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A Cultural Landscape (文化的景観, bunkateki keikan) is a landscape in Japan, which has evolved together with the way of life and geocultural features of a region, and which is indispensable for understanding the lifestyle of the Japanese people, and is recognized by the government of under article 2, paragraph 1, item 5 of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (1950). Cultural Landscapes of especially high value may be further designated as Important Cultural Landscapes (重要文化的景観, Jūyō bunkateki keikan); as of May 31, 2017 there are fifty-one such landscapes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Local governments that are in charge of designated Cultural Landscapes can obtain financial assistance from the Agency for Cultural Affairs for surveys and other research, the preparation of preservation plans, maintenance, repair, landscaping, restoration, disaster prevention, and promotional and educational activities.^[1][6]

Background

Research into cultural landscapes began before the Second World War with increasing concern about their disappearance. Historical research into shōen and rural engineering, the scientific investigation of geographic features, and studies for urban and countryside planning have since increased. The movement to protect cultural landscapes has also been influenced by the Law Concerning Special Measures for the Preservation of Historical Natural Features in Ancient Cities (1966), the international trend for recognising "cultural landscapes" under the World Heritage Convention, the designation in 1980 of Mount Hakusan, Mount Ōdaigahara & Mount Ōmine, Shiga Highland and Yakushima as UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserves, the designation of Monuments of Japan, and initiatives such as the 100 selected terraced rice fields of Japan.^[7][8] From 2000 to 2003 a study was made to define the concept of "cultural landscape" and identify their distribution, with 2,311 areas identified in the first phase and 502 selected for the second, 180 being of particular importance.^[9]

Selection criteria of Important Cultural Landscapes

Important Cultural Landscapes are designated based on their type as:^[1][10]

1. single-type Cultural Landscapes associated with
   1. agriculture such as rice paddies, farmlands, etc.
   2. man-made grassland or livestock ranching such as hayfields, pastureland, etc.
   3. forests such as timber forests, disaster prevention forests, etc.
   4. fisheries such as fish cultivation rafts, nori seaweed cultivation fields, etc.
   5. water uses such as reservoirs, waterways, harbors, etc.
   6. mining or industrial manufacture such as mines, quarries, groups of workshops, etc.
   7. transportation and communication such as roads, plazas, etc.
   8. residences and settlements such as stonewalls, hedges, coppices attached to premises, etc.
2. a combination of two or more of the above cultural landscapes.

