Results and subjects of geotour from view of disaster prevention class

Case of utilization of natural and historical landscapes in Fukuchiyama castle town, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture, is an area frequently flooded by the Yura River system that runs through the city. The authors conducted a geotour for graduate students in Fukuchiyama City to learn about river use and the relationship between internal and external flooding and topography. The tour was designed to discover the relationship between the construction of Fukuchiyama Castle and the river topography in the development of the castle town, and to learn first causes about the topography that could be a natural predisposition for external and internal water flooding. Based on the analysis of pre- and post-practice questionnaires, participants gained a better understanding of the natural and social predispositions to flood hazards by observing microtopography and historical buildings. They also deepened their understanding of the blessings they have enjoyed from the rivers. A future challenge in developing geotours that incorporate a disaster prevention perspective is to devise guides that accommodate participants with different levels of knowledge.