サステナブルファッション: 江戸時代の持続可能性と環境意識（2）
Sustainable Fashion: Sustainability and Environmental Awareness of the Edo Period (2)
可持续时尚：江户时代的可持续性与环境意识（2）
江戸時代、約260年間にわたり、日本が持続可能な社会を築いていたことは、近年世界中で取り上げられ研究されています。人類の未来を考える上で、持続可能な生活様式は不可欠です。この考え方は現代の課題に対処するための重要な示唆を、江戸時代の日本がもたらしています。この時代、地球との共生、資源の効率的な利用、環境保護が重視された生活スタイルが根付いていました。
In the Edo period, spanning approximately 260 years, Japan's establishment of a sustainable society has been recognized and studied globally in recent years. When contemplating the future of humanity, adopting a sustainable way of life is indispensable. This way of thinking has yielded significant insights for addressing contemporary challenges, drawn from Japan's Edo period. During this era, a lifestyle centered on coexistence with the Earth, efficient resource utilization, and environmental conservation was deeply ingrained.
In the Edo period, spanning approximately 260 years, Japan's establishment of a sustainable society has been recognized and studied globally in recent years. When contemplating the future of humanity, adopting a sustainable way of life is indispensable. This way of thinking has yielded significant insights for addressing contemporary challenges, drawn from Japan's Edo period. During this era, a lifestyle centered on coexistence with the Earth, efficient resource utilization, and environmental conservation was deeply ingrained.
江戸時代の日本は鎖国政策により、外部からの資源供給が制限されていました。この状況から生まれた知恵が、再利用とリサイクルの文化でした。日用品や材料は大切に扱われ、使い古されたものも廃棄するのではなく、修理や再利用が主流でした。日用品や材料は複数のライフサイクルを経験し、修理や再利用が生活の一部として取り入れられていました。この時代の専門職は修理や再利用を中心に据え、人々は捨てられるはずの品物に新たな命を吹き込みました。
江戸時代において、日常品の多くのモノは木、竹、わら、綿などの燃えやすい植物由来の材料を用いて製造されていました。着物や衣類は繰り返し修理され、最後まで活用されました。また、使い古された品物を灰に変え、その灰を肥料や材料として再利用する灰屋の存在も注目すべき点です。灰を捨てずに、家庭や企業は公衆浴場などで灰を集めて地元の灰業者に売却しました。藁や綿布から得られる灰には豊富なカリウムが含まれており、肥料として利用されるほか、陶磁器、染料、酒の製造にも需要があり、灰業者にとっては収益を上げるビジネスとなりました。布に限らず、資源の有効活用が徹底され、持続可能な循環型社会が築かれていました。
Due to Japan's policy of seclusion during the Edo period, external resource supply was restricted. The wisdom born from this situation led to the culture of reuse and recycling. Everyday items and materials were treated with care, and rather than discarding worn-out articles, repair and reuse were prevalent. Commodities and materials experienced multiple lifecycles, with repair and reuse integrated into daily life. Professional roles during this time centered around repair and reuse, breathing new life into items that would have otherwise been discarded.
In the Edo period, many everyday items were manufactured using combustible materials derived from plants such as wood, bamboo, straw, and cotton. Clothing like kimonos were repeatedly repaired and fully utilized. Additionally, the presence of "haisuya" (ash dealers), who transformed used items into ash for reuse as fertilizers and materials, is noteworthy. Instead of disposing of ashes, households and businesses collected ash at public baths and sold it to local ash dealers. Ash derived from straw and cotton contained abundant potassium and was used not only as a fertilizer additive but also in ceramics, dyes, and alcohol production, creating a profitable business for proactive ash dealers. This practice facilitated efficient resource utilization, establishing a sustainable circular society.
江戸時代において、日常品の多くのモノは木、竹、わら、綿などの燃えやすい植物由来の材料を用いて製造されていました。着物や衣類は繰り返し修理され、最後まで活用されました。また、使い古された品物を灰に変え、その灰を肥料や材料として再利用する灰屋の存在も注目すべき点です。灰を捨てずに、家庭や企業は公衆浴場などで灰を集めて地元の灰業者に売却しました。藁や綿布から得られる灰には豊富なカリウムが含まれており、肥料として利用されるほか、陶磁器、染料、酒の製造にも需要があり、灰業者にとっては収益を上げるビジネスとなりました。布に限らず、資源の有効活用が徹底され、持続可能な循環型社会が築かれていました。
Due to Japan's policy of seclusion during the Edo period, external resource supply was restricted. The wisdom born from this situation led to the culture of reuse and recycling. Everyday items and materials were treated with care, and rather than discarding worn-out articles, repair and reuse were prevalent. Commodities and materials experienced multiple lifecycles, with repair and reuse integrated into daily life. Professional roles during this time centered around repair and reuse, breathing new life into items that would have otherwise been discarded.
In the Edo period, many everyday items were manufactured using combustible materials derived from plants such as wood, bamboo, straw, and cotton. Clothing like kimonos were repeatedly repaired and fully utilized. Additionally, the presence of "haisuya" (ash dealers), who transformed used items into ash for reuse as fertilizers and materials, is noteworthy. Instead of disposing of ashes, households and businesses collected ash at public baths and sold it to local ash dealers. Ash derived from straw and cotton contained abundant potassium and was used not only as a fertilizer additive but also in ceramics, dyes, and alcohol production, creating a profitable business for proactive ash dealers. This practice facilitated efficient resource utilization, establishing a sustainable circular society.
