The area around the Uwae Irrigation Canal is known all over Japan for growing very high quality Japanese rice, and that is all thanks to the canal, built through the hard work of villagers and farmers over 130 years. Before the Uwae Irrigation Canal was built, irrigation was done by damming up small rivers to store water. Owing to the heavy snowfall there was water during the spring planting season, but it was often not enough was very difficult to save water until the September harvest season. It