Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) The Takachihogo-Shiibayama Site

Sado’s Satoyama in Harmony with Japanese Crested Ibis (Sado City, Niigata Prefecture)

Rice paddies are maintained on the island by agricultural methods that help nurture plants and animals. The mountains situated near people’s homes have a rich ecosystem symbolized by the Japanese crested ibis bird. The agriculture of the area is crucial in maintaining biodiversity.

Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi (Noto region, Ishikawa Prefecture)

A unique landscape is created by terraced paddies on sloped land and Magaki fences that protect homes from sea breeze. Traditional agehama-style salt-making and fishing by ama divers have been carried out since the Edo Period.

Traditional Tea-grass Integrated System in Shizuoka (The area around Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture)

The traditional tea-grass integrated system is passed down here, where grass from around the tea fields are cut down and laid across the field. The grasslands that have been maintained by cutting down the grass is home to countless rare species.

Managing Aso Grasslands for Sustainable Agriculture (Aso region, Kumamoto Prefecture)

One of Japan’s largest grasslands is maintained here by techniques such as burning, grazing, and mowing. Visitors can revel in the exotic view here, where countless rare animals and plants live.

Kunisaki Peninsula Usa Integrated Forestry, Agriculture and Fisheries System (The Usa region of Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita Prefecture)

On a peninsula that experiences little rainfall, sawtooth oak trees used for shiitake cultivation help watershed conservation and interlinks irrigation ponds for effective water usage.

Ayu of the Nagara River System (Mid and upstream Nagara River, Gifu Prefecture)

Nagara River is a kind of river known as a satogawa, where clear water is maintained by cultivating forests for water conservation and cleaning the river with human hands. Ayu fish are caught with traditional methods such as those using nets, other ayu to lure the fish, and birds known as cormorants.

Minabe-Tanabe Ume System (Minabe and Tanabe region, Wakayama Prefecture)

Coppice forests are left on sloped areas that lack nutrients, which helps watershed conservation and prevents the slope from collapsing. Charcoal is made by utilizing the coppice forests, and ume Japanese apricots are grown by honeybee pollination.

Osaki Kodo’s Traditional Water Management System for Sustainable Paddy Agriculture (Osaki region, Miyagi Prefecture)

In an area plagued by cold weather, floods, and droughts, skilled water management and woods planted close to homes, known as igune, help support agriculture and villages that are strong against natural disasters.

Traditional Wasabi Cultivation in Shizuoka (The history of the people and wasabi as told in the land where wasabi cultivation was born.) (Wasabi cultivating regions of Shizuoka Prefecture)

Traditional methods are carried out in order to grow wasabi, an endemic species of Japan. Step-shaped fields are made by reclaiming swampy areas. Fertilizer is not needed as the natural spring water is rich in nutrients.

Nishi-Awa Steep Slope Land Agriculture System (Nishi-awa region, Tokushima Prefecture)

In order to prevent erosion, grasses known as kaya are integrated into the soil on sloping lands. Another unique characteristic is the use of original tools to farm the sloping land, as opposed to creating terraced fields, with the aim of cultivating a variety of crops such as indigenous grains.

Related link

Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Sites in Japan

Sado’s Satoyama in Harmony with Japanese Crested Ibis (Sado City, Niigata Prefecture)

Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi (Noto region, Ishikawa Prefecture)

Traditional Tea-grass Integrated System in Shizuoka (The area around Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture)

Managing Aso Grasslands for Sustainable Agriculture (Aso region, Kumamoto Prefecture)

Kunisaki Peninsula Usa Integrated Forestry, Agriculture and Fisheries System (The Usa region of Kunisaki Peninsula, Oita Prefecture)

Ayu of the Nagara River System (Mid and upstream Nagara River, Gifu Prefecture)

Minabe-Tanabe Ume System (Minabe and Tanabe region, Wakayama Prefecture)

Osaki Kodo’s Traditional Water Management System for Sustainable Paddy Agriculture (Osaki region, Miyagi Prefecture)

Traditional Wasabi Cultivation in Shizuoka (The history of the people and wasabi as told in the land where wasabi cultivation was born.) (Wasabi cultivating regions of Shizuoka Prefecture)

Nishi-Awa Steep Slope Land Agriculture System (Nishi-awa region, Tokushima Prefecture)

Links

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

FAO Liaison Office in Japan

Takachiho Town

Hinokage Town

Gokase Town

Morotsuka Village

Shiiba Village

Miyazaki Prefecture