Abstract
In this essay, there is a re-evaluation of the meaning of ”nature” in the context of ecotourism. Generally, this meaning seems influenced by Western environmental perspectives and movements which tend to regard ”nature” as being separated from human societies. However, in Japan the boundary between nature and human has not been separated but is blurred, and there is also a perception that aesthetically tamed nature can be ”genuine” nature. Accordingly, most cultivated area are possibly one type of resource for ecotourism in Japan, and as a result, it is important to develop the Japanese-style ecotourism.
