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Paper short abstract

Tracing the 1970s shift from traditional to industrial salt production, this paper reveals how material standardization catalyzed broader territorial transformations along Japan's Setonaikai coast, reshaping governance, labor, and the relationship between communities and their landscapes.

Paper long abstract

This paper investigates the historical transformation of Japan's coastal territories through the lens of salt production, focusing on the Seto Inland Sea (Setonaikai). It examines state-driven industrialization from traditional, nature-integrated methods to large-scale chemical processes implemented in the 1970s. I argue that this shift in salt's material properties acted as a catalyst for broader territorial transformations, influencing political governance, industrial planning, labor organization, and cultural practices across the region.

The research traces an ideological rupture caused by the transition from folkloric to industrial salt production, which fundamentally redefined how coastal landscapes were perceived, measured, and valued. Traditional production relied on empirical knowledge accumulated over generations, seasonal rhythms, and ritual practices embedded in community life. The new government-controlled approach prioritized productivity through automated processes that disregarded climatic conditions entirely. This mechanization standardized salt, eliminating its natural variability and transforming it into a uniform commodity. The consequences extended far beyond the material realm: traditional salt fields were systematically abandoned, social cohesion within coastal communities eroded, and the intimate connection between people and their landscapes was severed.

Drawing on extensive fieldwork and archival research, this paper reveals how salt shaped local economies, labor relations, and cultural practices along the Setonaikai coastline. It uncovers persistent tensions between tradition and modernity, examining how the disappearance of salt production dismantled not only an industry but an entire way of life. The nutritional, economic, and symbolic significance of salt in Japanese society makes it a particularly revealing lens through which to examine these broader processes of industrial modernization. Situated within architectural history of environment and global urban histories, this research contributes to understanding Japan's rapid industrialization and its environmental consequences. By positioning salt as a material agent actively shaping landscapes and culture, rather than a passive commodity, the paper challenges conventional industrialization narratives. It offers new insights into the environmental and cultural costs of twentieth-century technological progress, bridging the gap between cultural knowledge systems and industrial development while illuminating patterns relevant to global discussions on heritage, sustainability, and territorial transformation.