=?UTF-8?B?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 2ZXJlZCBhcyByYXcgbWF0ZXJpYWwuIFRoaXMgZmxvdyBjaXJjdWxhdGVkIGFzIHRoZSB0b3duJ3MgZWNvbm9teS4=?=

The Scent of Ink and Ash-Covered Roads: Edo, 1603–1868 During the Edo period, reuse was integrated into daily life not merely as a virtue of frugality, but as a necessary mechanism for maintaining the city. Materials like paper, ash, and metal retained value before disposal. Scrap dealers roamed the town collecting them, and through wholesalers and artisans, they were transformed back into raw materials. Scrap dealers and collectors gathered paper, metal, and old cloth, while repair craftsmen and recyclers supported a culture of using things to the end—fixing broken pots, ceramics, buckets, barrels, and even blades. It wasn't the end when something broke; it was repaired to extend its life, and finally, it was recovered as raw material. This flow circulated as the town's economy.

Central to this cycle was the utilization of human waste and ash. In Edo, human waste and ash from the city were taken to the countryside as valuable goods, returned to the fields as fertilizer, and the rice and vegetables grown there were then supplied back to Edo. Rather than simply discarding waste, the city maintained relative cleanliness through a division of labor with surrounding rural areas, circulating materials. The fact that human waste and ash even became a source of income for city dwellers shows that reuse was not a moral imperative but a practical necessity for daily life and household finances.

Reuse was not merely collection; it encompassed a full industrial chain including repair and resale. The presence of craftsmen specializing in repairs ensured items lasted longer and maintained the quality of collected goods. The interlocking of repair and collection reduced waste and minimized the outflow of resources from the town. Edo society established a multi-layered system for the collection and reuse of not only night soil and ash, but also paper scraps, old clothes, barrels, umbrellas, and more.

Distribution, skilled trades, and daily habits converged to maximize the use of limited resources. The collection and supply of human waste functioned as both an institutional and economic system, ultimately creating a circular circuit connecting city and countryside. These mechanisms serve as a reference point when discussing modern circular societies.