～Komedawara: Traditional Rice Bales～
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Nowadays, rice is kept in plastic or paper bags, but in the past, people made rice bales by weaving straw. The only material used was the straw left over after the rice harvest, making it a waste-free, eco-friendly container.
Straw has the natural ability to absorb moisture and protect the contents from outside temperatures, preventing the rice from spoiling. Even though it was very heavy, people could transport it by rolling it along the ground because it has a round shape. Composed of straw, it didn't slip easily when stacked, allowing people to pile them high inside storehouses.
As for the weight, a traditional rice bale weighed as much as 60 kilograms. Yet, farmers back then would carry this heavy load on one of their shoulders all by themselves.
