Shrine and temple forests

Japanese: 社寺有林 - しゃじゆうりん

Forests owned by shrines and temples. These are not seen in temples in urban temple towns, but shrines and temples in villages and those built in ancient times often have forests within their precincts or on the mountains behind them. There are approximately 30,000 shrines and temples that own forests, but most of them are less than 1 hectare in size. Before the Meiji Restoration, many forests were owned by shrines and temples, but in 1870 the government expropriated the land. The expropriated forests were kept by the shrines and temples again for a period of 50 years or less (shrine and temple-owned forests), and ownership of the forest land was permitted under certain conditions, with a share of the forest products.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

社寺が所有する森林。都市の寺町などの寺ではみられないが，村落にある社寺や古い時代に作られた社寺には森林を境内や裏山にもっている場合が多い。森林を所有する社寺は約3万あるが，1ha未満のものが大半である。明治維新前には社寺の領地としての森林が多かったが，1870年に政府は所領を上地させた。上地した森林を50年以下の期限で再びその社寺で保管させ(社寺保有林)，一定の条件の下で林地の所有を許可し，林産物の分収を行った。

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

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