It used a small amount of metal and bricks, but the majority was made of wood and bamboo. The principles and ingenuity of the still were the same, whether made of wood or metal. Therefore, Shizuko ordered the production of a wooden barrel still, believing that there was no reason why it couldn't be made.Hmm I want some rubber, but I'm not sure if Factis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factice, which is produced by adding sulfur to vegetable oils, is a sufficient substitute for natural rubber However, there are so many different ratios, I'm not sure which one is the bestEven without natural rubber, substitute materials for rubber can be created. One such substitute is called factice. The history of factice is ancient, and in medieval Europe, it was made by reacting linseed oil with sulfur to create a resilient resinous substance that could be utilized. Due to its preservative properties, there are records of it being primarily used as a surgical pharmaceutical. However, after the emergence of synthetic rubber, its role shifted to that of an additive, plasticizer, and processing aid.If we assume that we can obtain vegetable oil from sunflowers the problem is sulfur. It's easy to obtain sulfur because it's used in black gunpowder, but I don't think we'll have a plentiful supply to continue using it for experiments.Shizuko understands that it is currently difficult to reuse large amounts of sulfur due to development priorities. As plant oil is also a valuable resource, she understands that indulgent research is not possible at the moment.We have various technicians working on creating products, but the life blacksmiths in particular face strict requirements. It is not enough for them to simply create finished products. They must continuously provide feedback on any issues that arise during use, and work to resolve them through iterative development and version upgrades. These everyday tools will continue to be used even after the unification of the country. It is necessary to gradually improve their quality, even if they start off loosely made. The earlier we start, the more issues we can identify and address, so it is important to continue testing, even if the reproducibility is low. For this reason, Shizuko has ordered that once a certain level of form is achieved, usage experiments should be conducted.It's not enough to just give instructions to people on the street. Shizuko also needs to cultivate the seedlings and seeds that were in the sports bag.The owner of the notebook wishes to cultivate seeds and seedlings. However, it is clearly impossible to grow everything. The combinations are all mixed up. Even if it may be fine in the first year, the soil would likely deteriorate within a few years. Seeing the owner haphazardly collecting seeds and seedlings, Shizuko thought that they were a novice in agriculture. Novices tend to want to grow a large variety of plants just for the sake of quantity. In fact, Shizuko herself did that in the beginning and ended up destroying her vegetable garden. But that approach doesn't work. It's important to companion plant, but if you cultivate in a way that attracts natural enemies, the crops will all suffer.First, I thought it was necessary to organize the seeds and seedlings, so I opened the sports bag again. However, a problem arose at this point. At first glance, I couldn't tell, but upon closer observation, I noticed that some of the seedlings were damaged. Judging from the extent of the damage, it seemed like they had been subjected to a strong force from the side. She thought that maybe she had collided with something while holding the bag, but she considered it pointless to immediately find out the cause and decided to check the seedlings and seeds again.Upon confirmation, it was determined that the plum seedlings had suffered the most severe damage. Plum trees are weak in self-pollination, so they need to be grown alongside varieties with abundant pollen. Perhaps due to being on the outermost side, both varieties had sustained significant damage. In modern times, it might be possible to repair them, but in the Sengoku period where tools like reinforcement tape were not available, Shizuko had no choice but to give up. And it wasn't just the plum trees that were damaged; two lemon seedlings and one mandarin orange seedling were also beyond repair. In the end, only one lemon seedling and two mandarin orange seedlings on the innermost side remained unharmed. The tragedy continued as one broken seedling had pierced through a snack pineapple seedling. Out of the twenty snack pineapple seedlings, six had to be discarded. The broken seedling had also torn open a bag containing flower seeds, mixing the seeds of Kidachi aloe, Strelitzia, and cosmos. Recognizing that it would take time to separate the mixed seeds, Shizuko made the difficult decision to dispose of them.In the end, we will grow two types of rice, as well as barley. The vegetables will include spinach, Chinese cabbage, white kidney beans, snow peas, potatoes, okra, and peanuts. The fruits will be lemons, mandarins, watermelons, and pineapple. As for flowers, we will have white chrysanthemums, sunflowers, aloe vera, golden carp, French marigolds, and bay laurel.I considered using barley and sunflowers as green manure, but I needed sunflower seeds and barley grains. Therefore, I decided to use barley solely for its soil improvement effects, taking advantage of its deep-rooted nature. I decided to crush the sunflower except for the seeds