Current issues on historic urban heritage in Japan

Ref.: 10
Área temática: 01 Integridad física de los paisajes urbanos históricos
Fecha de recepción: 15/11/2008

AUTORES (* Autor principal)

AKAGAWA, Natsuko * - Deakin University (Australia)

EVALUACIÓN FINAL DEL COMITÉ CIENTÍFICO: Pendiente

ABSTRACT

Heritage conservation movement in Japan started around the late nineteenth century, during the transitional period from the feudalistic Shogunate government to centralised nation aiming for constitutional monarchy. Meiji restoration resulted in the establishment of new government in 1868. It was this time when the capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. The opening of the nation to the outside world and the idea to separate Shintoism and Buddhism caused damage to the Buddhism in Japan. Although it was not the intention, this led to the destruction of Buddhist properties around the nation. This raised concern for the loss of cultural properties in Japan including drain of art objects to foreign counties. In 1897, Law for the preservation of ancient shrines and temples was promulgated focusing on the `the architecture of shrines and temples, as well as the treasures they possess, particularly those that are symbolic historically, or serve as models of art.' In 1919, the Law for preservation of historic sites, places of scenic beauty and/or natural monument was enacted to protect the built environment and the nature from the impact of economic development, such as construction of roads, railways and factories. After the World War II, in 1950, the Law for the protection of cultural properties was enacted as a reaction to the fire incident at the Golden Pavilion of Horyuji Temple in 1949. The system has been developed ever since. The new system that regards the historic environment was adopted in 2008 which came out from Ministry of Land, Transport and Tourism. This new law would have additional influence on the protection of historic urban landscape in Japan. The paper will first discuss the establishment of cultural heritage protection movement and how it has evolved over the years. Secondly, it will elaborate the protection mechanism of historic urban area which is protected under the cultural conservation system and how other legal mechanism such as urban planning are involved. Thirdly, the paper discusses the current issues on urban heritage protection in Japan and under the international context. Reading from the issues and the global trend on the widening scope of cultural heritage, it could be seen that Japanese conservation system could be approaching a turning point.

BIBLIOGRAFÍA

Legal instruments related to the heritage conservation in Japan and in international context ; other documents and recent discussion on urban heritage and the historic urban landscape will be referred.
For example:
Agency of Cultural Affairs, Law for the protection of cultural properties, Tokyo: Agency of Cultural Affairs, 1950.
Askew, M and Logan, W. (eds) Cultural Identity and Urban changes in Southeast Asia, Melbourne: Deakin University Press, 1994.
Gibovic, D., J. Lutter, K. Manz, and R. Van Oers. International Conference World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture: Managing the Historic Urban Landscape, Vienna, Republic of Austria, 12-14 May 2005, Conference report. Vienna: City of Vienna, 2005
Logan, W. (ed.) The Disappearing 'Asian' City Protecting Asia's Urban Heritage in a Globalizing World, Hong Kong : Oxford University Press, 2002.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Vienna Memorandum, Paris: UNESCO, 2005.
Van Oers, R. `Towards new international guidelines for the conservation of historic urban landscapes'. City & Time, 3, no.3 (2007): 43-51.