noun
hand reaping; cutting rice plants with a sickle
Refers to the traditional method of harvesting rice by hand using a sickle, as opposed to machine harvesting. Often contrasted with 機械刈り.
See also: 稲刈り
昔は稲の手刈りが主流だった。
In the past, hand reaping of rice was the norm.
手刈りと機械刈りでは、仕上がりが違う。
The finish differs between hand reaping and machine harvesting.