STORY #028
When the Warring States period (1467-1603) came to a close and the development of new towns had begun, the steep increase in demand for lumber to build castles, temples, and shrines caused reckless deforestation throughout Japan.
By the start of the Edo period (1603-1868), the Kiso Valley and its surrounding areas faced a crisis when timber, its primary resource and backbone of the local economy, was depleted.
In response, the overseeing Owari government enacted a forest preservation ordinance that restricted tree cutting, and effectively forced the people to create new local industries in order to survive.
By the end of the Edo period, local products like Kiso lacquerware became popular and were distributed nationally due in part to the timely development of a highway system that included Kiso on the route to the popular pilgrimage to Mt. Ontake.
Thanks to successful preservation efforts, Kiso is still known for its famed paulownia wood, the Kiso horse, and local crafts like Kiso lacquerware that gained national recognition during the Edo period.