Soundscape conservation policy focusing on the active listening: An examination based on the case of the Enshu-nada Sea of Japan

Abstract

This study examines the active nature of listening from the perspective of soundscape conservation. The classical psychophysics views hearing as a passive process, with a stimulus-response relationship. And the ISO definition of soundscape basically follows this scheme. However, this study highlights the significance of active listening, where the listener intentionally seeks information from the sonic environment. In the Enshu region of Japan, which is the case of this research, there is a phenomenon that the sound of waves propagates far and wide, and this knowledge has been passed down through generations tales and folklore. This fact indicates that the people in this region once had a culture in which they actively sought meaning from the sound of waves. In this study, we collaborated with local residents to conduct observations of wave sounds, and some of the collaborators attempted to reconstruct their relationship with wave sounds through the practice of observation. The findings suggest that the act of listening has a significant impact on the formation of context. Therefore, active listening should be considered in soundscape conservation, as well as its relevance to the definition of "context" in the ISO.