Pleasecitethisarticleas:Inoshita,K.1928.

Therewillbenomoreparksacenturyfromnow:avisionofparks100years
inthefuture(Hyakunengoniwakouenwanakunaru:hyakunengonokouenyumemonogatari).GardenandLandscape
(TeientoFukei)10(8),178179,193.(inJapanese)

There will be no more parks a century from now: a vision of parks 100
years in the future
Kiyoshi Inoshita

Onehundredyearsago,in1928,Japanhadallsortsofinterestingsocialinstitutions.Lookingback
onthedocumentsandimagesfromthosetimes,wecanseemanysocialsystemsthatlooklikethe
originofoursocialinstitutionsinplacetoday,in2028.
Upuntilacenturyago,peoplelivedbyattainingownershiprightsforthemselves.Thosewhohad
assetswouldbuildhomessolelyfortheuseoftheirownfamiliesonacertainamountofland.
There,theywoulddefendtheirownpropertyandlivehappily,andnobodycouldviolatethose
rights.However,toacquirethoseassetsandlivemoreandmoreprosperously,peopleworked
theirwholelivesthrough,notmindingthattheyweresacrificingtheirhealthandmorals.Asa
result,peoplelivedinextremelycrowdedcitiesandsacrificedtheirownhappinesstoliveandgain
riches.Lifecouldbedescribedasawretchedandrestlessstruggleforsurvival.
Inreactiontothisextrememiseryoflifecameascream,adeclarationthatpeopleshouldbeable
toachievehappinessinlifebylivingasnaturalpersons.Wecanseeatthistimethebirthof
todayshappiernaturallivingsocialsystem,forwhichmanynoblesacrificesweremade.Today,
weexpressourheartfeltrespecttothepeoplewhobuiltoursociety100yearsago.

Acenturyago,therewasonesocialinstitutionthatwasmoreprogressivethanothers:thepublic
park.Parksexistedinavarietyofforms,butingeneral,aparkwasaplaceinanaturalareawhere
peoplewerefreetoloveandhelpeachotherandenjoytheirlives.Thisconceptoftheparkhas
beenpasseddowntousacenturylater,assomethingthatprovidedafoundationforourcurrent
socialsystem.Today,wedonothaveanythinginparticularthatwewouldcallapark.However,in
thosedays,parkswereplaceswhere,thoughsmallinscale,peoplecouldfindthemselvesandlive
trulymeaningfulhumanlives,likeislandsinanoceanorparadiseamidsthell.
Thehistoryoftheparkstretchesbackevenfurther,toatleastmorethanonecenturyearlier.At
first,parkswereenvisionedbykingsandotherswithgreatwealthwhotookprideinowningeither
large,magnificentgardensthatrecreatedthebeautyofnatureinminiaturizedorstylizedform,or
extensiveforesttractsthatcouldbeusedforhuntingorforotherformsofentertainmentattheir
countryvilla.Asaspecialbenefit,thesepowerfulandwealthyindividualswouldopensuchplaces
tothoselivingundertheirauthority.Theownersfeltgreatjoytingedwithasenseofsuperiority
andprideseeingthepleasurethatthecrowdsderivedfromtheseplaces.Thisisonewaythatled
tothecreationofparks.Parksmayhavealsobegunaslargegardenareasthatwereinitiallyset
asidebasedonreligiousbeliefs,andthenopenedtothepublic.Alternatively,theymayhave

startedasopenspacesretainedforpeopletopassthroughortofindprotectionfromoutside
enemies.Regardlessofthereason,parkswereestablishedbythesocialelitefortheirinferiors.It
wasonly100yearsago,duringtheTaishoandShowaeras,thatthepublicbecameconsciousof
theirownhappinessandstaredbuildingparksforthemselves.Theforerunnerofthismovement
originatedinNorthAmerica,withrecordsshowingthatthefirstparkmodelwasestablishedinthe
cityofChicago.

