Foreword to the 2025 Edition

The first edition of this manual, published in 2016, was translated into English, French, and Chinese and has been used by many people. During this time, Sony Computer Science Laboratories has developed various support technologies to promote practice in more diverse climatic zones and ecosystems. Building on these achievements, we have revised this manual to enhance its searchability and enable integration with support technologies. We are now releasing the 2025 edition, optimized for web reference.

In revising this manual, we have reviewed the expressions used in the 2016 edition and incorporated subsequent research findings from Sony Computer Science Laboratories and the Synecoculture Association [Sony CSL] [SynecoAsso] , as well as insights gained from societal implementation through SynecO, Inc. [SynecO] . Focusing on knowledge backed by scientific verification and prediction, it has been newly compiled.

This manual contains only findings regarding various phenomena related to synecoculture that can be explained with scientific validity. This does not restrict the development of related activities; rather, new phenomena and ideas not included here will likely become the driving force for advancing scientific understanding in the future.

This manual is published under a CCBYND license as research and educational material for the Complex Systems Digital Campus, a university collaboration program led by UNESCO [elab] . While it can be read as a standalone document, it is structured to aid practical implementation in the field when referenced through the support tools provided separately.

As we approach the mid-21st century, when the Earth’s environmental capacity nears its limits, we hope this manual will serve as a catalyst for reconnecting your daily life with the surrounding environment and ecosystems, and for rethinking our socioeconomic systems and civilization.

September 2025 in Florence, Italy
Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.
Senior Researcher Masatoshi Funabashi