The Edo Period of Animals

2025/06/24

The prototype of this book was the special exhibition "The Edo Period of Animals" held at the Keio History Museum on the Mita Campus in March 2023 by the Faculty of Letters Komonjoshitsu. This was carried out mainly by the Komonjoshitsu staff (the director, deputy director, and two researchers) with the cooperation of some external researchers, and it was my final work as the director of the Faculty of Letters Komonjoshitsu and my final work before retirement. Due to the popularity of the exhibition, there was talk of turning it into a book, and through the efforts of Keio University Press, it was published as an easy-to-read book for the general public. Incidentally, although I like animals, I am not an expert in animal history.

In addition to the aforementioned Komonjoshitsu staff, the writing members included external researchers who study animals in some way (long-time close "friends" who love animals), and the content was expanded by including essays other than those based on the exhibition materials.

Now, various animals appear in this book. From dogs and cats to cows, horses, wild boars, deer, bears, otters, elephants, as well as whales and birds such as cranes and hawks. It depicts how people in the Edo period interacted with each animal. In today's world, where there is much chilling news about animals such as abuse, "culling," and "euthanasia," it is heartwarming to read phrases from the "Edicts on Compassion for Living Things" such as "take care of sick cows and horses, and those who cannot raise them should feel free to come forward" or "do not let cows and horses carry heavy loads so that they do not suffer," or stories of pilgrims taking dogs on pilgrimages to Ise while taking turns caring for them and safely returning them to their owners.

The "Edicts on Compassion for Living Things" also had the aspect of changing Japan's food culture. That is, before the "Edicts on Compassion for Living Things," dogs were eaten in Japan as they were in China and Korea, but because of these edicts, they ceased to be eaten. Conversely, in China and Korea, where the "Edicts on Compassion for Living Things" were not issued, dogs continued to be eaten. Thinking about it that way, Tsunayoshi issued a remarkable set of laws.

In the Edo period, there were aspects where animals were sacrificed needlessly from a modern perspective, but there is much to be learned from this era. As fellow living beings on the same Earth, humans should strive to maintain a good relationship with animals.

The Edo Period of Animals

Shigehiko Ioku

Keio University Press

274 pages, 2,640 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.