Wecannotknowwhatwayofthinkingmadeitpossibleforparksalonetorealizethisideabefore
everythingelse,butitcouldhavestartedwiththesameidealsaspovertypreventionandrelief,
whichwereconsideredsocialendeavorsatthattime.However,themostsensibleviewseemsto
bethatparkswerebornefromadesireforentertainmentorcommonbenefitandweretheresult
ofpeoplesyearningfornaturalbeautyandthestronginspirationalpowerofnature,whichcan
makepeopleleaveeverythingbehindandreturntowheretheycanfeelfreeandliveaspure
humanbeings.
Atthattime(inthelate1920s),peoplebelievedtheycouldonlygainmeaningfulhappinessand
wealthbylivingcollectivelyincertainplacescalledcities.Incitylife,thisthingcalledaparkwas
passivelyrecognizedasareactiontotheirlifestyles.Thisishowitbecamepossibletothinkabout
theissueofparks.
Insuchcities,publicopenspacesweresetaside.Ataminimum,theyconsistedofabout10%or
moreofthecityslimitedspace,makingupatleast4m2perperson.Intheseopenspaces,people
establishednaturalparksjustlikemodernwoodlands,aswellasgardens,whichservedasworksof
art,sportsgrounds,andotherfacilities.Suchscantyparkareaswereconsiderednotonlyplaces
forpeoplessolaceandrest,butalsoplacesthatprovidedprotectionfromvariousdisastersand
combattedthedeclineinairqualityassociatedwithlivinginadenselypopulatedarea.Itisdifficult
tokeepfromchucklingabouttheidea,butparksmusthavebeenthebestideaatthetime.

Nowadays(inthelate2020s),aswehavebeenliberatedfromthosecombativesocial
organizationsinwhichpeoplestruggledasindividualunits,wedonotparticularlyneedthosefree
andequalplacesbegrudgedtopeople,andscientificadvancementhaseliminatedtheneedtolive
indenselypopulatedareasaswasnecessaryinthepast.Justasintheprimitiveagesbefore
historictimes,wecanbuildourhomesinplacesthatsuitourtastes.Moreover,dependingontheir
functioninsociety,somepeopleareabletoworkusingsimplytheirwirelesstelephones,wireless
recorders,letterwritingdevicesorcalculators.Thosewithprofessionssuchasourswhobeautify
andstylizenatureuseradiopowereddevicestoperformsuchtasksastrimmingovergrowntrees
andcuttinggrasswithamazinglyhighefficiency.Byimmediatelycoveringorganicresiduesfrom
thesejobswithcanvas,itiseasilyconvertedtohumususingtherecentlydiscoveredpowerofgas.
Thishumusisthenusedasfertilizerwhereverneeded.Growinggrass,flowers,andtreesto
beautifytheentirenationdoesnotrequirethetroublesomeworkofoldtimesduetothe

ingenioususeoflowradiatingrays.Thisiswhy,withtheexceptionofgardenstopreserveancient
art,wedonotneedtotakescantybitsoflandandrefertothemasgardensorparks,nordothey
needlandscaping.Ithinkweshouldbeproudofthisfact.

Arevivalinsportspeakedabout100yearsago,andthusparkscontainedorwerebuiltin
conjunctionwithlargescalearenasandplaygroundsforchildren.Thisisinterestinglysimilarto
GreekandRomanruins.However,thebasicspiritofthosestructureswascompetitionwithothers
inabilityandtechnique;theywerenothingmorethantrainingfacilitiesforacombativeera.
Nowadays,theonlygamesdevelopedarethosethatallowpeopletoenjoylife.Therearegroup
gamesinthisera,butbecausepeoplearedispersedoverlargeareas,evengroupgamesareona
familyscale.Largescalesportsarenasareonlyusedforceremonialsportseventscommemorating
theolddays.However,asaresultofthenaturallifestylesthatpeoplelead,theirphysical
developmenthasrecoveredtolevelsofthosefrom1,000yearsago.Foralongtime,theaverage
lifespanwassaidtobe50years.Incontrast,itisnowover80years.However,thisisbecausethe
mortalityrateforyoungchildrenhasdramaticallydeclined;theactualpopulationofolderpeople
hasnotincreasedsomuchinrelativeterms.Nonetheless,itisajoyfulthingthattherearequitea
fewpeopleover100yearsofage.

