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Home , Geography of Japan, Japan

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of the present and become better prepared — has many earth- geography’s for challenges of the future. Space in one quakesgeology because of its position the Pacific article does not permit a comprehensive plan “.” The moves a importance to with all the possible ways to incorporate few inches a year westward into the Philip- Japan’s historical geography into the class- pine and Eurasian Plates. In addition, there Japan’s Historyby Patrick Grant room. This article, instead, offers a few is a complex system of faults on the Japan- ideas for applying these two standards by ese . The 1923 , with the addressing some important geographical resultant fire, destroyed much of and apan’s geography has been and is a concepts. most of . Some 100,000 people crucial factor in its history. Geology, The article touches upon many specific perished in this disaster. Only twenty sec- location, patterns of settlement, trans- issues that will find interesting for onds of shaking killed 5,480 people in the port, and economic development are discussions in the classroom. The brief 1995 -Awaji quake around K¬be.3 strongly influenced by spatial considera- introduction to geology gives background to The rebuilding of this is rapidly pro- tions. Our appreciation of any historical the earthquake hazard. Scarcity of space, gressing, but there are still thousands of dis- issue is greatly enhanced by learning how covered in the next section, has helped to located people two years after the quake. geography played an important role. A geo- define characteristics of Japanese life. grapher’s perspective is indispensible to an Japan’s location has also helped to chart the — Japan, with a adequate understanding. This article, while of its history. The proximity section populationscarcity of of over space 126 million people, is much too short to give complete explana- looks at the relationship between Hokkaid¬ slightly smaller in land area than California, tions of geographical factors, provides ideas and Honsh† to show trade development which has about 31.5 million. Furthermore, for enterprising teachers who wish to aug- between these neighboring islands. The fol- only fifteen percent of Japan’s land area is ment their instruction of Japan’s historical lowing section on the Ainu, an aboriginal considered arable. The result is an excep- geography.1 people of Japan, also looks at one aspect of tional scarcity of space and the need for effi- It would be unfortunate and unimaginative Hokkaid¬. Furthermore, the rivalry between ciency in resource use. During the Toku- if instruction in Japanese geography were and Japan, mentioned in the next gawa Period (1600–1868), the Japanese limited to simply the memorization of major section, concerns islands to the north and used readily movable instead of cities and islands. The Geography east of Hokkaid¬. heavier Western furniture to allow multiple Standards, published in 1994, describes spe- This article concludes with two interesting uses of limited space. Clothing was cific expectations for geographical under- examples of geographical issues. The designed so that one garment could fit a standing.2 The informed person must, for industry’s development is a result of several changing human physical size, thus large example, describe the physical and cultural important spatial factors. Finally, the loca- closets for clothes were unnecessary.4 characteristics of places instead of simply tion of Japan’s capitals, with the historical Public sanitation systems in developing naming a long list of capitals. Knowing background, is an intriguing tale as . Japanese cities during the Tokugawa period how physical systems affect human compared favorably to those of systems is more important than Western cities. Increasing urban recalling names of rivers. These population densities were, therefore, standards require students to devel- possible and did not prompt the dis- op critical thinking and problem ease that otherwise might have dis- solving skills by examining issues couraged urban growth. The popula- in greater depth. Standards 17 and tion of Japan was about twenty-six 18 the essential role of million and (now Tokyo) had geography in history: close to one million by the early 17. The geographically eighteenth century. √saka had about informed person knows 400,000, and Ky¬to some 350,000 and understands how to inhabitants. apply geography to The efficient use of space is still interpret the past. an important characteristic of Japan 18. The geographically today. Some urban parking garages informed person knows lift autos by elevators. Suburban and understands how to Japanese homes have small but apply geography to inter- attractive . fields are pret the present and plan immediately adjacent to suburban for the future. development. Japan has successful- The diligent student of Japan’s ly adapted to its limited land area historical geography will not only without compromising physical learn much about the past, but will well-being. recognize causal factors for issues Map, drawn by the author, showing many of the places in the article.

