illustration : copyright (c) Hiroshi takatsuki

Japan is endowed with the beauty of ever-changing seasons. At the same time, the nation has lived under the constant threat of storms, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other violent forms of natural disaster. To survive in this environment, people learned to know nature and live in accordance with ? and not rebel against ? the laws of nature. Today, as we face dramatic changes in climate caused by global warming and other factors, this wisdom inspires us to seek paths that transcend attempts to dominate and reign over nature.

Traditional wisdom lives on

Farming methods that nurture storks based on human-nature harmony
Storks once used to be a common feature of rice paddies and wetlands across Japan. The stork population, however, saw a dramatic decline due to changes in the environment, such as water contamination with chemicals including pesticides and concrete river bank construction, leading to the eventual extinction of the wild bird in 1971. In Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, where the last wild stork was sighted, the extinction of the stork had been widely viewed as a warning from nature. Locals acted on the message, launching a program to transform conventional farming into eco-friendly agriculture and create an environment fit for the survival of storks. Thanks to their long, painstaking efforts to breed imported pairs from Russia, storks were successfully reintroduced in Toyooka in 2007 after 46 years. Their success continues to be a source of pride for the local community, which is now working to build eco-friendly irrigation canals to realize agriculture that is even less dependent on chemicals.

Is this another illustration of “wisdom?”

• Popularity of traditional nature-appreciating events such as cherry blossom viewing and excursions for enjoying autumn tints
• Resurgence in recent years of bonsai (traditional art of dwarfing trees or plants and developing them into an aesthetically appealing shape) and ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement)
• Nature-related themes that underlie many of the anime works by Hayao Miyazaki, a prominent filmmaker of numerous popular animated feature films

Key words that describe this wisdom

• Satoyama (semi-natural wooded area that coexists with nearby settlements and serves as an important source of fuel, food, compost, etc.)
• Manyoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves: the earliest extant collection of Japanese poetry)
• Yaoyorozu-no-kami (The idea referring to all the gods of heaven and earth)

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