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Introduction

My research focuses on the transformation of socio-economic systems in Egypt from the 13th to the 19th centuries, with particular emphasis on land tenure, water administration, and irrigation systems. Through the analysis of documentary sources from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, I have examined the structure of water governance and social order in Egypt. In recent years, I have also been engaged in building a digital archive of historical architecture in the historic districts of Cairo. I am a recipient of the JCAS Award for Promoting Area Studies, the JSPS Prize, and the Herend Prize of the Collegium Mediterranistarum.

Achievements

■Transformation and Continuity of the Land System during a Dynastic Transition
Research Objective: To clarify the transformation and continuity of the land system from the Mamluk to the Ottoman period based on documentary sources.
Wakako Kumakura, The Land System and Nile Irrigation in Medieval Egypt, University of Tokyo Press, February 2019
■Historical Transformation of Nile Irrigation and Water Administration
Research Objective: To explore the relationship between water, politics, and society by tracing institutional changes in the management of Nile irrigation from the medieval to the modern period.
■Digital Archiving of Cultural Heritage in the Historic District of Cairo
Research Objective: To develop new methods of documentation and historical analysis of urban space through the digital archiving of Islamic architectural heritage in Cairo's historic district.
Database of Historical Monuments in Islamic Cairo, https://islamic-architecture.aa-ken.jp/
Qalawun VR Project, https://qalawun.aa-ken.jp/en/

Areas of Research

・History of the Middle East and North Africa

Social Contributions

1. Providing historical insights into water management and land tenure systems
By examining the practical operation of irrigation and land tenure in pre-modern Egypt, this research offers historical perspectives that may inform contemporary resource governance and institutional design.

2. Deepening understanding of the interaction between institutions and society
Through the analysis of legal and administrative documents, the study sheds light on how formal institutions shaped everyday life and social order, offering a framework for historically grounded inquiry into state–society relations.

3. Contributing to the preservation and scholarly use of historic urban heritage
By developing digital archives of historic structures in Cairo’s old city, this work supports both the preservation of cultural heritage and the creation of research infrastructures for its future utilization.
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