44 EDUCATION ABOUT Volume 3, Number 1 Spring 1998 RESOURCES ESSAYS

— Japan has long spawning season.10 The Ainu were benefitedlocation from its location near an important source of exploited other lands. The Japanese have labor for this industry. traded with peoples on the Asian since at least the fifth — The aboriginal people century A.D. Such trade probably Ainu have histories and cultures existed long before then, but it is well worth further study. These difficult to determine when it diverse peoples lived not only on began. Chinese and Korean cul- Hokkaid¬, but on northern Honsh†, ture deeply influenced Japan for , and the Kuriles as many hundreds of years. Reli- well. During the Tokugawa period, and writing are often many Ainu became increasingly thought of as key examples of dependent upon Japanese com- acculturation from both modities. They became closely inte- and the Korean peninsula. Japanese writing Ainu women, Hokkaid¯o, Japan. grated into the Japanese economy through was developed from the Chinese, and most Photo from Indigenous Peoples of Asia edited by R. their labor in the fisheries and their increas- of the principal Japanese Buddhist sects, H. Barnes, Andrew Gray, and Benedict Kingsbury. ing taste for Japanese material goods.11 including , , Shingon, and Photographer: Katarina Sjöberga. Used here with Their numbers, however, decreased because Amidism, originated in China.5 permission of the publisher, the Association for of smallpox and measles. That Japan is an island proved very Asian Studies, Inc. Kayano Shigeru’s memoir, Our Land Was useful during the thirteenth century in pre- a Forest, offers an informative perspective. venting Mongol occupation. The Khan, furi- ulated trade through the small island of He writes of Japan’s increasing interest in ous at Japan’s temerity to resist his demands Deshima in . Japan actively Hokkaid¬: for subservience, tried twice to seize Japan, kept informed of European technology Mainland Japanese had the in 1274 and again in 1281. con- through this Dutch contact. strait to our national land hundreds veniently arrived on both occasions to of years earlier, but it was in the defeat the attackers.6 The Japanese rejoiced — Many medieval maps of early era that they began a for their “divine ” that saved them Japanproximity by the Japanese excluded all or most concerted, all-out . from Mongol domination. Japan was not of Hokkaid¬, now Japan’s northernmost like the Former Hokkaid¬ Aborigine invaded again until 1945. major island. The Japanese government took Protection Act restricted our free- The arrival of a Portuguese ship in 1543 a much greater interest in Hokkaid¬ during dom first by ignoring our began an important period of European the Meiji period (1868–1912), yet there rights, as a people, to hunt interest in Japan. Portuguese were already significant economic links bear and deer or catch and gained a significant presence in Nagasaki. between Hokkaid¬ and Honsh† during the trout freely, anywhere and at any Trade came with Portuguese and Spanish preceding Tokugawa period. Even earlier, time, and then compelling us to farm efforts. Nagasaki became the Japanese “armed merchants” visited on the inferior land the Japanese main port for a rapidly developing trade Hokkaid¬ by the twelfth century. By the fif- “provided.”12 between Japan and . The English teenth century, Japanese were establishing Kayano Shigeru describes, in his memoir, East Company, for example, eventual- forts in southern Hokkaid¬.8 a journey that reminds one of the Cherokee ly established itself through William One family revealed in Trail of Tears.13 One can draw some paral- Adams, who won the favor of the Toku- documents from 1619 their trade with Mat- lels from the Ainu experience to that of gawa shogunate in the early seventeenth sumae in southwestern Hokkaid¬. The fami- Native North , the Maori in New century and alerted the English to the lucra- ly sold salt and charcoal in exchange for Zealand, or the Aboriginals in . tive possibilities of a triangle trade: English konbu (a sea ) destined for √saka. Indigenous peoples were forcibly moved to broadcloth to Japan, Japanese to the While this family was also engaged in farm- less desirable land in each of these places. Islands, back to England.7 The ing, it was part of a complex network of Japan certainly had increasing economic , however, subsequent- trade.9 The Tokugawa government estab- interests in Hokkaid¬ during the Meiji ly became concerned about European rival- lished the Matsumae lord’s role as a trade period; the aforementioned herring indus- ries and intervention and sought to isolate intermediary between the Japanese and the tries prospered during this time. Herring Japan during the early seventeenth century. indigenous of Hokkaid¬. became less expensive than dried sardines Japan had fewer contacts with European Fisheries along Hokkaid¬’s west coast for agricultural fertilizer. countries during the Tokugawa period, but sold herring for and fertilizer to it is misleading to say that Japan cut itself Honsh† customers during the Tokugawa almost completely from the outside . and Meiji periods. Herring was so important PATRICK GRANT is Head of the History The Tokugawa government allowed trade, that the Matsumae domain prohibited gun- Department at University Preparatory Academy in Seattle. He teaches Human Geography, under their control, with China and , fire near the sea for three months each year Japanese History, History, Economics, and the Dutch maintained an active but reg- so as not to frighten them during their and Journalism.