and incorporate it as green manure. I will grow laurel and French marigold as companion plants to promote symbiosis. The reason I don't grow other flowers successfully is that I don't have the resources to do so. In the modern era, it would be possible with fertilizers, compost, and various pesticides, but in the Sengoku period where those are not available, it would be pointless to grow them. The selection was made based on cost-effectiveness. Also, basil and similar plants have a terrifying reproductive ability, so I decided it would be better not to grow them like the others. Even in Shizuko's time, there are many negative connotations such as crop guerrilla and terrorist associated with gardening. Both in home gardens and professional farms, there are varieties that can only be cultivated in specific environments. Basil falls into that category, but it would be a waste to throw it away since it can be used for making pickled plums. So I decided to isolate the cultivation area from others and use simple brick planters. The golden shachihoko is just a cactus, so there is little reason to grow it, but since it requires little effort, I judged it to be fine.While calculating the timing for preparing other seeds, a new instruction from Nobunaga reaches Shizuko. The content of the instruction is Increase salt production. This was expected, so it wasn't a problem. However, there was another order. It was a mysterious order to relocate the residents of Shizuko's village to the expanding city.Shizuko, who was not convinced by the sudden relocation of residents, decided to request an audience to hear the reasons. Surprisingly, the permission for the audience was granted quickly. Whether it was expected or Nobunaga was in a good mood, Shizuko thought it was convenient and hurried to meet with him. During the audience, Shizuko questioned Nobunaga about the reason for suddenly moving the villagers at this time. There was a possibility that the agricultural output would decrease, making it difficult to pay sufficient taxes. Shizuko asked if it was necessary to relocate the people immediately despite these risks.I don't mind or It doesn't matterIn response, Nobunaga's answer was simple. Due to Nobunaga's confident attitude, Shizuko momentarily wondered if she had worried unnecessarily.But if we continue like this, there is a possibility of a significant decrease in production Even if we ignore that problem, is there a reason to forcefully proceed with human migration?But immediately shaking his head, I asked Nobunaga what he was thinking.If the tax revenue for this year is at least low, there won't be any long-term problems as long as the tax revenue increases from next year onwards. To achieve that, it is necessary to relocate the farmers who have inherited your skills to various locations and continue the succession.After settling the bill, Nobunaga reveals his secret plan to Shizuko alone. His plan is so outlandish that it can be called unprecedented, even in the Sengoku period or in modern times. His plan, based on thorough efficiency, includes the following elements.First, recruit 20 to 30 people from each village. However, the initial group of 30 peasants, including Shizuko, is excluded. With the gathered numbers, create six villages, and then consolidate three to five villages around each of these as satellites. The consolidated villages are referred to as groups, and three of these groups together are called a town. Nobunaga refers to it as San-kumi no Ichi-machi.The San-Kumi-Ichi system works as follows. In the first year, it is the same as what Shizuko did, where the base village provides agricultural education and support to each village. Then, the harvested rice from the first year is offered as collateral to the Oda family. From the second year onwards, each group rotates the crops they cultivate every year. For example, in the first year, Group A cultivates rice and soybeans, Group B cultivates rice and sweet potatoes, and Group C cultivates rice and chicken eggs. In the second year, Group A cultivates rice and sweet potatoes, Group B cultivates rice and chicken eggs, and Group C cultivates rice and soybeans. In the third year, Group A cultivates rice and chicken eggs, Group B cultivates rice and soybeans, and Group C cultivates rice and sweet potatoes. Then, in the fourth year, the same crops as the first year are cultivated, and the collateral offered three years ago is returned. However, new collateral is required for the next three years. This is similar to a fixed contract with a two-year or three-year term in modern times. Naturally, if one wants to terminate the contract within the three years, a significant penalty fee will be incurred. If one cannot pay, the collateral in the form of stored rice will be confiscated as a penalty. After repeating this loop five times, the tax rate changes from five public and five private to four public and six private.As part of further welfare benefits, mochi is delivered during New Year and Harvest Festival. Each villager receives three pieces, and one kagami mochi is sent to each village. This is also meant to increase motivation for work. In addition, Nobunaga was considering special privileges as a measure to improve the motivation of the farmers and prevent betrayal. However, he would not make these public. Following Machiavelli's principle of benefits should be given gradually to make people savor them for a long time, he would gradually implement the parts that correspond to the whip and the candy. Of course, it is not just about giving candy, but also making subtle improvements to balance things out.That, that seems stingyA ruler should not fear the reputation of being stingy. And as long as the outcome is good, the means are always justified. Therefore, even if I deceive the people, as long as I make them believe that the outcome is beneficial for them, they will not be concerned about my policies. It is enough to show them moderate dreams and keep them well-fed.I see I understand. I have spoken foolishly without grasping the true intention of the lord.Good. