Title Rice, agriculture, and the food supply in premodern Japan / Charlotte von Verschuer ; translated and edited by Wendy Cobcroft

Published Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge, 2016

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Description 1 online resource (xii, 356 pages) : illustrations Series Needham Research Institute Series Needham Research Institute series. Contents Irrigated rice and dry crops -- A mountainous environment : shifting cultivation -- Biodiversity : harvesting of wild plants -- Food security : how much rice did they eat? -- Polyculture in premodern Japanese traditions Summary "The majority of studies on the agricultural history of Japan have focused on the public administration of land and production, and rice, the principal source of revenue, has received the most attention. However, while this cereal has clearly played a decisive role in the public economy of the Japanese State, it has not had a predominant place in agricultural production. Far from confining its scope to a study of rice growing for tax purposes, this volume looks at the subsistence economy in the plant kingdom as a whole. This book examines the history of agriculture in Japan from the 8th to the 17th century, dealing with the history of agricultural techniques and food supply. It analyses each of the farming operations from sowing to harvesting, and the customs pertaining to consumption. It also challenges the widespread theory that rice cultivation has been the basis of 'Japaneseness' for two millennia and the foundation of Japanese civilization by focusing on the biodiversity and polycultural traditions of Japan. Further, it will play a role in the current dialogue on the future of agricultural production from the viewpoints of ecology, biodiversity, dietary culture and food security throughout the world as traditional techniques such a crop rotation are explored in connection with the safeguarding of the minerals in the soil. Surveying agricultural techniques across the centuries and highlighting the dietary diversity of Japan, this book will appeal to students and scholars of Japanese history, the history of science and technology, medieval history, cultural anthropology and agriculture"--Provided by publisher Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index Notes Print version record Subject Agriculture -- Japan -- History Rice -- Japan -- History Food supply -- Japan -- History Subsistence farming -- Japan -- History Agrobiodiversity -- Japan -- History Food security -- Japan -- History Oryza. Agriculture -- history Oryza Food Supply -- history Oryza (genus) HISTORY -- Asia -- General. Oryza Agriculture Agrobiodiversity Ecology Economic history Food security Food supply Rice Subsistence farming Landwirtschaft Lebensmittelversorgung Reis Agrarproduktion Bewässerungsfeldbau Getreidebau Lebensmittelproduktion Reisanbau SUBJECT Japan -- History -- To 1185. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85069432 Japan -- History -- 1185-1600. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85069455 Japan -- Economic conditions. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85069403 Japan -- Environmental conditions Japan Subject Japan Japan Genre/Form Electronic books History Form Electronic book Author Cobcroft, Wendy, editor, translator. ISBN 9781317504504 131750450X 9781317504498 1317504496 9781315715605 1315715600 9781317504481 1317504488 9781138099296 1138099295

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