45 RESOURCES ESSAYS

— Rivalry with Russia also — Prior to was largely in the hands of the some twenty irnicvreaalserdy Japan’s interest in defining the tjhaep eastnab’slishmmaenty ofc aa cpapititaal is n in 710, daimy¬ “great names” who had substantial northern extent of control. Boundaries in the the seat of Japan’s government, the emper - domains. The reunification of Japan com - northwestern Pacific changed frequently from or’s , moved frequently from place to pleted by (1542–1616) 1850 to the present. Southern Sakhalin was place. Before the (552–710), resulted in forming a new bakufu in Edo controlled by Japan from 1905 to 1945. The each new emperor prompted a move to a (presently Tokyo). The emperor, mean - Kurile Islands are still in dispute. All of the new location because many believed the while, remained in Ky¬to but was still, offi - Kuriles are controlled today by Russia, but previous emperor’s defiled the old cially, the . With the ascension Japanese atlases and maps show the southern location. Asuka became the seat of govern - of the , who ruled from 1868 islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, , and ment during the reign of , to 1912, the imperial moved to the Habomai as Japanese territory. 14 who reigned from 593 to 628. Nearby Tokyo where it remains today. This issue remains a most sensitive one Fujiwara (about 30 km southeast of present- between Russia and Japan. The leaders of day √saka), served as the capital from 694 — The historical geogra - the two countries, Boris Yeltsin and Ryutaro until 710. cphoenr’cs lpuesrsiopen ctive can contribute to an Hashimoto, met during 1997 in Nara, fifteen kilometers north of Fujiwara, understanding of Japan’s past. While this Russia to discuss it. While they promised an was the capital for most of the article briefly considers a few important top - agreement by 2000, thousands of (710–794). Its impressive grid pattern of the ics, there are many more worthy of further marched outside to protest the possibility the followed Chinese models. During investigation. Examples include patterns of southern Kuriles might be returned to Japan. the three nearby locations, Kuni, Nani - migration within Japan, railroad develop - , and Shigaraki, served very briefly as ment during the Meiji period, and trade capitals before the imperial court returned to between Japan and elsewhere in the western silk m—an Tuhfea csiltku irndinugstrya innd ninterteaennts h-- Nara. A key factor that prompted the Japan - Pacific. Of course, there are issues of the pceonrtutry Japan proliferated in the mountain - ese to move the capital in 784 was not the present and future that deserve more atten - ous regions of central Honsh†, including death of an emperor, but rather a desire to tion. For example, what long-term impacts present Prefecture. Access to inex - remove the government from influence of on the environment can we expect from the pensive labor also contributed to the loca - increasingly powerful Buddhist growth of the √saka-K¬be harbor? How tion of silk factories in the mountainous in Nara. Yet the new capital of Nagaoka, will the dispute over the Kurile Islands be interior. During the Tokugawa period, farm - thirty kilometers north, lasted only ten years, resolved? How will Japan continue to cope ers increased production of silk in proto- probably because many thought the spirit of with the risk of as well as the industrial cottage industries. The silkworm, the Emperor Kammu’s murdered brother reality of very limited space? whose cocoon yields silk thread, must eat lurked about. Kammu consulted geomancers Finding answers to such difficult questions large quantities of mulberry leaves. Rural who recommended Heian, a few kilometers will require the kinds of problem solving farmers who kept silkworms had to vigilant - to the northeast. strategies demanded by the National Geog - ly feed them and clean their areas. Further - Heian lasted so long as the capital that it raphy Standards. Geography gives an more, silk cocoons were very perishable. became known as Ky¬to (Japanese for important perspective and, therefore, Too long a transport journey might result in “capital city”). Ky¬to was both the imperial deserves a prominent place in the curricu - delivering moths instead. 15 Yet improved capital and administrative capital during the lum of Japanese history. 