This drastic destruction was accounted for by an increased demand for construction materials owing to a nationwide population explosion and the large-scale construction of temples, shrines and castles that were carried out successively.
こうした激烈な森林破壊の背景には日本列島の人口の急激な膨張による建材需要や、大規模な寺社・城郭の造営が相次いだことがあったと考えられている。