Sustainability in EDO (1603-1867)

On this page, we introduce the translation of "Japan in the Edo Period - An Ecologically-Conscious Society",("O-edo ecology jijo," published in 2000, Kodansha Publishing Company) by Eisuke Ishikawa.

We received much feedback from our readers on articles "Japan's Sustainable Society in the Edo Period (1603-1867)" in our March and April 2003 newsletters which drew upon Mr. Ishikawa's research.

The requests for more information on the sustainable society in the Edo period were overwhelming, which prompted us to contact the author for his permission to translate the book for this website. The group of JFS volunteers including native speakers together worked on the translation originally done by Mr. Oki.

About the Author:

ishikawasan.jpg

Copyright JFS

Eisuke Ishikawa is a writer who specializes in the environmental and ecological issues in the Edo period (1603-1867). He is also a lecturer at Musashino Art University. His recent books introduce wisdom of sustainable living in the Edo period from the angles of technology, energy, resource management, and recycling systems of the period.

 
Photo: O-edo_ecology_jijo
"Japan in the Edo Period - An Ecologically-Conscious Society",("O-edo ecology jijo," published in 2000, Kodansha Publishing Company) by Eisuke Ishikawa.
Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago!

May 31, 2005

 

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago!

On this page, we introduce the translation of "Japan in the Edo Period - An Ecol...

 
 Chapter One - The Sun and Petroleum

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter One - The Sun and Petroleum

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Throughout the Edo Period...

 
 Chapter 2 - Darker Side of Convenience

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 2 - Darker Side of Convenience

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Western civilization inve...

 
 Chapter 3 - Unpaved Roads Play as a Natural Air Conditioner

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 3 - Unpaved Roads Play as a Natural Air Conditioner

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! I have recently come to t...

 
 Chapter 4 - Living with Nature's Cycle

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 4 - Living with Nature's Cycle

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Once a fossil fuel is bur...

 
 Chapter 5 - The Sun and the Forests

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 5 - The Sun and the Forests

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Japanese rice farming was...

 
 Chapter 6 - Know when you have enough

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 6 - Know when you have enough

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! One characteristic of the...

 
 Chapter 7 - Starting Out Slowly

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 7 - Starting Out Slowly

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Dependent heavily on sola...

 
 Chapter 8 - The Principle of Nishiki-e

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 8 - The Principle of Nishiki-e

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Japan in the Edo era had ...

 
 Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 1 : The life of a yukata)

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 1 : The life of a yukata)

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! You hear the word "recycl...

 
 Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 2 : Anathema to Economic Growth)

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 2 : Anathema to Economic Growth)

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Why have we stopped using...

 
 Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 3 : Do We Need Economic Growth?)

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 3 : Do We Need Economic Growth?)

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! One key way of curbing th...

 
 Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 4 : Making things easy to repair)

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 4 : Making things easy to repair)

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Unlike some of the manufa...

 
 Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 5 : Re-use is better than recycle)

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 9 - Made to Last (Part 5 : Re-use is better than recycle)

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Since not recycling just ...

 
 Chapter 10 - Amazing Diversity in Local Specialization

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 10 - Amazing Diversity in Local Specialization

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Edo Japan was full of div...

 
 Chapter 11 - The Value of Time-consuming Efforts

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 11 - The Value of Time-consuming Efforts

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! The fish market of Edo wa...

 
 Chapter 12 - From Outside to Inside

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 12 - From Outside to Inside

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! Edo period Japan was a co...

 
 Chapter 13 - Nothing Comes out of Nothing

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 13 - Nothing Comes out of Nothing

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! In Japan, there is an old...

 
 Chapter 14 - Recognizing Our Mistakes

May 30, 2005

 

Chapter 14 - Recognizing Our Mistakes

Sustainability in Japan's Edo Period--300 Years Ago! What can we do about our ...

 
 

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