The Current Factors Impeding the Preservation and Utilization of Historical Buildings in Japan

Abstract

This paper intends to reveal the current situation and problems of historical building preservation in Japanese practices, which are an indispensable asset in town development in Japan. This work focuses mainly on historical building preservation in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, which contains a high number of historical buildings as an example of historical municipalities. The investigation has been conducted based on the international understanding of historic preservation, and the analysis works have been carried out based on the overall amount of historical buildings in Japan and their relevant cultural property system, and the relationship between historical buildings and the Building Standards Law. The support systems developed for historical buildings, and the relevant factors impeding the preservation and utilization of historical buildings have been discussed. The challenge of bringing historical buildings into conformity with international building guidelines and codes, as well as the difficulty of incorporating modern technologies and materials, how these issues are dealt with in Japan and particularly challenging obstacles are clarified.