里山地域の保護と利用も重要なテーマでした。幕府の布告によって管理された里山は、地域の資源を守りつつ、地元の生活と調和を図る手本となりました。バランスの取れた資源利用と保護の意識は、現代の環境問題においても示唆に富むものです。人々は単に自身と社会を維持するだけでなく、環境を悪化させずに改善しました。川や周囲の海を清潔に保ち、土壌をより肥沃にし、森林の面積を増やすことで、環境に対する貢献を行いました。この時代の人々は、「リサイクル」、「リサイクル」、そして再び「リサイクル」を重ねて生活をしていました。彼らはほぼあらゆる物を熱心にリサイクルしました。さらに、ほとんどの物品を何度も修理し、最終的には使用できなくなるまで修理を重ねました。こうした修理作業は、現代の多くのモノとは異なり、単純な構造のため、容易に行えました。また繊維（特に綿）の生産には限界があり、高価かつ時間がかかるため、衣類の多くもリサイクルされていました。
Preserving and utilizing "satoyama" areas (semi-natural rural landscapes) was another crucial theme. Governed by the shogunate's proclamations, these areas served as models for protecting local resources while harmonizing with local livelihoods. The conscious balance between resource utilization and conservation in these areas holds valuable implications for contemporary environmental issues. People didn't merely sustain themselves and society, but they also improved the environment without causing harm. They maintained cleanliness in rivers and surrounding seas, enriched soil fertility, and expanded forest coverage, contributing to the environment. People in this era engaged in a cycle of "recycle," "reuse," and once again "recycle." They enthusiastically recycled nearly every item and frequently repaired items until they could no longer be used. Unlike many modern tools, repairing was straightforward due to the simple structures. Moreover, due to limitations in fiber production, especially with cotton, and the high cost and time investment, many garments were recycled.
Preserving and utilizing "satoyama" areas (semi-natural rural landscapes) was another crucial theme. Governed by the shogunate's proclamations, these areas served as models for protecting local resources while harmonizing with local livelihoods. The conscious balance between resource utilization and conservation in these areas holds valuable implications for contemporary environmental issues. People didn't merely sustain themselves and society, but they also improved the environment without causing harm. They maintained cleanliness in rivers and surrounding seas, enriched soil fertility, and expanded forest coverage, contributing to the environment. People in this era engaged in a cycle of "recycle," "reuse," and once again "recycle." They enthusiastically recycled nearly every item and frequently repaired items until they could no longer be used. Unlike many modern tools, repairing was straightforward due to the simple structures. Moreover, due to limitations in fiber production, especially with cotton, and the high cost and time investment, many garments were recycled.
江戸時代の日本人は、資源の限られた環境で生き抜くために、創意工夫と地域共生の精神を大切にしました。時代の違いから、同じ状況で生活することはできませんが、これらの教訓は、現代の資源枯渇や環境変化と闘うための手段として活用できます。再利用やリサイクルの文化を醸成し、地域の持続可能な資源利用と保護を実践することで、私たちは地球との共生を築き、未来の世代に美しい環境を受け継ぐことができるでしょう。
Edo-era Japanese placed great importance on innovative thinking and a spirit of coexistence with the limited resources of their environment. Although living in the same circumstances is not possible due to the difference in eras, these lessons can be effectively applied as means to combat modern issues of resource depletion and environmental change. By nurturing cultures of reuse and recycling, and practicing sustainable resource utilization and conservation at a local level, we can build a symbiotic relationship with our planet and pass on a beautiful environment to future generations.
Edo-era Japanese placed great importance on innovative thinking and a spirit of coexistence with the limited resources of their environment. Although living in the same circumstances is not possible due to the difference in eras, these lessons can be effectively applied as means to combat modern issues of resource depletion and environmental change. By nurturing cultures of reuse and recycling, and practicing sustainable resource utilization and conservation at a local level, we can build a symbiotic relationship with our planet and pass on a beautiful environment to future generations.
<参考>
・『大江戸えころじー事情』 石川英輔著
・『逝きし世の面影』 渡辺 京二著
・Metropolis Japan https://metropolisjapan.com/edo-period-sustainability/#:~:text=Throughout%20the%20Edo%20Period%2C%20Japan,items%20experiencing%20multiple%20life%20cycles.
・Japan Focus: The Asia-Pacific Journal https://apjjf.org/-Eiichiro-Ochiai/2346/article.html
・California Center for Land Recycling https://www.cclr.org/expert-advice/sustainability-and-resilience-whats-17th-century-japan-got-to-do-with-it
・『大江戸えころじー事情』 石川英輔著
・『逝きし世の面影』 渡辺 京二著
・Metropolis Japan https://metropolisjapan.com/edo-period-sustainability/#:~:text=Throughout%20the%20Edo%20Period%2C%20Japan,items%20experiencing%20multiple%20life%20cycles.
・Japan Focus: The Asia-Pacific Journal https://apjjf.org/-Eiichiro-Ochiai/2346/article.html
・California Center for Land Recycling https://www.cclr.org/expert-advice/sustainability-and-resilience-whats-17th-century-japan-got-to-do-with-it
2023/08/19
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