Preface
Japan has numerous islands, including the four major islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku
and Kyushu. The major part of Japanese agriculture has been rice farming due to the presence
of a monsoon climate in all regions except part of Hokkaido. Although most Japanese islands
are affected by a monsoon climate, they still have various climate zones, which range from
subarctic to subtropical climates. The islands also have various landscapes, from mountain
terrain to alluvial plains within a single region. The soils of Japan are affected not only by
these various climates and landscapes, but also by fresh volcanic tephra, which has a significant impact. According to these variations in climate, landscapes and soils, Japan’s cultural
regions are divided into six regions: (1) Hokkaido; (2) Tohoku; (3) Kanto and Koushinetsu;
(4) Tokai and Hokuriku; (5) Kinki, Chugoku, and Shikoku; and (6) Kyushu and Okinawa.
Each of these regions has developed its own agricultural management practices.
This book will explain the pedogenesis and properties of land use in Japan following these
variations in climate, landscapes and geology, as well as human activity and other factors. This
book was written by researchers from the Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
(JSSSPN) and the Japanese Society of Pedology (JSP) with the aim of presenting the results
of their work as simply and accessibly as possible. Chapter 1 overviews natural environments
including soils and land use of Japan. Chapter 2 explains factors in soil formation in Japan,
and Chap. 3 describes soil classification system of Japan and distribution of soils in Japan. In
Chap. 4, the general physical and chemical properties of the major soil types in Japan are
explained. From Chaps. 5–10, each chapter describes the characteristics of soil management in
each of the aforementioned six cultural regions of Japan.
We wish the readers could enjoy full of knowledge and achievements accomplished on
soils of Japan by JSSPN and JSP. On behalf of all the authors contributing to this book, we
sincerely acknowledge the support by JSSPN and JSP.
Sapporo, Japan
Ryusuke Hatano
Kyoto, Japan
Hitoshi Shinjo
Tsukuba, Japan
Yusuke Takata
xi
Japan has numerous islands, including the four major islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku
and Kyushu. The major part of Japanese agriculture has been rice farming due to the presence
of a monsoon climate in all regions except part of Hokkaido. Although most Japanese islands
are affected by a monsoon climate, they still have various climate zones, which range from
subarctic to subtropical climates. The islands also have various landscapes, from mountain
terrain to alluvial plains within a single region. The soils of Japan are affected not only by
these various climates and landscapes, but also by fresh volcanic tephra, which has a significant impact. According to these variations in climate, landscapes and soils, Japan’s cultural
regions are divided into six regions: (1) Hokkaido; (2) Tohoku; (3) Kanto and Koushinetsu;
(4) Tokai and Hokuriku; (5) Kinki, Chugoku, and Shikoku; and (6) Kyushu and Okinawa.
Each of these regions has developed its own agricultural management practices.
This book will explain the pedogenesis and properties of land use in Japan following these
variations in climate, landscapes and geology, as well as human activity and other factors. This
book was written by researchers from the Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition
(JSSSPN) and the Japanese Society of Pedology (JSP) with the aim of presenting the results
of their work as simply and accessibly as possible. Chapter 1 overviews natural environments
including soils and land use of Japan. Chapter 2 explains factors in soil formation in Japan,
and Chap. 3 describes soil classification system of Japan and distribution of soils in Japan. In
Chap. 4, the general physical and chemical properties of the major soil types in Japan are
explained. From Chaps. 5–10, each chapter describes the characteristics of soil management in
each of the aforementioned six cultural regions of Japan.
We wish the readers could enjoy full of knowledge and achievements accomplished on
soils of Japan by JSSPN and JSP. On behalf of all the authors contributing to this book, we
sincerely acknowledge the support by JSSPN and JSP.
Sapporo, Japan
Ryusuke Hatano
Kyoto, Japan
Hitoshi Shinjo
Tsukuba, Japan
Yusuke Takata
xi