Focused on the difference between communities where the landowners reside and where they own their fieldsA study on the distribution pattern of farm fields and landowners in farmland lease contracts in a flat paddy field area

This paper aims to demonstrate the geographical range of farmland lease contracts through a field study of two large individual farmers in the Nihari district of Ibaraki Prefecture. The distribution pattern of farm fields and landowners is analyzed by the unit of community in both aspects of where the landowners reside, and where they own their farmland. The result of the study shows that fields of both farmers are distributed across 5 to 9 communities, and landowners reside across 6 to 14 communities including other villages. This study finds the differences in distribution such as the case that farmer rent fields in other communities from landowners who reside in the same community, or vice versa.