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions in the future. It can lead to better ideas.Shizuko was genuinely surprised by those words. Nobunaga believed that he had unwavering confidence in his own thoughts and was not easily swayed by other people's opinions. When Nobunaga noticed Shizuko's gaze, he calmly said, What's wrong?It's not something particularly surprising. Until now, I had always believed that my own thoughts were correct. But through you, I have come to realize how limited my own experiences are and how vast the world is. There are many people in this world who know things that I am unaware of. Therefore, I have decided to learn from their knowledge and experiences and incorporate them into my own being.In late February, Shizuko began working on creating a large-scale salt field under Nobunaga's direct management. Since Shizuko lived inland, it was necessary to develop the coastal area in order to create the salt field. However, the coastal area was underdeveloped, and most of the places were like wasteland. There was another problem: water.In the long and narrow Chita Peninsula, there are no major rivers, resulting in chronic water shortages. Therefore, the situation is such that the farmers rely on ponds that collect rainwater to sustain their livelihoods. As a result, if a drought occurs, they quickly fall into famine.Until the completion and operation of the Aichi Canal in September 1961, which stretches 112 kilometers from the upper reaches of the Kiso River to the tip of the Chita Peninsula, farmers constantly battled the fear of drought. The Aichi Canal can be compared to an artery in the human body, as it serves as the main waterway transporting water and nutrients to various parts of the region through its 1,012-kilometer network of branch canals, similar to capillaries. The key figures behind this massive project were Kotaro Kuno, a dedicated farmer, and Tatsuo Hamashima, a teacher at Anjo Agricultural and Forestry High School. Their envisioned future took nine years of planning and four years of construction, with a total cost of 42.3 billion yen, making it the first post-war large-scale national project in Japan.Fortunately, the population is not as high as it was during the Showa era, so there is no need for people to kill each other over a drop of water. It is possible to obtain drinking water from the streams in uninhabited areas. However, it is nearly impossible to obtain water for agricultural use, and river construction is also difficult due to the lack of rivers other than small streams. As a result, a large salt field was created in the vicinity of the Chita Peninsula, and water for daily use, including drinking water, was drawn from the Tobishiro River. The people that Nobunaga had prepared were supposed to settle there, and that was supposed to be the end of it. However, this was only within Shizuko's expectations, and reality proved to be harsh.Fisheries association?Shizuko tilts her head in response to the words of the village chief, who represents the settled villagers.Yes. In the discussion with Lord Oda, we have decided to settle here and focus on salt production. However, we felt uneasy relying solely on salt, so we conveyed this to Lord Oda.Oh well, I understand how you feel.I understand why the village chief and the villagers feel anxious about relying solely on salt production. If salt production were to fail, the only thing waiting for them would be hunger.At that time, Lord Oda suggested that I consider engaging in fishing as a side job. And it seems that Shizuko-sama will provide technical guidance on fishing. Is that correct?Well It would be so much easier if I could say I didn't hear! Well, if it's okay with me, I think I can provide guidance on the main points.That's what Shizuko said, but she only knows the methods of fishing and doesn't have any actual experience in commercial fishing. She has the blueprints for large fishing boats and transport ships, but those blueprints are written with measurements in modern units, so it's impossible to immediately construct them.If that town succeeds, I think it would be a good idea to have the lord unify the units of measurement to the MKS system. It wouldn't be funny if there were errors when using a conversion table. It might be better to unify the standards, even if it means temporarily reducing revenue and profit.Standardizing criteria makes it difficult for fraud to occur and reduces the number of unscrupulous merchants. By calculating the harvest amount based on the size of the land, it is possible to predict the annual tribute with a fairly accurate value and return the surplus to the subjects. In the long run, unit standardization is beneficial. The establishment of weights and measures was also a symbol of power until the early modern period. Hideyoshi, who succeeded Nobunaga, and Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa shogunate, also implemented