List of Important Cultural Landscapes

List

Name	Criteria	Remarks	Location	Year	Picture
Cultural Landscape along the Sarugawa River resulting from Ainu Tradition and Modern Settlement (アイヌの伝統と近代開拓による沙流川流域の文化的景観, ainu no dentō to kindai kaitaku ni yoru sarugawa ryūiki no bunkateki keikan)[11]	2	Litigation over the Nibutani Dam saw the advocacy of Ainu rights in a landmark case (1997).[12]	Biratori, Hokkaidō	2007
Farm Village of Hondera area, Ichinoseki (一関本寺の農村景観, ichinoseki hondera no nōson keikan)[13]	1.1, 1.8, 2	Administered from the late Heian period to the early Muromachi period as the domain of the Sutra Repository Steward of Chuson-ji;[14] in the Edo period it formed part of the Sendai domain.[15]	Ichinoseki, Iwate	2006
Tono Arakawa Heights Livestock Farm and Tsuchibuchi Yamaguchi Village (遠野　荒川高原牧場　土淵山口集落, Tōno Arakawakōgen bokujō tsuchibuchi yamaguchi shūraku)[16]	1.2	Important historic pasture.[17]	Tōno, Iwate	2008/9
Landscape of Movements of Goods and People in Mogami River and the Aterazawa Townscape (最上川の流通・往来及び左沢町場の景観, mogamigawa no ryūtsū ōrai oyobi aterazawamachiba no keikan)[18][19]	1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Ōe, Yamagata	2013
Fluvial landscape at the confluence of the Tone and Watarase Rivers (利根川・渡良瀬川合流域の水場景観, Tonegawa-Watarasegawa gōryūiki mizuba keikan)[20]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Itakura, Gunma	2011
Landscape of the rural villages where gold mining originated in Nishimikawa, Sado (佐渡西三川の砂金山由来の農山村景観, Sado Nishimikawa no sakin yurai no nōsanson keikan)[21]	1.1, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2		Sado, Niigata	2011
Cultural Landscape of the Mining and Mining Town in Aikawa, Sado (佐渡相川の鉱山及び鉱山町の文化的景観, sado aikawa no kōzan oyobi kōzanmachi no bunkateki keikan)[22][23]	1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 2		Sado, Niigata	2015
Cultural landscape in Kanazawa. Tradition and culture in the castle town (金沢の文化的景観 城下町の伝統と文化, Kanazawa no bunkateki keikan; jōkamachi no dentō to bunka)[24]	1.5, 1.7, 1.8	Kanazawa is a renowned centre of Japanese crafts.[25]	Kanazawa, Ishikawa	2010
Magaki (bamboo Fence) Village Landscape of Ōzawa and Kami Ōzawa (大沢・上大沢の間垣集落景観, Ōzawa Kami Ōzawa no magaki shūraku keikan)[26][27]	1.1, 1.10, 2		Wajima, Ishikawa	2015
Rice terraces in Obasute (姨捨の棚田, Obasute no tanada)[28]	1.1		Chikuma, Nagano	2010
Cultural Landscape of Kosuge Village and Mt. Kosuge (小菅の里及び小菅山の文化的景観, kosuge no sato oyobi kosugeyama no bunkateki keikan)[29][30]	1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2		Iiyama, Nagano	2015
Cultural Landscape of Gifu in the Central Basin of the Nagara River (長良川中流域における岐阜の文化的景観, nagara-gawa chūryūiki ni okeru gifu no bunkateki keikan)[31][32]	1.3, 1.4, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Gifu, Gifu	2014
Wetland in Ōmi-hachiman (近江八幡の水郷, Ōmi Hachiman no suigō)[33]	1.5, 1.8	Riverside district of the former castle town.[34]	Ōmihachiman, Shiga	2006
Waterfront of Kaizu, Nishihama, and Chinai in Takashima City (高島市海津・西浜・知内の水辺景観, Takashima-shi Kaizu Nishihama Chinai no mizube keikan)[35]	1.5, 1.7		Takashima, Shiga	2008
Waterfront of Harie and Shimofuri in Takashima City (高島市針江・霜降の水辺景観, Takashima-shi Harie Shimofuri no mizube keikan)[36]	1.5, 1.8, 2		Takashima, Shiga	2010
Lakeshore landscape at Sugaura (菅浦の湖岸集落景観, sugaura no kogan shūraku keikan)[37]	1.1, 1.3, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Nagahama, Shiga	2014
Mountain Village landscape of Higashi Kusano (東草野の山村景観, higashi kusano no sanson keikan)[38][39]	1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Maibara, Shiga	2014
Ōmizo Lakeside Landscape (大溝の水辺景観, Ōmizo no mizube keikan)[40][41]	1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Takashima, Shiga	2015
Cultural landscape in Uji (宇治の文化的景観, Uji no bunkateki keikan)[42]	2		Uji, Kyoto	2009
Cultural landscape of Miyazu Amanohashidate (宮津天橋立の文化的景観, miyazu amanohashidate no bunkateki keikan)[43][44]	1.4, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Miyazu, Kyoto	2014
Cultural Landscape of Okazaki in Kyoto (京都岡崎の文化的景観, Kyōto okazaki no bunkateki keikan)[45][46]	1.5, 1.7, 2		Kyoto, Kyoto	2015
Rural landscape of Hinenosho Ōgi (日根荘大木の農村景観, Hinenosho Ōgi no nōson keikan)[47][48]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Izumisano, Osaka	2013
Cultural landscape of Ikuno mine and townscape (生野鉱山及び鉱山町の文化的景観, ikuno kōzan oyobi kōzanmachi no bunkateki keikan)[49][50]	1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Asago, Hyōgo	2014
Cultural landscape of the Asuka hinterland (奥飛鳥の文化的景観, Oku-Asuka no bunkateki keikan)[51]	1.1, 1.5, 1.8, 2		Asuka, Nara	2011
Aragijima Rice Terraces and Rural Mountain Village Landscape of Mita/Shimizu (蘭島及び三田・清水の農山村景観, aragijima oyobi Mita Shimizu no nōsanson keikan)[52][53]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Aridagawa, Wakayama	2013
Cultural landscape of Tatara iron manufacturing and rice terraces in Okuizumo (奥出雲たたら製鉄及び棚田の文化的景観, okuizumo tatara seitetsu oyobi tanada no bunkateki keikan)[54][55]	1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2		Okuizumo, Shimane	2014
