This book is part of a series of studies and writings on utopian community practices around the world since the 19th century. It focuses on the experiments in labor and rural living conducted by a group of Japanese intellectuals in the 20th century. These include the collective New Village Movement initiated by Mushakoji Saneatsu, as well as the individualized, semi-agricultural lifestyles practiced by many writers. The book traces how their agrarian fundamentalist ideas were adapted and evolved during the social crisis brought about by the Great Depression, leading to political interventions and even complicity in the construction of the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.” It also uncovers the profound influence of 18th-century utopian philosopher Ando Shoeki on this radical intellectual history in modern Japan.

The author combines field research with archival studies to construct a richly detailed historical narrative that spans various periods and geographical contexts. While taking readers back to the historical scenes, the book also reflects on the lessons these historical experiences offer for addressing similar contemporary issues. Among the histories of utopian thought and experiments spanning the past two centuries, this is a rare Asian case study, revealing perspectives and practices shaped by geopolitical, political, and cultural differences, distinct from those in Europe and America.