How Japanese society view nature amidst Urbanization

Globalization and industrialization has reorient Japanese view of nature. With modernization and rapid population expansion, more natural areas are lost and Japanese are increasingly appreciating nature through art (Taylor, 1990). Images of places that are close to their ‘ideal’ form were considered aesthetically appealing. Hence, photographers frame their images to exclude disturbing elements (such as highways, power lines, garbage, etc) to accentuate the true beauty of nature (Asquith and Kalland, 1997). Such refusal to accept progress or external forces (industrialization and globalization) has reflected a certain level of nativism within the people.

Photo of a Japanese village with the exclusion of highways, which are perceived to be offensive elements (Source: Wikimedia). 

Since most Japanese are distanced from the untouched nature, urbanites long to return to rural villages. According to social scientists, Japanese feel they ‘can’t go home again’ as most live in cities today. This phenomenon of homelessness is a postmodern condition (Robertson, 1988). Such feeling of nostalgia for traditional nature is then known as furusato. Furu refers to naturalness, and sato represents places inhabited by humans; the combined furusato thus imbues traditionalness and cultural authenticity (ibid.). To note, “furusato is not limited to an actual rural place, nor does it presuppose an agricultural lifestyle. It is, rather, everything, that suburbs and metropoles are not: compassion, camaraderie, tradition and even motherly love” (Robertson, 1988; pp. 503). The ubiquity of furusato has allowed the media and political leaders to manipulate its use for various purposes.

Furusato is used to create a national identity amongst Japanese. The government uses furusato-zukuri projects to promote we-feelings at the local and national level. Furusato-zukuri symbolizes the reclamation of the landscape of nostalgia by recreating village-like ambience in cities, and the revitalization of village activities through ecotourism. This promotion of native-place making allows the central government an efficacious way of addressing environmental problems resulted from urbanization. By exhorting residents to transform cities into a place that its people can call furusato (or village-like), administrators avoid blaming specific persons and groups for the city’s problem (Maruyama, 1969).

Revitalization of furusato is best achieved by reinventing traditional village activities for domestic tourists, most notably the urbanites. Shrine-like festivals, folksinging sessions, storytelling and nature hike are some highlights in the village. This kind of new ecotourism provides Japanese a new way of appreciating nature (Moon, 1997). Since nature tourism is artificially constructed for commercial value, real villagers are bequeathed as the curators of the land of nostalgia. However, usually “nature is appropriated and transformed into commodities for sale to tourists”(Asquith and Kalland, 1997) and a misinterpretation of true nature results. In my later post, I will elaborate more about the impacts of nature ecotourism in Japan.

The media exploits the ubiquity of furusato by endowing rural topography with sentimental appeal. Furusato is used to stir the emotions of people to make products more appealing. Using advertisements and nature-related products, we can see Japanese love for nature. For instance, many flavoured drinks and food are invented with a touch of nature. An example is this sakura flavored kitkat.

Sakura-flavored KitKat (Souce: Flickr)

In conclusion, Japanese desire to be close with nature and they achieve this by asserting dominance over nature. It is evident that Japanese recognize nature as part of their national identity and they are making sure traditional nature doesn’t fade out with modernization.

References

Asquith, Pamela J, and Arne Kalland. Japanese Images Of Nature. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press, 1997. Print.

Colligan-Taylor, Karen. The Emergence Of Environmental Literature In Japan. New York: Garland, 1990. Print.

Maruyama, Masao, and Ivan Morris. Thought And Behaviour In Modern Japanese Politics. Tokyo: Oxford University Press, 1969. Print.

Moon, O. Marketing nature in rural Japan. Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives, 221-235. 1997. Print.

Robertson, Jennifer. 'Furusato Japan: The Culture And Politics Of Nostalgia'. International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society 1.4 (1988): 494-518. Web.