Traditional economy

At present Japan is a highly developed industrial society in which industry is combined with efficient agriculture. Relatively recently most of the population was still occupied with agriculture. Its peculiarities are primarily defined by natural conditions.

There is no such point on the territory of the Japanese Archipelago where the distance to the sea exceeds 100 km or a little more. Besides, the terrain is a combination of mountains and plains separated by spurs. These zones with different natural conditions dictate different economic methods. Inhabitants of the coastal regions fish, collect shellfish, crawfish and seaweed, evaporate salt, etc. On the plains people are occupied with agriculture focusing mostly on flooded rice-growing, which is the main branch of rural economy. In the mountains people hunt, collect wild herbs, fruits and roots, and are occupied with dry agriculture, forestry and silkworm breeding.

Silk rolling-off. Japan. The Japanese. Early 20th cent.		Tea harvest. Japan. The Japanese. Early 20th cent.		Fishemen. Japan. The Japanese. Late 19th cent.
Women at weaver's loom. Japan. The Japanese, early 20th c.		Sheaves of rice. Japan. The Japanese, by 1886		Rice cleaning. Japan. The Japanese, Second half of 19th cent.
Rice cleaning. Japan. The Japanese, Second half of 19th cent.		Bogey. Japan. Asuka. Maykova N., 2005		Divers for pearls, "ama" since ancinet times have collected pearls, sea weeds, trepangs and shells. By now their hard work has survived usefullness. The 'ama' show their skills mainly for turists. Japan. Ise. The Japanese. Kupin K., 2002
Shell-picking on the shore of Sinagawa. Japan. The Japanese, mid-to-late 19th c.		Trap looking like a pot with a rope. Japan. The Japanese. Tomida.