Ellen Churchill Ellen Churchill Semple’s Field Semple’s Field

Research in JapanResearch in Japan

Pradyumna P. KaranPradyumna P. KaranUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky

Association of American Geographer Annual MeetingAssociation of American Geographer Annual Meeting April 18, 2007April 18, 2007

In early 1911 Ellen Semple In early 1911 Ellen Semple embarked on a 18-month, 46,000-embarked on a 18-month, 46,000-mile trip across Asia visiting mile trip across Asia visiting Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Java, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Java, Ceylon, India, Afghanistan, Ceylon, India, Afghanistan, Palestine and other Palestine and other Mediterranean countries Mediterranean countries arriving at Oxford, England in arriving at Oxford, England in summer of 1912.summer of 1912.

In Japan, Semple traveled extensively In Japan, Semple traveled extensively through mountainous Tohoku, Kanto, through mountainous Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai regions of Central Chubu, and Kansai regions of Central Honshu.Honshu.

Semple’s Travel in Semple’s Travel in JapanJapan

Her field research in Japan Her field research in Japan was facilitated by her Vassar was facilitated by her Vassar College class member College class member Sutematsu Yamakawa (1860-Sutematsu Yamakawa (1860-1919) who graduated along 1919) who graduated along with Semple in 1882, with Semple in 1882, and her husband General Iwao and her husband General Iwao Oyama, Minister of War in the Oyama, Minister of War in the Meiji Government.Meiji Government.

Sutematsu YamakawaSutematsu Yamakawa

Semple authored 2 papers based on her field research Semple authored 2 papers based on her field research in Japan in Japan and Koreaand Korea•Influence of Geographical Conditions Upon Japanese Influence of Geographical Conditions Upon Japanese Agriculture, Agriculture, Geographical JournalGeographical Journal, December 1912, December 1912•Japanese Colonial Methods, Japanese Colonial Methods, Bulletin of the American Bulletin of the American Geographical SocietyGeographical Society, 1913, 1913

In a 3rd paper Semple discusses field research and encourages women to do field research

•Geographical Research: As a Field for Women. The 50th Anniversary of the Opening of Vassar College October 10-13, 1915. A Record. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY pp. 70-80.

Aizu Wakamatsu

Princess OyamaPrincess Oyama

•In American geographical tradition In American geographical tradition Semple is considered an environmental Semple is considered an environmental determinist.determinist.

•Extent of her environmentalism is Extent of her environmentalism is unclear, but Semple shunned the word unclear, but Semple shunned the word “determined” for “influenced” in both “determined” for “influenced” in both papers.papers.

I will comment on her two published I will comment on her two published papers on Japanese Agriculture and papers on Japanese Agriculture and Colonial Methods.Colonial Methods.

•Geography at the turn of the 20Geography at the turn of the 20thth century was bristled with century was bristled with increasingly greater detail without increasingly greater detail without underlying principles.underlying principles.

•Semple tried to discover Semple tried to discover relationship between environment relationship between environment and society in Japan and Japanese and society in Japan and Japanese colonial territories through direct colonial territories through direct field observation.field observation.

•Explanatory description of farming Explanatory description of farming in Japan in the context of natural in Japan in the context of natural environment.environment.

•Environmental handicaps that beset Environmental handicaps that beset the Japanese agriculture, and the the Japanese agriculture, and the courage with which Japanese have courage with which Japanese have overcome them emphasizing the overcome them emphasizing the important role of humans in shaping important role of humans in shaping the rural landscapethe rural landscape

•Semple wrote that “Japanese have Semple wrote that “Japanese have attained perfection of methods as attained perfection of methods as applied to agriculture.” She applied to agriculture.” She suggests “necessity as the suggests “necessity as the incentive.”incentive.”

•Semple writes that “no animals in Semple writes that “no animals in Japan are used for food.” She cites Japan are used for food.” She cites lack of pasturage as a reason.lack of pasturage as a reason.

•But perhaps more important she But perhaps more important she advances religion, a cultural advances religion, a cultural factor, for the absence of factor, for the absence of livestock (cattle or sheep) in livestock (cattle or sheep) in JapanJapan

•Semple was the first American geographer to conduct field investigations in Japan and Korea

•Semple’s first major field research was on the Anglo-Saxons of Eastern Kentucky. In Japan, as in Eastern Kentucky, Semple observed the influence of geography on farming and rural landscape.

•Notes the undeniable relationship between environment and society, but also mentions the role of cultural factors.

•Semple saw the natural environment as the stage on which history unfolds, and the field as the geographer’s laboratory.

Semple at University of ChicagoSemple at University of Chicago

Semple at Clark UniversitySemple at Clark University