was an
ethnographer
Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...
, a pioneer in participation of remote
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
ese villagers in researching their problems, resulting in practical benefits of portable water supplies and rapid rope-way transport across mountain gorges.
He was awarded the
Ramon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealis ...
in 1984.
He is reported as the author of KJ method for organizing notes, also termed affinity walls in
UX Research. He viewed the method as an alternative to Western quantitative methods in ethnography.
Kawakita established the non-profit organisation Institute for Himalayan Conservation Japan.
Bibliography
* Kawakita, J. (1957). Ethno-geographical observations on the Nepal-Himalaya. ''Peoples of Nepal Himalaya: scientific results of the Japanese expeditions to Nepal Himalayas 1952-1953'', ''3'', 1-362.
* Kawakita, J. (1960). Last Rites and Lamas. ''Japan Quarterly'', ''7''(4), 428.
* Kawakita, J. (1961). Some Ecological Observations in Nepal Himalaya: Torbo Ethnography, No. 3. ''The Japanese Journal of Ethnology'', ''25''(4), 197-238.
* Kawakita, J. (1974). ''The hill Magars and their Neighbours'' (Vol. 3). Tokai University Press.
* Kawakita, J. (1984). ''Cultural ecology of Nepal Himalaya''. Association for technical cooperation to the Himalayan areas.
* Kawakita, J. (1985). Synergic approach to mountain development: Case study of Sikha Valley in Nepal. ''Integrated Mountain Development'', 402-424.
References
1920 births
2009 deaths
Japanese expatriates in Nepal
{{Japan-academic-bio-stub
Himalayan studies