5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
[HCG18-P01] Comparisons of Landscape Appreciation between Switzerland and Japan by Western Visitors arrived until 1871
Keywords:comparison of landscape appreciation, Japan, Switzerland
Introduction
With the opening of Japan at the end of the Edo period, many foreigners visited Japan who appreciated Japanese landscape compared with Switzerland (Table1). Their descriptions were focused and summarized recently by the Japanese translation of their travelogues (Aoki, 2004). Those descriptions are valuable to find the beauty of Japanese landscape which deteriorated by modernization of Japan. Switzerland is still beautiful, so I investigated Japanese landscape to be similar to Switzerland. Eight persons were known until their arrival of 1871.
1 Heine, W. (Germany)
(Mt. Fuji from Edo Bay,4-5p)
From Sagami Bay, the horizontal spread of Mt. Hakone and Tanzawa was in front. The mountain range was 1500m height and Mt. Fuji was 3776m. Mt. Etna has 3380m height. The distance was 50km. According to Higuchi (1975), the view object 4 degrees is enough. Now, the seaside area became worse by many new buildings.
2 Heusken, H. (Holland)
(Yugashima)
He appreciated Mt. Fuji wonderful compared to the glaciers of Switzerland at Yugashima. Mt. Fuji with deep forests made frame effect in the view. At Kodoji Temple, the distance 50km of viewing angle 4 degrees, should be smaller for a mountain enjoyment. You can enjoy it with the electric poles and wires now.
3 Hodgson, C.P. (UK)
(Cape Esan, 64-65p)
Thanks to his knowledge of plants, he found the beauty of the vegetation complemented the charm of the mountains. At the hill of Hiura, he appreciated Mt. Esan to be beautiful, and said Switzerland in Japan with splendid vegetation beauty. Hokkaido has familiar plants and warm climate vegetations, so his appreciation was high. The view distance 10km to Mt. Esan 600m height mountain range with Pacific Ocean is beautiful.
4 Alcock, R. (UK)
(Hakone Pass, 411p) (Hakone Pass, vegetation 411-412p)
He compared the viewpoint Hakone Pass with Lauterbrünnen. At that time, Hakone had grasslands like Swiss ranches. Today, bamboo and other low vegetation flourishes. Without glaciers and rocky peaks, the view was inferior to the Alps. But people enjoy different scenery to Switzerland.
5 Eulenburg, F.A.G. (Germany)
(Nagasaki, 194p)(Mogi, 198p)
By the influences of the botanists and painters, he awarded the vegetation to be a feature of Japan. From a viewpoint on the hill, he found the beauty of Nagasaki to be the coexistence of Switzerland and the tropics. This was a clear example of the rich vegetation to differ from that of Europe and Switzerland.
Mogi was seen as arable land, like the Italian side of the Alps. He described the agricultural landscape as similar to his home country. Tagami, the description was left, was now a residential area in Nagasaki and no fields. We could see cultivated land on the slope from Tang Hakkei Park, where many terraced fields built on the slopes.
6 Satow, E. (UK)
(Hosoiri Village)
Compared the valley Viamala in Swiss and the Kataji Gorge, Viamala was a deep rock crevice like Kurobe Gorge in Japan. The Kataji Gorge was shallow in height. The road at top of the deep valley, and I felt danger. By the collapse, the sidewalk was closed for car. However, Kataji Gorge has not become a tourist destination like Viamala, because a dam built in the valley.
7 Humbert, A. (Switzerland)
(Comparison to Swiss)
Growing up at lakeside in Switzerland, the president of the Watch and Watch Industry Association did not show interest in landscapes. The rapids, coves, and rural area of Japan reminded him of Switzerland.
8 Clark, E.W. (USA)
(Shiraito fall)
He compared Shiraito Falls with Staubbach. The focal distance of 100-200m at Shiraito Falls: 20m with rich water by Mt. Fuji is even now a famous tourist destination with many visitors in summer.
