[Jinsekikogen Town] Grass-Mowing Workforce Training Workshop Held

sabii (sabi), who works as a DAO manager for Jinsekikogen Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, utilizing the "Community Revitalization Cooperation Team DAO" operated by Alyawmu Inc., held a practical training workshop aimed at fostering grass-mowing personnel on June 9 (Tue.) and 10 (Wed.), 2026. The workshop was titled "Let's Seriously Mow Grass in Jinsekikogen - Grass-Mowing Workforce (Mow Grass, Ya Ken) Training Workshop."

This workshop is an evolution of the "Grass-Mowing Grand Prix" held as a preliminary event on May 1.

Last time, grass-mowing, a routine local task, was presented as an experimental event to create a novel experiential value for participants from outside the region.

This time, as the next step, the aim was to increase the number of people who can participate in a sustainable way as support for local grass-mowing, rather than ending it as a one-off experience.

As it was held with a small number of participants, it provided an opportunity to learn the basic operation of brush cutters, posture on slopes, and safety precautions in practice, with the instructor closely observing the work.

Turning Local "Norms" into Opportunities for Engagement

In Jinsekikogen Town, due to aging and population decline, grass-mowing in agricultural fields, along roadsides, and on slopes has become a significant burden for the community. On the other hand, for people from outside the region, grass-mowing is an experience that allows them to exercise their bodies in nature and directly engage with local life.

The preliminary "Grass-Mowing Grand Prix" held in May attracted participants from Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and other areas, who challenged themselves to mow grass using hand scythes.

After the grass-mowing, there were exchange sessions with local residents, wild vegetable foraging, and meals around a wood-burning stove, providing a time to experience the connections with Jinsekikogen Town's nature, food, and people.

Building on the achievements of the previous event, this workforce training workshop was planned to deepen grass-mowing from a "fun experience" to a "skill that supports the community."

Learning Brush Cutter Basics on Site

At the workshop, instructor Takuchan first explained the basic operation of brush cutters.

Brush cutters are tools that can efficiently mow grass over a wide area, but they can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Therefore, each component's name and function, how to start the engine, blade orientation, rotation speed adjustment, and safety checks around the area were confirmed one by one.

This workshop was conducted as a hands-on initiative to learn local grass-mowing tasks. Participants worked within their capabilities with advice from the instructor.

After the explanation, practical work began on the ridges and slopes next to Takuchan's rice paddy.

On the first day, sabii handled the flat ridges, while Signa challenged grass-mowing on ridges and slopes. Instructor Takuchan demonstrated and then joined the work, providing on-the-spot advice on safety and mowing techniques while observing the participants' movements.

As a result, the designated areas planned for the first day were successfully mowed.

Beginners Realize the Difficulty of Grass-Mowing

Actually using the brush cutter revealed difficulties not apparent from just watching.

To mow grass cleanly, it is important to check the ground conditions and focus on mowing near the roots.

However, beginners were afraid of hitting the ground or stones with the blade, and initially, they tended to mow the upper parts of the grass.

Also, it is important to operate the brush cutter stably with consistent movements, but if the mowing height is too high or the movement is unstable, the same spot will have to be mowed multiple times. In areas with dense grass, it was sometimes difficult to proceed with mowing as desired depending on the rotation speed and blade angle.

Working on slopes was particularly challenging. It required operating the brush cutter while maintaining stable footing and body balance, demanding more concentration and physical strength than on flat ground.

Even so, as they gradually became accustomed to the brush cutter's movements, there was a sense of exhilaration as the grass fell with each swing.

It was realized that grass-mowing is not just about shortening grass, but a skill that requires knowledge of tool handling, observation of the ground, body control, and safety awareness.

Experiencing Interaction with Local Nature After Grass-Mowing

After the grass-mowing on the first day, a mealtime was arranged for participants to interact with each other and with local residents.

In the evening, guided by a local resident, a firefly viewing event was held to experience the nature of Jinsekikogen Town. After working up a sweat mowing grass, watching the fireflies dance in the quiet night was a moment to truly appreciate the richness of the local natural environment.

