Land Use Adapted for an Alluvial Fan

Landscapes & Seascapes

01.

Unique land use adapted for an alluvial fan

The soil, water availability, and climate of the alluvial fan in the Kyoto region vary by location. To adapt to these topographic and climatic differences, a unique system of land use has been developed in which in the best crops for each location are selected to leverage the agronomic characteristics of each species of fruit, including grapes and peaches.

For example, fruits such as peaches, plums, and persimmons are grown in the areas where brown lowland soil and light-colored andosol are found, whereas grapes are more commonly grown in areas of brown earth.

02.

Effective use of sloping land

The farms on the alluvial fan were dotted with fieldstones of various sizes, but in places where the land is relatively steep, nearby fieldstones are now used in their natural state, piled up to form stones walls, which makes the fields easier to farm leading to more effective use of sloping land.

03.

Beautiful orchard landscapes integrated with the satoyama

The orchards, which consist of diverse varieties of fruit trees, including grapes, peaches, and plums, are integrated with the surrounding scenery of the satoyama to form unique, beautiful landscapes in all four seasons unlike any other in the world.

Among their many functions, these seasonal orchard landscapes bring comfort and serenity to people, and therefore constitute an important tourism resource.