Intermsofthebeautificationandstylizationofnature,itisnoteworthythatnowadayswedonot
destroynatureonEarthwithourlifestyles.Acenturyago,weneededtheforestformaterialsto
buildhomesandotherthings,andweneededfarmlandforfood,whichnowseemsincredible.In
countriesassmallasJapan,wesacrificedalmostallofourlandforbuildingmaterialsandfarming,
soitbecamedifficulttoknowwhattruenaturalforestsanduncultivatedfieldswerelike.Forthat
reason,inordertoprotectourvirginforests,weneededtoenactalawcalledtheHistoricalSites,
PlacesofScenicBeauty,andNaturalMonumentsPreservationLaw.
Inthisspirit,socallednationalparkswerestartedatthattimeasasystemforprotectingthe
scenicbeautyofnature.However,theagricultureandforestrythatoncedestroyednaturehas
beenreplacedbyhorticulture,andeventhatisdoneonlyinspeciallydesignatedareas.Today,
individuallandownershipisnotrecognizedandallresidentialareas,onesownandthoseof
others,arebeautifiedandmanagedatpublicexpense.Consequently,nationalparkhasmerely
becomeoneofthenamesgiventoadministrativeregions.

Ifweweretolookforsomethingthatpresentlycorrespondstoapark,itwouldbeaspecial
geologicallyscenicarea,asitewherehistoricremainssuchashotspringswithreligiousorspiritual
significance,groupgamearenas,andthelike,arepreserved.Somethingcorrespondingtoa
playgroundexistsineachresidentialareaforchildrentoplaytogetherwhenvisitingeachothers
residence.Itisjustlikeoldtimes,wheneachhomehadalivingroominwhichtheycouldentertain
theirguests.

Nowadays,weobtainournecessaryresourcesfromtheseaorfromunderground,wherethe
efforttoretrievethemdoesnothinderourdailyactivities.Foradults,thereisnoneedtomeet
otheradultsexceptforentertainmentandgamesbecauseallbusinessnegotiationsare
convenientlydoneathome.Asforeducation,schoolsseemtobebuiltforthesolepurposeof
researchingancientdocuments.Museumshaveamoresignificanteducationalmissionforpeople
thandoschools.Itisnoexaggerationtosaythatalmostallthelargebuildingscommonlyseen
fromtheskyaremuseums.Comparedtothepast,ourtransportationsystemisquitesmallinscale.
Anyspeedytransportationwerequireusesairplanesthatflyonpowerofelectromagneticray
providedbyelectricitybureaus;alternatively,wecanusesmall,nimbleaircraft.Transportation
thatisimportantordoesnotneedtobefastisprovidedbysolarpoweredvehicles.Underground
railwaysthatwerepopularforatime100yearsagoarenolongerconsideredbysometobe
suitableforthetransportationofhumans,whoarethelordsofcreation,andthus,theyareno
longerneeded.Theymostlydisappearedalongwithabovegroundandelevatedrailways.Someof
theremainingundergroundrailwaysarenowusedaschemicalworkshops.

Inmoderntimes,beautifyingnaturecomeswithanenormouscostthatissecondonlytothatof
education;however,weshouldthinkofthiscostashavingbeenshiftedfromthatof
transportationandcivilengineeringlongago,anditisthankstosciencethatmanuallaborisno
longerneededforsuchpurposes.Aspartofthelandscapingworktobeautifynature,fruittrees
andvegetablesaregrownclosetoeveryresidentialareanowadays.Whatwasonceavailableto
onlytherichandpowerfulisnowavailabletoall.Ofcourse,thisonlycoversthosegoodssuitedto
eacharea,since,duetodifferencesinclimate,massproductiontakesplaceintropicalareaswhere
livingisuncomfortableandfromwheretheproduceisshipped.
Thetransformationsinsocialorganizationcomparedtoacenturyagohavebroughtaboutalltypes
ofamazingchanges.Theentireplanet,especiallythoseareasinthetemperatezonethatare
optimalforhumanexistence,containsnaturethatisstylizedandbeautifiedsothatitistruly
paradiseonearthasopposedtobeingneededforfarming.Certainly,weshouldsaythatthisisthe
fruitofgardendesignandlandscapesciencethatarosesuddenlyacenturyago.Whilewecannot
predictwhatwillhappeninthecenturyahead,evenifweendupbuildingourparadiseinthesky,
wemustviewlandscapingthatbeautifiestheearthforourenjoymentassomethingthatwill
developwellintotheforeseeablefuture.

KiyoshiInoshita(18841973)isapioneeroflandscapearchitectinJapan.Hegreatlycontributedto
enlargementoftheparksinTokyoasthechairoftheparksandgreenspacessectionofTokyo
MetropolitanGovernment.HeisoneofcontributorsoftheestablishmentofJapaneseInstituteof
LandscapeArchitecturein1925.