Traditional Rural Landscapes in Island Topography in East Asia

The authors introduce the reader to traditional island villages built based on Feng Shui concepts around 300 years ago. The traditional village landscape embodies the harmony between man and nature with a scene of "people living in the forest". As well as a scenic landscape, Ryukyu Feng Shui landscape also provides with regulating ecosystem services to prevent from natural disasters. This study includes extensive field survey results on more than forty outlying islands in the southernmost part of Japan. This study includes the actual structure of traditional villages and vegetation composition of forests in the villages. It further explores the distribution of huge trees in traditional villages. This book provides understanding in regard to an integrated landscape with ecological significance, local religion and cultural context for landscape designers and urban planners.