Kinki, Chugoku, and Shikoku Regions

The Kinki, Chugoku, and Shikoku regions are located in the west-central part of Japan. The major soil great groups distributed in these regions are Brown Forest soils (47.6%), Red-Yellow soils (16.0%), and Fluvic soils (14.2%) with very limited distribution of Andosols (8.6%), reflecting mountainous geography. Those used for agricultural land are dominated by Fluvic soils (65.5%) followed by Brown Forest soils (14.2%) and Red-Yellow soils (7.8%), reflecting high ratio of paddy (72.8%) in agricultural fields. In these regions, diverse types of agriculture are conducted corresponding to a variety of soil types with various geographical and climatic circumstances, including paddy rice production as well as the production of vegetables (e.g., traditional vegetables), fruits (e.g., orange in Wakayama and Ehime Prefectures and Japanese apricot (Ume) in Wakayama Prefecture), and tea in upland fields. Among them “Minabe-Tanabe Ume system” and “Nishiawa slope farming system” are designated as globally important agricultural heritage systems (GIAHS) in these regions. Environmentally friendly agriculture has been carried out, which is defined as sustainable agriculture in which crop productivity is well balanced with environmental quality by recycling materials and reducing the input of chemical fertilizer and pesticides. A wide variety of countermeasures has been also accomplished to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and leaching of nitrate, and harmful chemical substances are also discussed.