Technical skills of agricultural equipment craftsmen in Osaka

Winnower made by Kyoya　4th year of the Kaei era (1851)

This winnower, a machine for separating waste from grain by means of a blower. It was used at Hirano-uemachi in the Hirano-ku of Osaka City. The inscription in black ink reads Kyoya Shichibei, Osaka Nouninbashi, the 4th year of the Kaei period (1851), indicating that it was made by the agricultural equipment supplier Kyoya Shichibei at Nouninbashi in the Chuo-ku of Osaka. Kyoya winnowers soon became the de facto standard throughout western Japan, and many examples survive today, particularly in the Kinki region. However, this is the only one specifically dated to the Kaei era (1848–1854). It shows how the technical skills of Osaka's agricultural equipment craftsmen revolutionized farming practices throughout the country.