In this article, the author considers the future of visual productions which may be outcomes of research projects that have adopted “visual ethnography” and/or “participatory visual methodologies.” More concretely, the author’s doctoral research project based on visual ethnography methodology, the visual production of “‘Families’ on the move,” created with collaborators, is introduced as a case study. For the purpose of opening dialogue between the ethnographic study and diverse audiences, the author has designed the screening of “‘Families’ on the move” using the concept of a “mobile laboratory.” Instead of watching the film and leaving, the audience remains actively engaged in dialogue after the screening and thus participates in the research. In order to maximize the reach of the “mobile laboratory,” various types of screenings have been hosted for over a year at different locations and, as of April 2019, screenings have been held in 37 places while 819 people have participated. By elaborating on the design and results of the screenings held throughout Japan, the author considers the screening practices using a framework known as “pedagogy of screening.”

Japanese people have long carried infants on their backs when going about their work. However, such tools have rarely been studied and their details have never been clarified, although their names and simple shapes have been passed down through generations in various regions.

Kooi-obi in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture and mokko in Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, are two examples of back carrying tools that have been handed down through the generations and their production methods are still available. Although the kooi-obi is preserved through various pieces of literature, there is no evidence of its recent production and it was only used by a certain group of people that included wealthy farmers and landowners. The mokko in Amakusa, in contrast, is popular among residents of the island and has been used since the Meiji period, although no literature is available regarding it. It was a useful childrearing item for caregivers to enable them to be engaged in the main local industry of fisheries and it is still used as one of the tools for childrearing as it is easy to operate, comfortable, and can be used in different ways due to its form.

In recent years, the Chinese livestock industry has experienced an acceleration in specialization, industrialization, and intensification, accompanied by environmental deterioration such as water pollution and eutrophication. In response to the serious issue of pollution, the Chinese government has initiated a number of policies, such as improvements in processing technology and demarcating areas where livestock farming is prohibited. However, pollution still thrives. To determine the current status of the problem, the authors conducted field research at several livestock farms in the rural area of the Anhui Province. They concluded that in rural areas where traditional agriculture and villages continue to exist, livestock farmers applied their practical knowledge and achieved cyclic utilization of livestock waste by collaborating with arable farmers. However, it was found that after relocating livestock farms, the trust based on the social relationship between livestock farmers and arable farmers tended to collapse. Livestock farmers only tend to continue their work in order to meet the administrative directive. As a result, livestock farmers do not put in much effort, corresponding to their income, which ultimately affects the treatment of livestock waste.

This article discusses how the lives of elderly laypeople in Cambodia relate to Buddhist beliefs and practices by shedding light on a new practice that has emerged in urban areas, in which elderly people learn the theories of Abhidhamma, one of the philosophical divisions in Tripiṭaka of Thēravāda Buddhism. By focusing on learners’ personal experiences, the author attempts to determine the essential characteristics of “learning in old age.” Through class observations and interviews, a significant switch to a new set of ideologies can be observed: Elderly learners actively struggle with Buddhist philosophies in an intellectual manner, and are not merely satisfied with the conventional lay practice of “merit making,” which involves provision of material support to temples and monks and observation of lay precepts. These learners have endured two decades of suffering since the 1970s and therefore, seem to have a strong motivation to study Abhidhamma, something that they call “analyses of the mind.” Abhidhamma not only provides elderly learners with a theoretical method to overcome “suffering” but also induces an inner strength gained from contentment due to the learning activity itself.

In this paper, the author focused on women’s life world in Japanese mountainous areas and clarified their life consciousness using data from interview. Against the backdrop of women choosing to live in their hometown, issues such as familism, anti-urban thinking, and individual approaches to life affect their choices. However, the current perception of familism is changing. Women’s ideologies have become more flexible than those of their parents. The author also found that women now live independently. Women have been adapting to changes in local circumstances and characteristics of local life in a critical and objective manner. It is important for women to live in an environment that is different from urban life. The urgent issue is to establish a platform where women can discuss and exchange opinions. We must act positively on the opinions of women living in Japanese mountainous areas.