Hajime Matsushima

Comparing the visual perception and aesthetic evaluation of natural landscapes in Russia and Japan: cultural and environmental factors

Japan and Russia have deeply rooted cultural traditions regarding natural landscape appreciation, share a common border, and have areas with similar natural environments. They differ, however, in cultural, historical, and economic aspects. The purpose of this study was to reveal the similarities and differences between Russian and Japanese respondents regarding the visual and emotional evaluation of landscapes based on ethno-cultural and regional differences. We asked respondents at universities in Russia (Moscow, Irkutsk, and Kamchatka) and Japan (Hokkaido, Chiba, and Miyazaki) to group and rate 70 landscape images. Unlike theoretical concepts that explain landscape preferences within an evolutionary framework or according to individual and cultural differences, we found that these factors interact in more complicated ways. Cultural traditions and features of the natural environment that were familiar to respondents influenced their visual perception and aesthetic evaluation of landscape. Russian respondents seemed more emotional while Japanese respondents tended to be more restrained in their assessments. However, there was a strong correlation between their estimates of landscape attractiveness, which might confirm the existence of universal human concepts of landscape aesthetics. The most attractive for both Russian and Japanese respondents were waterfalls, mountains, and lakes; waterless plains were the least attractive. At the same time, we found cross-cultural differences in assessing seacoasts, rivers, forests, and swampy plains. There was practically no correlation between Russian and Japanese respondents in their appreciation of exotic/familiar landscapes. For the Russian respondents, the most exotic landscapes were also the most attractive, although we did not observe such a tendency for the Japanese. All respondents appreciated certain familiar landscapes that were symbols of native nature as very attractive. Unlike ‘geoscientific’ landscape classifications, in the visual and emotional grouping of landscapes, the most important feature appeared to be the presence/absence of water and the type of water basin (river, lake, and sea); for Russian respondents (especially Muscovites), topography was also important, while the Japanese respondents mostly used visual and seasonal characteristics in their classifications. All Japanese respondents assessed the attractiveness and exoticism of landscapes almost identically, while there were some differences among Russian respondents from different regions.

Changes in the Social Situation Influence Local Cuisine. - Local Cuisine in Chiba Prefecture, Japan

To predict the status of local cuisine in response to the change of the social situation in the future, this study surveyed and analysed the affects of the social situation on the regional local cuisine in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. With regard to the relationship between changes of population and infrastructure development (improved and paved rates of roads; total length of national expressways; total length of railroads; number of new houses; and actual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in all of Japan, including Chiba Prefecture, the correlation coefficients of all items were positive (significant difference p<0.01). The number of food service industries of family restaurants, convenience stores and general merchandise stores has increased since the 1980s, and the food self-sufficiency rate in 2011 decreased by half as compared to that of 1960. The food import volume (both domestic and foreign) has increased. In contrast, the catch of fish and shellfish, which are ingredients of the main local cuisine in Chiba Prefecture, has decreased overall. Furthermore, traditional food culture of the region has weakened, and the westernisation of food has progressed. Consequently, in the future, we need to continue activities in conservation and restoration of the natural environment in the region.