standardization of weights and measures.Nice to meet you, Suiyasen. Thank you in advance.Um, excuse me, but I can't seem to find the fishing boat. Where is it located?They are people that Nobunaga gathered from somewhere, as usual. I know that he built a house for them, but there is no sign of the crucial fishing boat. There is also no sign of a pier to dock the fishing boat. Shizuko felt frustrated, thinking that it might start with building a fishing boat.No, it was mentioned that Oda-sama would be able to provide that.But it was needless worry. It seems that the construction of the fishing boat is being done in a different location, and it hasn't arrived yet.If that's the case, then it's fine. Let's see Well, I think starting with fixed net fishing, basket fishing, and octopus pot fishing would be good. Once we get used to it, it would be nice to try gathering fishing. And maybe we can also do clam digging on the coast?sighYou don't have to look so worried, I'll explain it to you! First, let's talk about the fixed net fishing.In the end, Shizuko ended up having to explain until it was time to go home.About a week later, the fishing boats finally arrived at their location. A few days after receiving the report, Shizuko immediately headed to their village. Upon arrival, she saw that there were three medium-sized fishing boats and a total of eleven small two-seater boats, similar in size to a rowboat, moored at the dock. They had also completed the construction of makeshift octopus traps and bait-filled baskets, as well as the necessary gear for longline fishing. They had installed them on the day the boats were delivered. The simple structure of the fishing gear, such as the octopus traps and baskets, made it relatively easy for even amateurs to catch a certain amount of fish. However, due to their high fishing efficiency, there are restrictions on the number of baskets that can be used nowadays, in order to protect the resources.With all that's been going on, it's been three days since it was installed, so I think it's about time to collect it, don't you think?Hey. Unfortunately, the attempts with the fishing line yesterday and the day before yesterday were unsuccessful. So today, I have changed the location for setting it up. Of course, as Shizuko-san suggested, I haven't gone to a place where the flag cannot be seen.Once a maritime accident occurs, a major disaster is inevitable. The most famous maritime accident in the world occurred on April 14, 1912, when the British-registered passenger ship Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage. 1,517 people died in the accident. On May 29, 1914, the Canadian-registered passenger ship Empress of Ireland collided with the Norwegian-registered cargo ship Storstad and sank in the St. Lawrence River due to dense fog. The death toll and number of missing reached 1,024. In Japan, on April 15, 1910, the Japanese Navy's Sixth Submarine sank during a gasoline diving experiment training in Hiroshima Bay. Captain Sakujiro Sasaki and all 14 crew members died in the accident.If a maritime accident were to occur during the Sengoku period, it would be even more tragic. Being thrown out of the ship and carried away by the tide would mean the end. They would never be able to set foot on land alive again. They are not only fishermen but also craftsmen who make salt. It is necessary for them to strictly adhere to the strategy of valuing life above all else. Therefore, Shizuko imposed certain rules on them.When engaging in fishing, it is important to set up a flag to indicate the location of the village a clear return target. Wear a bamboo tube tied with straw rope as a substitute for life-saving equipment. Tie yourself and the boat together with a rope while working safety line. Avoid fishing at night or on bad weather days to avoid danger.I informed them that if they couldn't abide by those rules, their fishing boats would be taken away and they would be dedicated to salt production. At first, they didn't fully understand the necessity of those rules, but they realized it yesterday when a villager was thrown off the boat. They learned that the sea weather is unpredictable and even a slight negligence can be fatal. They came to understand, through experience, that Shizuko's rules are meant to avoid such dangers as much as possible.Oh, looks like you're back. From what I can see you have a somewhat subtle expression on your face, don't you?Oh, I guess the fishing results weren't good, huh?While discussing such matters, the fishing boat arrived at the pier. They tied the rope to the mooring post to secure the boat. After that, the fishermen lowered the boxes that were likely filled with their catch from the fishing boat. Judging by the way several people were carrying them, it seemed like they had a good harvest, but for some reason, their expressions were stern. When all the boxes were lined up in front of Shizuko, one of the fishermen held the lid of one of the boxes and said this.For now, I brought everything back, but um, what is this?As the lid is lifted, words are spoken. Inside, there was an octopus. There were also other marine mollusks like squid and cuttlefish. Have you never seen it before? Um, may I ask you one thing, is this your first time fishing in the sea by any chance?U-um, well. