Abstract
In Japan, much of distribution of national forests occurs in the northeastern part (Tohoku) of Japan, and many of the private forests and public forests are located in the southwestern part of Japan. These regional differences were caused by the land taxation reform which was begun in 1887 (Meiji 9) to 1882 (Meiji 14) by the Meiji government. By this reform the area of national, public and private forest lands was subdivided.
In Edo (Tokugawa) era, the ownership of forest land was not distinct, especially in the underdeveloped districts. Thus, more than one half of it was owned by the nation in the land taxation reform, and in the Tohoku districts (northeastern part of Japan) which was in the underdeveloped districts, three forth of it was owned by the nation.
In Shizuoka Prefecture (center of Japan), one half of it was owned by the nation, while the other was by privately and publicly-owned (for instance by common people-villagers, village, city and prefecture).
The author's object is to clarify the regional factors of the establishment of village-holding forest land through the analysis of Tashiro Mura (a part of Ikawa village nowadays) in the upper basin of River Ohi, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The results obtained are as follows:
1) In this village, forest lands were completely ruled by the Edo government during the Edo era (just before Meiji era).
2) The succession of possession of the forest land in this village is:
(a) In 1884 (Meiji 6), by the act of land taxation reform about 260 numbers were newly settled on all the land in this village which contains forest, ordinary field and the other fields. The square of land per one number was large.
(b) By the kaster (“Tochidaicho”) of this village in 1877 (Meiji 9), forest lands and shifting cultivated lands were subdivided into private possession so that the average square was about 300ha per each family. This subdivision was tried by the village manager, but it was not approved the governer of Shizuoka Prefecture.
(c) The kaster in 1891 (Meiji 13) shows us the establishment of village-holding forest (“Muramoti-yama”). But the shifting of cultivated land and ordinary fields around the farmhouses which were mainly located on terraces along the River Ohi were admitted as private.
3) From these successions, it is noticed that three kasters of each of the years were provided by a few villagers, especially the headman (“Kochô”) in this village. He decided to admit this forest land as village-holding possession. In the Meiji era, there were no rice paddy fields in this village, so the villagers were mainly engaged in shifting cultivation. So the shifting of cultivated fields supported them and it was of the most importance. So, headman (Kochô) tried to subdivide this forest land to prevent it from being taken by the government. The shifting of cultivation required land fields around the area. So, he applied for permission to shift the square of cultivated land excessively, in 1877.
4) It was admitted that one of the reasons for him to support his application was a few differences between the upper and lower classes who possessed fields and forest land in those days. There were not any large scale possessors or tenant farmers. Villagers had equal right. These are the important factors in the establishment of village-holding forests in mountanious regions which large shifting cultivated fields during early Meiji era.
