Evaluation and Position in Terms of Policy of the Conversion of an Imperial Estate to a Public Park by Hyogo Prefecture

Abstract

This paper examines the evaluation and position in terms of policy of the leasing from the Imperial Household Department of the grounds of Akashi Castle, formerly an imperial estate, for use as a public park. When the Hyogo prefectural assembly was considering the proposed budget for converting the site to a park, voices were raised in opposition to the idea of opening the park to the public. The citizens of Akashi welcomed the opening of the Akashi Castle site, which had been closed to the public as an imperial estate. Local newspapers initially expressed support for the plan to make the site into a public park, but they urged further study of the project. Yasuhei Nagaoka, the park's designer, himself declared that the new park was the foremost in Japan. This work on the park was positioned by Chotaro Seino, the Hyogo prefectural governor, as part of the social policy he aggressively pursued.