Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES) Professor
kyoto-u.ac.jpI conduct research on sustainable rural development in Japan’s mountainous and hilly rural areas and in Southeast Asian countries. My research explores ways of promoting development by making effective use of local resources—including people, culture, nature, and history—while minimizing dependence on external investment and resources.
Throughout history, local communities have developed ways of living that are well adapted to their surrounding environments, repeatedly responding to and learning from nature. Although these locally rooted ways of life have traditionally been resilient and well suited to their respective environments, they have undergone rapid changes in recent decades due to accelerated urbanization and the growing influence of the monetary economy. As a result, many rural communities have become increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters and fluctuations in external economies.
Through collaboration with local people, I seek to reassess the value of locally available resources and explore ways to restore and sustain rich and fulfilling rural livelihoods.
I also actively conduct field research. To date, I have carried out fieldwork in Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Nepal, India, Mongolia, China, and South Korea. While ways of life and relationships with the natural environment vary considerably across countries and regions, I also seek to identify the commonalities that transcend these geographical and cultural differences.
In addition to fieldwork, I employ advanced analytical approaches, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other geospatial technologies, to examine rural environments and communities. My research is not limited to producing academic knowledge; I place particular emphasis on problem-oriented research that contributes to addressing real-world challenges faced by rural communities.