Biwa lake to land integrated system in Kansai region, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Chenye Yang
2024
Located in the basin surrounded by mountain ranges at an altitude of 1,000 m, with agricultural land and forests in the marginal areas, Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan. The total population of the Kinki region is approximately 20 million. About 14 million of them get their water from Lake Biwa. It supplies water to a wide area from upstream to downstream, including Kansai International Airport. The Biwa Lake to Land Integrated System is centered on traditional inland water fisheries, which have developed along with paddy agriculture. It comprises paddy agriculture that provides safe breeding grounds for spawning lake fish.
Around Lake Biwa, various traditional folkways involving water have evolved. For example, kabata, kawato, and kawaya (referring to a system for bringing water from rivers and springs to village communities for daily use) are still seen at Harie, Shin-Asahi Town in Takashima City, and represent the water-related ritual and culture that has been passed down from generation to generation.
This system has a history of more than 1,000 years that integrates agriculture and fisheries, and it has continued to provide sustainable resource use in freshwater systems located in an area where urbanization has taken its course.
Circular Stories
There is a cycle in which humanity and nature respect each other. People honor nature’s preservation, and in turn, nature provides the conditions necessary for human survival. The reeds and willow trees along the inner lake and lakeshore are used as materials for passive fishing and housing construction. The sediment from the inner lake nourishes farmland, and the fields and waterways serve as habitats for juvenile fish to mature. This system has been in place for over a thousand years, promoting sustainable resource utilization within the freshwater ecosystem. The vicinity of Lake Biwa nurtures various traditional customs associated with water. For example, there are practices such as “kabata,” “kawato,” and “kawaya” which channel river and spring water to village communities for daily use. These practices have been around for generations, representing the enduring rituals and cultural heritage intertwined with water.
