Research on the history of village landscape changes through a two-way examination of environmental factors and anthropogenic factors

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20064
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0103:History, archaeology, museology, and related fields
• Research Institution: National Museum of Japanese History
• Principal Investigator: TSUCHIYAMA Yushi 国立歴史民俗博物館, 大学共同利用機関等の部局等, 助教 (00963216)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 環境的要因 / フィールドワーク / 景観変遷史 / 村落史 / 水利灌漑

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to cross-examine documentary materials and paleoclimate data and to clarify the impact that environmental factors had on changes in village landscapes. Fieldwork was carried out in Ogi City, Saga Prefecture, where surveys of water irrigation, essential for production, and interviews on customs and practices were conducted. As a result, it was possible to grasp the water irrigation situation and water use practices in the entire survey area, and the survey results were digitized using GIS and other tools. The document survey mainly focused on the "Ogi Domain Diary," collecting historical materials related to natural disasters and landscape changes and comparing them with paleoclimate data, and a correlation was found between flood and drought records and paleoclimate data.

Free Research Field

日本中世史、環境史、災害史、荘園史、村落史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

用水下流域に位置する耕地を灌漑する目的で近世段階で新たに用水路が掘削された結果、その用水路の水を享受できない地域は現代に至るまで水不足に悩まされることになった。このことは、水不足という環境的要因と新規用水路掘削という人為的要因とが相俟って、特定の地域で現代に至るまでの慢性的水不足状態を発生させたとも言える。調査対象地における水利慣行は近世的秩序を引き継いだものであることが明らかとなったという学術的意義がある。かつ、こうした結果は聞き取り調査や景観調査などをもととしており、「かつて」の生活が現代の生活の深部にまで色濃く残存していることが把握できるという社会的意義もある。