Son Obeyed Japanese Father’s Wish in 1904
The obedience of Japanese son to his father at the start of the century helped make rice the multi-million dollar crop it is today in the Houston area.
Kiyoaki Saibara of Webster, now 83, harvested his first rice crop in 1904 at the wishes of his father.
In 1964 K. Saibara, as he is usually called, finally retired from rice growing. In the 61 years he became a respected rice farmer and member of the community.
The story began when the Houston Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Pacific Railroad decided to boost the Houston economy by improving agriculture. Rice seemed a good crop and a Japanese of rice-growing ancestry the proper man to test its ability on the lowlands near Houston. They contacted the Japanese consul in New York, who in turn contacted the late Saito Saibara, Kiyoaki’s father. The elder Saibara was a Christian Japanese studying theology in the New England states. He agreed to detour by Houston on his way back to Japan. When he got to Houston he liked what he saw. He decided to settle and build a small colony of Christian Japanese in the town of Webster midway between Houston and Galveston. By staying here he gave up a distinguished career in Japan as a lawyer, member of the parliament, and head of a university. He sent for his family and his 18-year-old son, K. Saibara, who had just finished school and was preparing for a shipbuilding career. K. Saibara wasn’t elated but obeyed as was expected of a son. He found his father was right —the Texas Gulf Coast is one of the best rice producing areas in the world.
K. Saibara recalls the first crop was planted with seed rice brought from Japan. It was the first Texas rice grown from imported seed and merited a picture by the National Geographic magazine. 34 Barrels Per Acre
The crop produced a whopping 34 barrels per acre which is large even by today’s standards. Farmers during that period were making only 18 to 20 barrels on seed from Honduras or the Carolinas.
But there were discouraging times. Hurricanes were a constant threat, Saibara says. Many of the Japanese colony returned to their native country and there have been very few Japanese rice farmers in the Houston area since.
Horses and mules were used to plow the land, and rice was threshed with flails.
Tractors and combines didn’t come into use on his farm until after World War II, he says. The business changed even more in later years with the advent of airplanes for rice seeding, fertilization, and weed control.
Saibara now lives with his second wife in his home at Webster. Some of his old rice fields are covered by a Houston Lightning and Power Co. plant and part are under the NASA complex.
However, rice is still grown in the immediate area. Harris County boasted 35,000 acres of rice in 1966 worth about $7 million — despite rapid urbanization across the county.
Saibara has been resting while recovering from a recent stroke. He says he is “very proud” of his rice producing history.