18 n transport methods during the Meiji period (794–1185). The imperial NOTES did allow silk thread and finished textiles to throne remained there until 1868, yet the reach ports and large urban areas in Japan. Japanese emperor has often not been direct - 1. A special thanks to Tony Hepworth and Yum - Large factories evolved with economies of ly involved in matters of government. Many ing Han-Hepworth, Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, for their kind assistance in scale. With a few exceptions, silk factories thought everyday politics was beneath the editing drafts of this article. treated workers, mostly women, with little emperor. While all governments through 2. See Geography for Life: The National Geogra - compassion. Young women were often con - 1945 have acknowledged the emperor’s phy Standards (Washington D.C.: National tracted by their impoverished rural parents supremacy, they have not felt it - Geographic Society, 1994). See also Susan to work long hours, in unpleasant condi - essary or beneficial to control Japan from Wiley Hardwick and Donald G. Holtgrieve, 16 Geography for Educators: Standards, Themes tions, for little pay. the same city. Soon after Minamoto Yorito - and Concepts (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pren - It is interesting to note that tobacco proved mo defeated the rival in 1185, he tice-Hall, 1996), 24–28, for concise informa - incompatible with mulberry trees. The decided to form a bakufu “tent government” tion about the National Geography Standards pollen from tobacco poisons silkworms, in . Yoritomo held power over as well as the five fundamental themes in geog - thus silk mulberry trees were not grown administrative issues, but still honored the raphy: location, place, relationships within 17 places, movement, and regions. close to tobacco farms. Tobacco was such emperor who remained in Ky¬to. Kamakura 3. See Hyogo-ken Kyoiku Iinkai , Shinsai o Sei a highly profitable crop in the late nine - was the administrative capital until 1333. (K¬be, 1996), for information on the distri - teenth century that many farmers chose Effective power in Japan was somewhat bution of earthquake damage and casualties in to continue producing tobacco instead of decentralized from 1333 until 1600. By the different areas in southeastern Hy¬go Prefec - ture. This book includes many informative mulberry. beginning of the Sengoku-Jidai “period of maps. the country at war,” (1467–1600), power

46 EDUCATION ABOUT ASIA Volume 3, Number 1 Spring 1998 RESOURCES ESSAYS

4. Susan Hanley, Everyday Things in Premodern Japan (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997), 51–76. geographic gateways to seeing 5. See Mikiso Hane, Premodern Japan: A Histor - by David Nemeth ical (Boulder: Westview Press, 1991), and understanding korea 52–54, 74–82, and W. Scott Morton, Japan: Its History and Culture , 3rd Ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994), 36–37, 61–63, for an introduction to important Buddhist sects that came to Japan during the Heian and Kamakura his article introduces what I call a Whose margin fades periods. “Gateways” approach to teaching For ever and for ever when I move. 6. See Martin Collcutt, Marius Jansen, and Isao about places, and uses Korea as its Tennyson’s “arches” are enticements to Kumakura, Cultural Atlas of Japan (New example. I developed the Gateways discovery; Gateways through which a York: Facts on File, 1988), 105, for a useful T approach around the assumption that popular can lead a room full of curious stu - map of these attacks. 7. John Keay, The Honourable Company: A His - support for geography in the schools is, and dents toward vicarious and participatory tory of the English East India Company (New always has been, rooted in its ability to repro - experiences in imaginary places. The York: MacMillan, 1991), 52–60. duce in the classroom the vicarious experi - teacher’s challenge is to offer to take stu - 8. David L. Howell, Capitalism from Within: ence of geographical exploration. I take the dents somewhere interesting—for example, Economy, Society, and the State in a Japanese mainstays of the popularity of geographical to the Korean peninsula—and to facilitate a Fishery (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995), 28. exploration to be a combination of human classroom conversation that can keep them 9. Amino Yoshihiko, Rereading Japanese Histo - curiosity and mobility. On this basis, I - moving on the momentum of their own sus - ry , Alan Christy, trans. (Ann Arbor: University gest that teaching geography in the classroom tained curiosity. of Michigan, 1996), 1–22. might try to be more of a “moving” experi - Since humans are naturally curious, the 