Grass-mowing is work to protect roads, farmland, and landscapes. Beyond that lie walkable paths, protected rice paddies, beautiful satoyama scenery, and the lives of the local community.

This workshop was a two-day event not only to learn grass-mowing techniques but also to experience connections with the local nature and people.

Instructor Takuchan's Comments

Following the workshop, instructor Takuchan provided comments on participant Signa's grass-mowing.

Takuchan evaluated Signa's work as "good for a beginner."

However, he noted that more practice was needed for brush cutter handling, blade height, posture on slopes, and work stability, and gave a strict rating of "2.5 out of 5 points for yesterday and today's performance."

What was particularly praised this time, however, was not the technical perfection, but the attitude of seeing the task through to the end.

Grass-mowing is not easy from the start. When unaccustomed, one struggles with the weight of the brush cutter, engine operation, uneven footing, and aiming at the base of the grass.

Therefore, it is important to physically experience the difficulty rather than feeling that it was "easy" from the beginning.

The attitude of facing the challenge and striving to complete it despite the hardship was the major achievement of this workshop.

Participant Comment: Signa

Signa's icon

Instructor Takuchan patiently taught me how to handle the brush cutter and about safety.

Experiencing it firsthand, I realized that grass-mowing requires much more physical strength and skill than I imagined, especially the difficulty of working on slopes. While the instructor praised me as "good for a beginner," he also commented that I still need practice in handling the brush cutter and my posture on slopes.

Grass-mowing is an important community activity that protects local roads, rice paddies, and landscapes. With this workshop as a starting point, I want to become a grass-mowing supporter who can contribute to the community by understanding the challenges and gradually gaining experience.

Message from Jinsekikogen Town DAO Manager sabii

sabii's icon

The "Grass-Mowing Grand Prix" held on May 1 was initiated by myself, inspired by my own newfound passion for grass-mowing after moving here, with the desire to let people from urban areas and outside the region experience the joy and sense of accomplishment of mowing grass.

On the other hand, grass-mowing is also a pressing issue for local residents. It is a necessary task to protect roads, farmland, and landscapes, but the burden is increasing due to an aging population and a shortage of workers.

Therefore, rather than ending grass-mowing as a one-time event, I want to connect it to continuous exchange opportunities and the training of personnel who can support the region.

We will continue to recruit grass-mowing personnel (Mow Grass, Ya Ken).

Let's work together to create a system where both local residents and visitors can participate and enjoy themselves in a way that is not burdensome for anyone.

Through grass-mowing, I hope to foster a place where people can feel the nature, life, and connections of Jinsekikogen Town.

Participate in the Jinsekikogen Town Community Here

In the Discord community "Jinsekikogen Ya Ken," we hold an online information sharing session every Monday at 8 PM.

We welcome anyone interested in local activities, wanting to get involved with Jinsekikogen Town, or curious about grass-mowing and rural life to join us.

▼Participate in the Jinsekikogen Town Community Here https://discord.gg/qaTPTJgv

Would You Like to Join a DAO in Your Region?

Please join a DAO in your region or a region you are interested in.

Anyone can easily join a DAO.

▼DAO Participation Link Here https://lit.link/alywamu-dao

About Alyawmu Inc.

A startup based in Sapporo that promotes regional revitalization through DAOs and NFTs, providing Furusato Nozei NFTs/Tourism NFTs/Community Revitalization Cooperation Team DAO solutions for municipalities nationwide.

By offering NFTs featuring regional attractions as Furusato Nozei return gifts and operating DAOs in local communities, we create new revenue streams and contribute to city promotion and the cultivation of related-population.

The company name "Alyawmu" means "today" in Arabic. We support the creation of continuously supported regions by providing cutting-edge NFT technology to municipalities and regions that want to challenge themselves today, right now.

Alyawmu Inc. Company Information

Company Name: Alyawmu Inc.

Representative: Hiroaki Hatanaka

Location: Katran Asabu 302, 38-6, Nishi 6-chome, Kita-ku, Sapporo

Established: November 18, 2020

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Business Activities: Consulting and development for regional revitalization utilizing NFTs

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