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Landscape and Subsistence in Japanese History

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Landscapes and Societies

Abstract

Japan consists of four main islands plus the Ryukyu archipelago south of Kyushu Island (Fig. 20.1). It stretches from 20°24¢N to 45°30¢N, thus crossing cold to warm temperate and subtropical climatic zones. Because of its backbone mountain ranges, the climate of Honshu Island is radically different on the Japan Sea side and Pacific Seaboard. Seasonal monsoonal winds bring heavy snowfall to the western side in winter, and a June rainy season and typhoons from the south/southeast in summer. Average annual precipitation ranges from 944 to 4060 mm but mostly exceeds 1020 mm/year. The forest types vary by latitude and altitude, with broad-leaf evergreens at low elevations in the southwest, deciduous forest at higher altitudes in the southwest and through the northeast into Hokkaido Island, while high northeastern mountains host conifers (Statistics from www.britannica.com and Kojima 2004).

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by SOAS, University of London; International Research Institute for Japanese Culture, Kyoto; Durham Archaeological Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Art & Archaeology at SOAS (School of Oriental & African Studies), University of London, Thornhaugh Street, WC1H 0XG, London, UK

    Gina L. Barnes

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  1. Gina L. Barnes
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Correspondence to Gina L. Barnes .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Axelrod Building, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada

    I. Peter Martini

  2. Axelrod Building, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2WI, Ontario, Canada

    Ward Chesworth

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Barnes, G.L. (2010). Landscape and Subsistence in Japanese History. In: Martini, I., Chesworth, W. (eds) Landscapes and Societies. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9413-1_20

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