This lecture, the fourth in a series on Japanese traditional culture, focuses on Japanese agriculture. The speaker aims to highlight the unique characteristics of Japanese agriculture within a global context, particularly referencing the system of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). The lecture also explores the historical relationship between Japanese people and nature through agriculture, using examples like silk production and rice cultivation.
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Japanese Agriculture's Unique Characteristics: Japanese agriculture is characterized by its diverse practices across various geographical regions, yet shares underlying commonalities. It's not simply about food production; it's deeply intertwined with Japanese culture and history.
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The Role of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS): The lecture will discuss the GIAHS system, explaining its background and illustrating how it reflects the distinct features of Japanese agriculture.
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Human-Nature Relationship in Agriculture: The lecture emphasizes the profound historical and ongoing connection between humans and nature in Japanese agriculture, illustrated through examples like sericulture (silk production) and rice cultivation.
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Evolution of Sericulture in Japan: The lecture details the history of silkworm cultivation in Japan, its importance as a major industry in the Edo period and Meiji era, and its influence on Japan’s modernization and even the development of industries beyond agriculture (such as Toyota).
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The Significance of Satoyama (里山): The lecture highlights the Satoyama system, a traditional Japanese land-use model combining rice paddies, residential areas, and forests, as a unique and increasingly important approach to sustainable agriculture.
