Research on Irrigation custom and the order of villages

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I researrched the irrigation custom called "Otaharai" in Naganozeki irrigation area. Naganozeki is the canal, irrigating many paddy fields in Takasaki city. Otaharai was the custom to distribute irrigation water to the lower reaches villages at the time of the drought. People of the lower reaches temporarily broke dams of the upper reaches, and got irrigation water until the dams repaired by people of the upper reaches village. Otaharai custom were being practiced in four branch canals of Naganozeki at least. It was based on the principle of equal distribution of irrigation water during the critical drought. Relations between the upper reaches villages and the lower reaches villages varied. Some were antagonistic and the others were friendly. They were caused by amounts of water and historical details.