In August 2025, I had the opportunity to travel to Japan to attend Tokyo Metropolitan University's Global Discussion Camp on Biodiversity & Sustainability to learn about Japanese concept of 'satoyama'. I collaborated with students from other participating universities across the globe to conduct research on satoyama at Jike Furusato Village in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Final Project Outcome
This research poster was presented at SUNY Oneonta’s Student Research and Creative Activity Summer Showcase
What I did
I visited Jike Furusato Village, a satoyama landscape which is an area of where humans and nature can sustainably co-exist with each other. There we got to explore the unique landscape filled with forests, rice paddies, spiritual shrines and got to conduct vegetation and tree identification surveys. I also collaborated with other students from other countries to present about top-down and bottom-up approaches to promoting environmental sustainability in countries around the world and how Jike Furusato is present today because of these approaches.
What I learned
I learned about satoyama and how the satoyama model as seen in Jike Furusato can inform global sustainability strategies. It also emphasized the importance of how environmental education and policy support can help keep these satoyama areas alive and further foster human-nature relationships. It also identifies how these practices could be adapted to other regions dealing with the similar threat of urbanization.
What’s next for me
This trip was majorly influential in what I'd like to do post-graduation in the environmental field. It furthered my interest in sustainable development and the importance of eco-tourism in engaging the public with the natural environment. I'm interested in environmental education and this trip helped solidify that career pathway while also expanding my perspectives on a global level.
