Since the Meiji Restoration, people of Shonai Region in Yamagata Prefecture had an unparalled strong inquiring mind about rice cultivation, encouraged partly by their agricultural administration of previous governers of Shonai Domain.
明治維新いらい、以前の庄内藩の農政の影響もあって、山形県庄内地方は他地域では類を見ないほど民間での米に対する探究心は旺盛であった。