Cultural Landscape (Japan)
Introduction A  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 ; as of May 31, 2017 there are fifty-one such landscapes.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.
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. 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.
Selection criteria of Important Cultural Landscapes Important Cultural Landscapes are designated based on their type as:#single-type Cultural Landscapes associated with##agriculture such as rice paddies, farmlands, etc.##man-made grassland or livestock ranching such as hayfields, pastureland, etc.##forests such as timber forests, disaster prevention forests, etc.##fisheries such as fish cultivation rafts, nori seaweed cultivation fields, etc.##water uses such as reservoirs, waterways, harbors, etc.##mining or industrial manufacture such as mines, quarries, groups of workshops, etc.##transportation and communication such as roads, plazas, etc.##residences and settlements such as stonewalls, hedges, coppices attached to premises, etc.#a combination of two or more of the above cultural landscapes.
List of Important Cultural Landscapes ===Usage===An overview of what is included in the table and the manner of sorting is as follows: the columns (with the exceptions of ''Remarks'' and ''Pictures'') are sortable by pressing the arrows symbols. *''Name'': the English name as used by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Japanese name as registered in the Database of National Cultural Properties*''Criteria'': the selection criteria for the designation as Important Cultural Landscape*''Remarks'': general remarks*''Location'': "town-name prefecture-name"; The column entries sort as "prefecture-name town-name". *''Year'': year of designation as Important Cultural Landscape*''Picture'': picture of (part of) the Important Cultural Landscape===List=== Name Criteria Remarks Location YearPicture  2 Litigation over the Nibutani Dam saw the advocacy of Ainu rights in a landmark case (1997). 2007 alt=A simple thatched house. 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; in the Edo period it formed part of the Sendai domain. 2006 150px  1.2 Important historic pasture. 2008/9  1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2  2013 150px  1.1, 1.8, 2  2011 150px  1.1, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2  2011    1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 2 2015  1.5, 1.7, 1.8 Kanazawa is a renowned centre of Japanese crafts. 2010 150px   1.1, 1.10, 2 2015 150px  1.1 2010 150px  1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2 2015 150px   1.3, 1.4, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2014 150px  1.5, 1.8 Riverside district of the former castle town. 2006 150px  1.5, 1.7 2008 150px  1.5, 1.8, 2 2010 150px  1.1, 1.3, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2014 150px   1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2014 150px   1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2015 150px  2 2009 alt=River with a bridge and boats. 1.4, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2014 150px   1.5, 1.7, 2  2015 150px   1.1, 1.8, 2 2013 150px   1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2014 150px  1.1, 1.5, 1.8, 2  2011 150px   1.1, 1.8, 2 2013 150px   1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2 2014  1.1, 1.8, 2 2010 150px  1.1 2007  1.1 2017  1.4, 1.5 2011 150px  2 2009  2 2009  2 2009  2 2009 alt=A river dam made of five concrete pylons and metal shutters. 2 2009 alt=A wide river in a green mountain landscape. 1.1, 1.8, 2  2012 150px  1.1 located on a north facing horseshoe shaped steep slope of ; area: , average step height:  (up to  max) 2008 150px  1.3, 1.8, 2  2011 150px  1.1, 1.8, 2  2011 150px  1.7, 1.8  2011 150px  1.6, 1.8, 2  2012 150px  1.2  2012 150px  1.1, 1.8, 2  2012 150px  1.1, 1.5, 1.8  2010 150px  1.1, 1.5, 2 The discharge of water from the Tsūjun Bridge is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan 2008/9 alt=A stone arch bridge. 1.4, 1.7, 1.8  2011 150px   1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 2 2015 150px  2 2008 alt=A plate with a spiral pattern in the middle and a stripe pattern along the rim. 1.1, 1.8, 2  2010  1.5, 1.6, 2  2012 150px   1.1, 1.3, 2 2013
See also *  — ''international''. **Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) — ''U.S. cultural landscape heritage documentation program''.
References ===Bibliography===**
Further reading