Local Association - Kyodokai

However, since the Meiji period, Japan has been so fascinated by the modernization of Europe and America and the universality of its scientific theories that it has tended to overlook the fact that these have ancient local roots. The activities of the Local Society, which was founded in 1910 by Inazo Nitobe, Kunio Yanagita and others, have attracted attention in this regard. The Local Society rejected the overemphasis on central culture and the superficial adoption of modern science, and sought to uncover living indigenous values ​​through field research in local areas. It even went so far as to publish a magazine called Local Studies, which included reports on research from various regions.

*Some of the terminology used in reference to "Local Associations" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…　ところが明治以来の日本では，欧米の近代化とその科学理論の普遍性に目を奪われるあまり，それらの母体に，古い地方的なもののあることが見のがされる傾向が強かった。1910年以来，新渡戸稲造柳田国男らが結成した郷土会の活躍が，この点で注目をひく。郷土会は，中央文化への偏重や近代科学の表面的な摂取を退け，郷土の実地調査をもとに生きた土着の価値を掘りあてようとする集いで，各地の調査報告を収録した雑誌《郷土研究》も発刊されるにいたった。…

※「郷土会」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報