10. Howell, 35. ence as it seeks to increase its popularity and potential already exists to get the class moti - 11. Howell, 45. effectiveness among contemporary students. vated, that is, moving. To do this, the 12. Kayano Shigeru, Our Land Was a Forest: An My for the Gateways approach to teacher need not tell the student that he or Ainu Memoir , Kyoko Selden and Lili Selden, trans. (Boulder: Westview Press, 1994), 60. teaching is a hypertext environment, for she is entering a strangers’ world, for that See also Oswald Iten, “Japan’s Injustice to the example, that complex hypertext world creat - might their curiosity by triggering their Ainu,” Swiss Review of World Affairs , Febru - ed by tens of thousands of people with home unwanted and unnecessary caution and hesi - ary 1996, 15–20, for more information on the pages on the Internet. The Internet has moti - tation. One reason that exploration on the Ainu. vated curious students everywhere to enter Internet is so enticing to students is that it 13. Shigeru, 23–36. 14. See, for example, Shim sh¬ k¬t¬ chizu . (Tokyo: into those infinitely digressive explorations creates a romantic illusion that they them - Teikoku Shoin, 1995), 85, and Global Access. we term “surfing the web,” and it is this type selves are the strangers; invisible strangers Tokyo (Shobunsha, 1996), 29. Japan considers of journey through hypertext-like Gateways moving from place to place. This illusion Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai that I explore in this article. advantages a sense of anonymity and immu - islands as “Japan’s Northern Territories.” See Of all the senses that can be exploited by a nity that empowers Internet users to enjoy a Jacquelyn Johnson and Lynn Parisi, Faces of Japan II (Lakewood, Colorado: Pacific Moun - teacher during a class on place geography, more enriching journey in cyberspace. How - tain Network, 1990), 23–24. The maps on these the most underrated and underutilized ever, using the Internet is not the same as pages clarify the Japan Ministry of Foreign be the sense of movement itself—the kinetic learning from the Internet. Affairs’ position on the sovereignty of these sense. The Gateways approach to teaching islands. about places, therefore, is characterized best gateways empower 15. See Kären Wigen, The Making of a Japanese teachers in classrooms Periphery, 1750–1920 (Berkeley: University of by its attempt to annihilate as much as possi - The classroom has something important that California Press, 1995), for a thorough histori - ble the distance between the student in the the Internet still lacks as a learning environ - cal geography of the Ina Valley in southern classroom and another place. The Gateways ment—the teacher. Adapting the hypertext . approach to teaching about places creates an environment to a classroom situation is a 16. See E. Patricia Tsurumi, Factory : Women illusion that a student can not only experi - real challenge and opportunity for geogra - in the Thread Mills of Japan (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1990), for a com - ence another place firsthand without leaving phy teachers. This is because the traditional plete study of treatment against workers. the classroom, but that the student is also in classroom, though it persists as the standard 17. Wigen, 151. control of the experience as it unfolds. institutional learning environment, is being 18. See Hardwick and Holtgrieve, Geography for Educators , 314–321, for more good ideas about What is tthee nGnayteswoany’ss a apprrcohacehs , and how teaching the . Glenn T. Tre - does it create this illusion? For an inspira - wartha, Japan: A Geography (Madison: Uni - DAVID “ Jim ” NEMETH teaches “Geography versity of Wisconsin Press, 1965), includes tional insight into the idea behind the of Asia” in the Department of Geography many useful tables that teachers can compare method, we can turn to that great poetic ode and Planning, University of Toledo. He is a with current data, such as those found in the to exploration, “Ulysses,” by Alfred Lord cultural geographer whose teaching and Keizai Koho Center’s booklet, Japan: An Inter - Tennyson (1809–92), in which he writes: research interests in Korea began with Peace national Comparison (Tokyo,1997). Corps on Cheju Island during the For all experience is an arch early 1970s. He is the author of The Architec - where through ture of Ideology: New-Confucian Imprinting on Gleams the untravell’d world Cheju Island , Korea (1987).

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