In 1996, as part of its efforts to combat
noise pollution
Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mai ...
and to protect and promote protection of the
environment
Environment most often refers to:
__NOTOC__
* Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally
* Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...
, the
Ministry of the Environment
An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment ...
designated the .
There were 738 submissions received from all over the country and the 100 "best" were selected after examination by the Japan Soundscape Study Group.
These
soundscapes are intended to function as
symbols
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different co ...
for local people and to promote the rediscovery of the sounds of everyday life.
The follow-up Sixth National Assembly on Soundscape Conservation was held in
Matsuyama in 2002.
See also
*
Soundscape ecology
*
Ecoacoustics
*
Biophony
Soundscape ecology is the study of the acoustic relationships between living organisms, human and other, and their environment, whether the organisms are marine or terrestrial. First appearing in the ''Handbook for Acoustic Ecology'' edited by Ba ...
*
World Soundscape Project
*
100 Landscapes of Japan (Heisei era) In 2009, in celebration of its 135th anniversary, the Yomiuri Shimbun formed a selection committee and, together with its readers, selected the . Three hundred sites were nominated and more than 640,000 votes were collected during the selection proc ...
References
External links
* {{in lang, ja}
Ministry of the Environment - 100 Soundscapes of Japan*
100 Soundscapes of Japan - List in English with map (6G)
Japanese culture
Environment of Japan
Lists of places in Japan
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
Articles containing video clips
1996 in Japan