The Weeding Exam Arc: what it is and how to read it in order
Based on our Japanese story page, our book list (Kodansha) and our Japanese article on the Weeding Exam.
In Chiikawa’s world, weeding is a job, and it turns out there is a license for it. This arc follows Chiikawa and Hachiware as they get a study book, cram late at night, and face exam day. Nagano posted it over Aug 2020 – Feb 2023: 28 posts that Chiifan lines up in order.
- Original posts
- 28 posts on Nagano’s X (Aug 28, 2020 – Feb 6, 2023)
- Book
- Japanese Vol. 2 ( Aug 23, 2021) includes the part where they find the Grade 5 study book
- Anime
- From ep. 57 「草むしり検定／古本」 (Apr 18, 2023)
- Main characters
- Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi, Furuhonya (the used-book seller)
Read the Weeding Exam Arc in order
Chiifan shows Nagano’s original X posts in posting order, split where the story naturally breaks. The page is in Japanese, but you only need to scroll down through the X posts and press the next-page button at the bottom.
- Up to the first exam day
- Posts 1–11 (11 posts, Aug 2020 – Oct 2020)
- After the new year
- Posts 12–18 (7 posts, Jan 2021 – Mar 2021)
- Up to the night before the exam
- Posts 19–28 (10 posts, Nov 2022 – Feb 2023)
- The story runs for more than two years.
- The third exam day onward is a separate arc on our site (the “Sunfish” arc).
What is it about? (no spoilers)
It starts when the two learn that weeding has a license, and pick up a problem book at the used-book stall. Between rice-ball lunches and late-night udon, they keep studying until exam day.
- The arc also shows how they feel after results day, not just the exam itself.
- Usagi, their friend, already holds a higher grade early on.
What we know about the exam
The work never explains the system, but some things can be read from the scenes.
- Chiikawa and Hachiware take Grade 5. Grades 5, 4, 3 and 2 have appeared; a smaller number seems to be higher.
- How many grades there are, who runs the exam, and what the passing score is have not been explained.
- Media say a higher grade seems to mean better pay for weeding, but the work does not explain how.
Which anime episodes?
The anime adapts the arc across several episodes, starting with ep. 57.
- Ep. 57 「草むしり検定／古本」
- Weeding Exam / Used books · Apr 18, 2023
- Ep. 61 「合格発表」
- Results announcement · May 2, 2023
- Ep. 107 「勉強会／再試験」
- Study session / Retake · Oct 10, 2023
- Ep. 345 「試験の夢」
- A dream about the exam · May 22, 2026
Related pages
The story continues in the 3rd-try arc, and the characters have their own pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Weeding Exam in Chiikawa?
A license test for weeding, one of the jobs in Chiikawa’s world. Chiikawa and Hachiware take Grade 5.
Which volume has the Weeding Exam?
Vol. 2 includes the part where they find the Grade 5 study book. The whole arc is on Nagano’s X.
Which anime episode is the Weeding Exam?
It starts with ep. 57 「草むしり検定／古本」, aired Apr 18, 2023.
Where can I read about the third exam?
In the separate “Weeding Exam, 3rd Try (Sunfish)” arc on Chiifan.
Sources
Pages marked (Japanese) are only available in Japanese.