Conclusion
The Japanese scenery was perceived as beautiful by Westerners in this period. The topography and vegetation were important in this assessment. You can see some of them in the mountain village. But many landscapes were disappeared now.
With the opening of Japan at the end of the Edo period, many foreigners visited Japan who appreciated Japanese landscape compared with Switzerland (Table1). Their descriptions were focused and summarized recently by the Japanese translation of their travelogues (Aoki, 2004). Those descriptions are valuable to find the beauty of Japanese landscape which deteriorated by modernization of Japan. Switzerland is still beautiful, so I investigated Japanese landscape to be similar to Switzerland. Eight persons were known until their arrival of 1871.
1 Heine, W. (Germany)
(Mt. Fuji from Edo Bay,4-5p)
From Sagami Bay, the horizontal spread of Mt. Hakone and Tanzawa was in front. The mountain range was 1500m height and Mt. Fuji was 3776m. Mt. Etna has 3380m height. The distance was 50km. According to Higuchi (1975), the view object 4 degrees is enough. Now, the seaside area became worse by many new buildings.
2 Heusken, H. (Holland)
(Yugashima)
He appreciated Mt. Fuji wonderful compared to the glaciers of Switzerland at Yugashima. Mt. Fuji with deep forests made frame effect in the view. At Kodoji Temple, the distance 50km of viewing angle 4 degrees, should be smaller for a mountain enjoyment. You can enjoy it with the electric poles and wires now.
3 Hodgson, C.P. (UK)
(Cape Esan, 64-65p)
Thanks to his knowledge of plants, he found the beauty of the vegetation complemented the charm of the mountains. At the hill of Hiura, he appreciated Mt. Esan to be beautiful, and said Switzerland in Japan with splendid vegetation beauty. Hokkaido has familiar plants and warm climate vegetations, so his appreciation was high. The view distance 10km to Mt. Esan 600m height mountain range with Pacific Ocean is beautiful.
4 Alcock, R. (UK)
(Hakone Pass, 411p) (Hakone Pass, vegetation 411-412p)
He compared the viewpoint Hakone Pass with Lauterbrünnen. At that time, Hakone had grasslands like Swiss ranches. Today, bamboo and other low vegetation flourishes. Without glaciers and rocky peaks, the view was inferior to the Alps. But people enjoy different scenery to Switzerland.
5 Eulenburg, F.A.G. (Germany)
(Nagasaki, 194p)(Mogi, 198p)
By the influences of the botanists and painters, he awarded the vegetation to be a feature of Japan. From a viewpoint on the hill, he found the beauty of Nagasaki to be the coexistence of Switzerland and the tropics. This was a clear example of the rich vegetation to differ from that of Europe and Switzerland.
Mogi was seen as arable land, like the Italian side of the Alps. He described the agricultural landscape as similar to his home country. Tagami, the description was left, was now a residential area in Nagasaki and no fields. We could see cultivated land on the slope from Tang Hakkei Park, where many terraced fields built on the slopes.
6 Satow, E. (UK)
(Hosoiri Village)
Compared the valley Viamala in Swiss and the Kataji Gorge, Viamala was a deep rock crevice like Kurobe Gorge in Japan. The Kataji Gorge was shallow in height. The road at top of the deep valley, and I felt danger. By the collapse, the sidewalk was closed for car. However, Kataji Gorge has not become a tourist destination like Viamala, because a dam built in the valley.
7 Humbert, A. (Switzerland)
(Comparison to Swiss)
Growing up at lakeside in Switzerland, the president of the Watch and Watch Industry Association did not show interest in landscapes. The rapids, coves, and rural area of Japan reminded him of Switzerland.
8 Clark, E.W. (USA)
(Shiraito fall)
He compared Shiraito Falls with Staubbach. The focal distance of 100-200m at Shiraito Falls: 20m with rich water by Mt. Fuji is even now a famous tourist destination with many visitors in summer.
Conclusion
The Japanese scenery was perceived as beautiful by Westerners in this period. The topography and vegetation were important in this assessment. You can see some of them in the mountain village. But many landscapes were disappeared now.