In this paper, the author first focuses on studies of subsistence activities by Takayoshi Mogami, Satoru Yasumuro, Yoji Yukawa, and Kan’ichi Nomoto, and reviews the history of, and issues inherent in, the study of subsistence activities in folkloristics. Mogami summarized basic viewpoints and presented an overall concept of subsistence activities. Yasumuro advocated a new methodology in this study from the viewpoint of “combination of subsistence activities” (or, combined subsistence activities), which took this study into the next phase. The author points out, however, that this study requires not only the combination of subsistence activities but also studies from various viewpoints.
In terms of the history of the study of river fishery, the author examines the findings of respective studies of river fishery and summarizes the results and issues. The author finds that progress has been made in studies of fishing technologies (e.g., fishing implements, fishing methods) for respective rivers, but matters related to river-fishers (i.e., actors in subsistence activities of river fishery) have hardly been looked at. Thus, the author points out that these issues should be addressed in future studies.
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