ON THE INVESTIGATION OF JAPANESE HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK

Abstract

Because Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was called Toyohara and was the central city of Southern Sakhalin (Karafuto) between 1905 arid 1945, it has many unknown Japanese buildings. We re-investigated them in the summer of 2001, and confirmed 43 Japanese architectural subgroups including 90 buildings and 3 ruins. The heritage buildings in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk are the most numerous in all Sakhalin, and include many architectural types. Those buildings remain localized in the northern urban area around Sakhalinskaya Street are worth protection as historic architectural sites. The public facilities designed by Architect Yoshio Kaizuka (1900-74) are also noteworthy. Most of them are damaged or have been repaired by Russian architects without regard to their original design, and Russian law currently doesn't sufficiently protect them. Further co-operation is needed between Japan and the Sakhalin administration and Russian government in order to save the historical buildings.