Management Process of Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Japan

Abstract

The System of Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Japan is a system which manages historical community conservation area. It is successful in terms of spreading historical community conservation to many local areas around Japan. The management system is divided into 4 processes: 1) observing community conditions for conservation; 2) determining preservation districts for groups of traditional buildings; 3) conducting historical community conservation; and 4) applying for the status of the important districts for preservation of a group of traditional buildings. The conservation is overseen by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with local administrative organizations, the public, and local scholars.

The successful management is attributed to the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ establishment of clear procedures and operational standards. The Agency for Cultural Affairs has also delegated conservation of historical community to local administrative organizations, enabling effective conservation of the community. Thanks to legal and financial mechanisms, the Agency has succeeded in inducing control, creating incentives, and ensuring sound knowledge impartation. Hence, the local organizations are able to correctly conserve historical community according to academic principles. In addition, promoting engagement with the public and establishing a central organization for conservation examination render historical community conservation tangible and in accordance with the community development directions. The findings from the study have been synthesized to give recommendations to related organizations regarding historical community conservation in Thailand.