This paper presents three arguments about how to construct a “regional environmental history,” focusing on crucian carp in Lake Biwa. First, I look at the “encoded view of nature.” Next, using a theory of consumption, I focus on “sophistication” and “abolition.” Finally, referencing a theory of livelihoods, I focus on “involution.” These three approaches demonstrate that it is important to grasp the linkage between nature, views of nature, consumption and livelihoods.

Introduction: The Lake Biwa region

Located in the Kinki district in the center of the Japanese archipelago, Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan. The lake's name, bestowed around the 16th century during the Muromachi period, derives from its shape, which resembles a musical instrument called the biwa. It has an area of around 670 square kilometers, making it the 188th largest lake in the world and is located in Shiga Prefecture, occupying one sixth of the prefecture's total area of 4,017 square kilometers. Moreover, it holds 27.5 billion cubic meters of water and currently supplies water to a downstream population of around 14.5 million people. The lake is divided into southern and northern sections at its narrowest point, with the water depth in these sections averaging 4 meters and 43 meters respectively. The deepest point of the lake, located in the northern zone, is 103.58 meters.

Numerous waterways flow into Lake Biwa, 117 of which are classified as Class A rivers.2 These include the Yasu, Ado, and Takatoki Rivers. In this paper, the term “Lake Biwa region” is used to refer to Lake Biwa itself and its catchment area, which corresponds almost completely to the territory of Shiga prefecture itself.

The Lake Biwa region also overlaps for the most part with the area known as the Ohmi Basin. This is a topographical basin bordered on the north side by the Nosaka Mountains (also known as the Arachi or Kohoku Mountains), the highest peak of which is Mt. Sanjo, at 973.9 meters. To the east are the Ibuki Mountains topped by Mt. Ibuki at 1,377.3 meters, and the Suzuka Mountain Range that runs south to north for a length of 55 kilometers and is crowned by the 1,247-meter Mt. Oike. To the west are the Hira Mountains with Mt.