Tokuji Chiba's "A Study of Hageyama" shows that there was severe forest devastation during the Edo period. Then, if we look at Japanese history as a whole [...].
*Part 1 is here A famous book discussing local forest overuse and historical background Reading "Hageyama no Kenkyu" by Tokuji Chiba (Part 1) Tokuji Chiba "Hage [...].
We know that when forests are disturbed, the water retention capacity of mountain areas is reduced and large amounts of sediment are washed downstream, forming overhead rivers and deepening harbors at the mouths of rivers [...].