Rice Terraces and Rural Landscape of Kashihara (樫原の棚田及び農村景観, Kashihara no tanada oyobi nōson keikan)[56]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Kamikatsu, Tokushima	2010
Danbata (terraced fields) in Yusumizugaura (遊子水荷浦の段畑, Yusumizugaura no danbata)[57]	1.1		Uwajima, Ehime	2007
Okuuchi rice terraces, agricultural and mountainous village landscape (奥内の棚田及び農山村景観, Okuuchi no tanada oyobi nōsanson keikan)[58]	1.1		Matsuno, Ehime	2017
Kure port and fishing townscape (久礼の港と漁師町の景観, Kure no minato to ryōshi machi no keikan)[59]	1.4, 1.5		Tosa, Kōchi	2011
Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Villages in the mountains to the headwater region (四万十川流域の文化的景観 源流域の山村, Shimantogawa ryūiki no bunkateki keikan genryūiki no sanson)[60]	2		Tsuno, Kōchi	2009
Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Villages and rice terraces in the mountains at the upstream region (四万十川流域の文化的景観 上流域の山村と棚田, Shimantogawa ryūiki no bunkateki keikan jōryūiki no sanson to tanada)[61]	2		Yusuhara, Kōchi	2009
Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Circulation and traffic among agricultural and mountainous villages at the upstream region (四万十川流域の文化的景観 上流域の農山村と流通・往来, Shimantogawa ryūiki no bunkateki keikan jōryūiki no nōsanson to ryūtsū ōrai)[62]	2		Nakatosa, Kōchi	2009
Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Circulation and traffic among agricultural and mountainous villages at the middlestream region (四万十川流域の文化的景観 中流域の農山村と流通・往来, Shimantogawa ryūiki no bunkateki keikan chūryūiki no nōsanson to ryūtsū ōrai)[63]	2		Shimanto, Kōchi	2009
Cultural landscape in the Shimantogawa River basin. Vocations, circulation and traffic in the downstream region (四万十川流域の文化的景観 下流域の生業と流通・往来, Shimantogawa ryūiki no bunkateki keikan karyūiki no nariwai to ryūtsū ōrai)[64]	2		Shimanto, Kōchi	2009
Rural Landscape of Kubote (求菩提の農村景観, Kubote no nōson keikan)[65]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Fukuoka	2012
Rice terraces in Warabino (蕨野の棚田, Warabino no tanada)[66]	1.1	located on a north facing horseshoe shaped steep slope of Mount Hachiman (八幡岳, hachimandake); area: 34 ha (84 acres), average step height: 3–5 m (9.8–16.4 ft) (up to 8 m (26 ft) max)	Karatsu, Saga	2008
Cultural landscape of Hisaka Island, Gotō (五島市久賀島の文化的景観, Gotō-shi Hisakajima no bunkateki keikan)[67]	1.3, 1.8, 2		Gotō, Nagasaki	2011
Cultural landscape of Kuroshima, Sasebo (佐世保市黒島の文化的景観, Sasebo-shi Kuroshima no bunkateki keikan)[67]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Sasebo, Nagasaki	2011
Cultural landscape of the Ojika islands (小値賀諸島の文化的景観, Ojikashotō no bunkateki keikan)[68]	1.7, 1.8		Ojika, Nagasaki	2011
Island landscape at Shinkamigoto (新上五島町崎浦の五島石集落景観, Shinkamigotō-chō Sakiura no gotōishi shūraku keikan)[69]	1.6, 1.8, 2		Shinkamigotō, Nagasaki	2012
Cultural landscape of Kitauonome, Shinkamigotō (新上五島町北魚目の文化的景観, Shinkamigotō-chō Kitauonome no bunkateki keikan)[70]	1.2		Shinkamigotō, Nagasaki	2012
Landscape with terraces retained by stonework at Sotome, Nagasaki (長崎市外海の石積集落景観, Nagasaki-shi sotome no ishizumi shūraku keikan)[71]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Nagasaki, Nagasaki	2012
Cultural landscape in Hirado island (平戸島の文化的景観, Hiradoshima no bunkateki keikan)[71]	1.1, 1.5, 1.8		Hirado, Nagasaki	2010
Landscape with Tsūjun irrigation channel and rice terraces in Shiraito Plateau (通潤用水と白糸台地の棚田景観, Tsūjun yōsui to Shiraito daichi no tanada keikan)[72]	1.1, 1.5, 2	The discharge of water from the Tsūjun Bridge is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan	Yamato, Kumamoto	2008/9
Cultural Landscape of Sakitsu and Imatomi, Amakusa (天草市﨑津・今富の文化的景観, Amakusa-shi sakitsu imatomi no bunkateki keikan)[73]	1.4, 1.7, 1.8		Amakusa, Kumamoto	2011
Cultural landscape of Misumi Bay (三角浦の文化的景観, musimuura no bunkateki keikan)[74]	1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2		Uki, Kumamoto	2015
Ontayaki Village (小鹿田焼の里, Ontayaki no sato)[75]	2		Hita, Ōita	2008
Rural landscape of Tashibunoshō Osaki (田染荘小崎の農村景観, Tashibunoshō Osaki no nōson keikan)[76]	1.1, 1.8, 2		Bungotakada, Ōita	2010
Steam and hot spring landscape in Beppu (別府の湯けむり・温泉地景観, Beppu no yukemuri onsenchi keikan)[77][78]	1.5, 1.6, 2		Beppu, Ōita	2012
Sakamoto Rice Terraces and Rural Mountain Village Landscape of Sakatani (酒谷の坂元棚田及び農山村景観, sakatani no sakamoto tanada oyobi nōsanson keikan)[79][80]	1.1, 1.3, 2		Nichinan, Miyazaki	2013

See also

• Cultural landscapes−related topics — international.
• Cultural Landscapes of Australia
• Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) — U.S. cultural landscape heritage documentation program.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cultural Landscapes of Japan.

References

Further reading

Nakagoshi, Nobukazu (2011). "How to Conserve Japanese Cultural Landscapes: The Registration System for Cultural Landscapes". In Sun-kee Hong (ed.). Landscape Ecology in Asian Cultures. Springer. pp. 249–276. ISBN 978-4-431-87798-1.