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've only been fishing in rivers until now Actually, this is my first time going out to sea like this.As expected. They were specialized fishermen in river fish. That's why they were making strange faces when they saw marine creatures, Shizuko understood.Well, well, it might be unreasonable, but please try to remember it now. Now, what else is included?Open the wooden box that serves as a substitute for a cooler box. Inside the basket fishing, there were shrimp and crabs. There were mostly kuruma shrimp and lots of blue crabs. Check the longline. There were also some goby and sandfish mixed in, but overall, there seemed to be a lot of horse mackerel. Upon closer inspection, there were a few pufferfish mixed in, so Shizuko grabbed one of them with her hand to show the villagers.Well, this pufferfish is dangerous to eat. Please make sure not to eat it by mistake.What happens when you eat it?I will eventually lose my life after struggling and suffering.Shizuko confidently answers the village chief's question. The main component of the poison that accumulates in the body, such as pufferfish, is tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin is a substance that is about 850 times more toxic than the famous poison potassium cyanide often seen in movies and dramas. If ingested orally, a standard adult male can die from consuming 1-2mg. It also has the property of not decomposing at temperatures of around 300 degrees Celsius, which is within the range of cooking. Furthermore, once it is taken into the body, it is difficult to decompose through drug administration, and the only option is to administer a cardiac stimulant to activate the heart and use diuretics to promote the excretion of the poison through urine. Additionally, tetrodotoxin affects the nervous system and can cause respiratory distress, so along with drug administration, assistance with artificial respiration is necessary.By the way, the location of the poison and its type varies depending on the species. It can also change depending on the season. Additionally, there are cases where the poison can enter the body just by handling it, so if you see a pufferfish, please promptly return it to the sea.He, heyBy the time I finished speaking, the village chief's face had turned pale. However, tetrodotoxin is truly a dangerous poison. The only relief is that simply touching a pufferfish does not result in being poisoned.Well, it's easy to understand when it swells up like this. Well, should we say goodbye to this one and let it go into the sea?With that, Shizuko throws the pufferfish towards the sea with all her might. The pufferfish makes a beautiful arc and falls into the ocean. After making sure of that, Shizuko turns her body back towards the villagers.Well then first, let's talk about how to prepare a live octopus.Shall we end it?Yes, octopus, squid, and fish are too lively if left as they are. If we don't prepare them properly, they might thrash around and become dangerous.After saying that, Shizuko casually grabbed a suitable octopus and placed it on the prepared table. The octopus, still full of energy, intimidated those around it with its eight tentacles adorned with multiple suckers. On the other hand, Shizuko held something resembling a thickened bamboo skewer in her hand. She had prepared this tool, considering it necessary for finishing off octopuses, squids, and fish.The main edible part consists of eight legs with many suckers attached to them. They are also called tentacles. And this part that looks like a head is equivalent to the abdomen in humans. The actual head is located where these eyes are. So, you can either use a knife between the two eyes or use a tool like this to stab it and finish it off.If you cut between the eyes with a knife or repeatedly stab with a tool like a thousand-layered needle, the octopus will be killed. It is relatively easy to confirm whether you have successfully hit the vital point.If you hit it well, its entire leg will turn white all at once. Look, just now its leg, which had a reddish tint, turned white all at once, didn't it?Just as she said, the octopus's tentacles had turned completely white, as if they had been bleached. The legs that were moving just a moment ago now hung limply, and it was clear at a glance that it had died.Oh!The fishermen, including the village chief, are expressing their admiration.Afterwards, I will insert my finger into the head and remove the internal organs. I will wash them with coarse grated radish to remove any sliminess.Daikon is it?Yes, salt is fine, but using grated daikon radish to remove the sliminess is more cost-effective than using expensive salt.The mechanism by which salt removes the sliminess of octopus is that the protein is denatured and hardened by the salt, causing it to float to the surface. On the other hand, daikon radish causes the octopus to float to the surface through the action of its digestive enzyme system. Daikon radish is more effective at removing sliminess and also contains diastase amylase which helps to tenderize the octopus. However, daikon radish is weaker at removing sliminess, so it takes more time.Since the slime is more likely to remain on the inside, be careful while washing.Instead of using salt, wash the daikon radish thoroughly by grating it slowly. Only then will the pre-processing be complete.Now, it's everyone's turn, right?Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Shizuko said to the fishermen, Hurry up and get used to it, okay? It was not just their imagination that this statement implied a sense of urgency. This was because Shizuko further added, addressing their confusion.Don't worry, there are plenty of octopuses.
