A Community Dilemma Triggered by the Issue of Vacant Houses in a Historic Townscape

Focusing on the Attitudes of Residents toward Newcomers in the Narai-juku Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Shiojiri city, Nagano Prefecture

Abstract

Focusing on the structure of the attitudes of residents living in the Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings toward the newcomers, this study clarified the actual situation of vacant houses and the social dilemma of “Openness” and “Conservatism”toward newcomers and tourism triggered by the vacant house issue through interview surveys. Nearly half of the vacant houses in the district are preserved buildings, and the survival of the historical townscape is in serious jeopardy. And, in order to obtain suggestions for the sustainable co-management of the townscape in the future, SEM was conducted based on a questionnaire survey of all residents. As a result, it was confirmed that awareness of the townscape significantly affects social capital and social dilemma.