Cultural Approaches to Environmental Challenges: Animistic Stories in Japan's Elementary School Language Textbooks

Purpose Cultural approaches that aim to shift people's worldviews toward environmental sustainability have gained attention, but most remain small-scale or experimental. This study examines the nationwide implementation of cultural approaches through Japan's integration of animistic stories into elementary school language textbooks. Design/Approach/Method We analyze the content, pedagogical guidance, and students’ reflections related to animistic stories to explore how they encourage a shift away from human exceptionalism and toward interdependence. We also examine the historical conditions that enabled their inclusion and analyze long-term public opinion data to assess broader shifts in worldview. Findings Narrative analysis identified five animistic stories in which tensions are resolved through a shift in worldview, a theme reinforced by pedagogical approaches and students’ written reflections. Historically, animistic stories began appearing in textbooks in the 1950s as environmental issues gained visibility. Opinion poll data show a marked rise from the 1970s onward in the proportion of adults endorsing an “attuned to nature” worldview, suggesting a societal shift. Originality/Value This study demonstrates how the cultural approach to sustainability may be implemented at scale within formal education systems, addressing a gap in the literature that has thus far focused primarily on small-scale or experimental applications.