Japan: Nation Building Nature is the first book to map out the views of nature that have shaped the widely acclaimed but often misunderstood modern architecture of Japan. By connecting the dots between philosophy, design, geopolitics, and an earnest quest for a greener tomorrow, this book explains how Japanese culture can shed new light on our understanding of ecology, and vice-versa. Using a distinctive blend of academic research and personal experience, Joachim Nijs draws on architectural history to navigate Japan's complex and unique ecological ethic through the lens of four stereotypical phenomena: earthquakes, monsoon climates, nuclear erasure of life, and insularity. This book offers key insights and references for anyone wishing to deepen their knowledge of Japan and its architecture.