Living Tradition or Panda’s Cage? RIITTA ‘ RI’ SALASTIE Living Tradition or Panda’s Cage? AN ANALYSIS OF THE URBAN CONSERVATION IN KYOTO. CASE STUDY: 35 YAMAHAKO NEIGHBOURHOODS Academic Dissertation for the Degree of Doctor of Technology to be presented with due permission for public examination and debate, in Helsinki University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture on the 21st of August, 1999, at 12 noon. HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, FINLAND 1999 Copyright © 1999 Teknillisen korkeakoulun arkkitehtiosaston tutkimuksia Helsinki 1999/16 Salastie Riitta ‘RI’, Living Tradition or Panda's Cage? An Analysis of Urban Conservation in Kyoto. Case Study: 35 Yamahoko Neighbourhoods. Book design by Reetta Kyttä Printed by Gummerus Kirjapaino Oy, Jyväskylä 1999 ISBN 951-22-4575-2 ISSN 1236-6013 Helsinki University of Technology Department of Architecture Otakaari 1, 02150 Espoo, Finland Arkkitehtuurin historia. Väitöskirja. Manuscript received 16. 2. 1997 Accepted 18. 5. 1999 Communicated by Professor Masafumi Yamasaki and Professor Fred Thompson HELSINKI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Architecture To Mr. and Mrs. Sugiura “Hmm, it’s excellent. The color harmony...fine. You’ve never drawn anything so novel before; nevertheless, it’s restrained. Weaving it will be difficult. But, we’ll put our hearts into it and give it a try. The design shows your daughter’s respect for her parents and her parents’ affection for their daughter.” “Thank you. Nowadays, people would be quick to use an English word like ‘idea’ or ‘sense’. Even colors are now referred to in faddish Western terms.” “Those aren’t high-quality goods”. “I hate it that Western words have come into use. Haven’t there been splendidly elegant colors in Japan since ancient times?” “Even black has various subtle shadows,” Sosuke nodded. “Yes, I was just thinking about that today. There are some obi makers like Izukura. They have a modern factory in a four-story Western-style building. Nishijin will probably go the same way. They make five hundred obis a day and soon the employees will be taking part in the company’s management. The average age of the employees is in the twenties and thirties. Small house business like mine with hand looms will probably disappear within twenty or thirty years.” “That’s ridiculous.” “If one survived, wouldn’t it have to be under government sponsorship as an ‘Intangible Cultural Treasure’? ...Why, even a person like you, Sada, with your Klee or whatever...” Yasunari Kawabata, The Old Capital. San Fransisco: North Point Press 1987 (1962). 9 Abstract Salastie Riitta ‘RI’, Living Tradition or Panda's Cage? An Analysis of Urban Conservation in Kyoto. Case Study: 35 Yamahoko Neighbourhoods. Gummerus Kirjapaino Oy, Jyväskylä 1999. 306 Pages. Teknillisen korkeakoulun arkkitehtiosaston tutkimuksia Helsinki 1999/16 ISBN 951-22-4575-2, ISSN 1236-6013 The focus of the research is the city centre of Kyoto and there, the group of thirty-five hoko neighbourhoods known for the organisation of the Gion Festival. At the present moment the wooden town heritage in the area is threatened in a number of ways. Such threats are both the threatening effects of town planning as well as the lack of appropriate urban conservation policies. Focusing on a few, selected landmarks and areas has led to the compartmentalising of the city and to the failure of municipal authorities to identify culturally dependent and place-oriented value-categories. In the process the heritage evaluation methods in use have played more than a minor role. The methodological approach taken in the thesis aims to an approach where the dwelling patterns and cultural patterns are identified as an inseparable entity. Such an approach is especially important in Kyoto where traditional townhouses were never just residential spaces but had important production and cultural functions as well. Cultural values are analysed through the tradition of the Screen Festival. The wooden townhouse context plays an important role as the scenic stage of the festival. The interpretation of the Japanese context and its implications for urban conservation work are an essential part of the research. The inter-relationship between the urban dwelling and the street and the importance of place are defined as major cultural values to be focused on. The heritage argumentation methods are seen as an important tool how to enhance cultural values and continuous use. On-site recording is used as an important evaluation tool. The author measured for the thesis approximately one hundred wooden facades of traditional townhouses in the survey area. Furthermore, as a member of the Kyoto University research team the author participated in an extensive field research during the Gion Festival in three following years, where all screen displays and their urban settings were documented including more than 160 antique screens. The conclusions of the thesis suggest that the wooden town heritage cannot be assessed through selected (expert) values alone, but also other values and meanings must be taken into consideration. The wooden town heritage is appreciated, not only because of its visual and historical characteristics but also because of its capacity to hold cultural values and ways of life. Individual interpretations and cultural readings add to 10 the significance of place. The traditional display patterns are identified as key cultural values that should be an essential part of heritage assessment work. The conclusions of the research do not apply only to Kyoto but are closely related to the urban conservation problems of wooden towns in general. Because of the fragility of the wooden town tradition and the authenticity problems involved, the methodological approach should be paid special attention. The wooden town heritage cannot be evaluated using same criteria as towns built in stone or brick. Changes and alterations must be tolerated if any of the wooden town heritage is to be preserved. Social values, cultural practices and individual interpretations should be added as an important element in the evaluation practices of heritage. Keywords: Japanese architecture, Kyoto, urban conservation, wooden town heritage, Gion Festival, Screen Festival 11 Contents Preface ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 PART I GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK Chapter 1 THE CONTENT OF THE THESIS Chapter 2 THE YAMAHOKO PROGRAMME General Outline of the Programme ....................................................................................................................... 27 Content and Objectives of the Programme ......................................................................................................... 28 Key Results of the Programme ................................................................................................................................ 29 Key Persons Met through the Programme ........................................................................................................... 31 Author’s Contribution to the Programme............................................................................................................ 31 The Cultural Heritage Documentation Programme and the Current Research ........................................ 32 Chapter 3 THE GION FESTIVAL History and General Outline of the Gion Festival ............................................................................................. 33 The Gion Festival and Thirty-five Hoko Neighbourhoods ................................................................................. 34 The Screen Festival ..................................................................................................................................................... 35 List of the Main Festival Events................................................................................................................................ 36 Cultural Protection and the Gion Festival ............................................................................................................ 37 Cultural Protection and the Screen Festival......................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 4 THE CITY CENTRE AND THE HOKO NEIGHBOURHOODS Historical Outline and Character of the Grid-Plan Area .................................................................................. 43 Kyo¯-Machiya, the Kyoto Townhouse ....................................................................................................................... 45 City Centre with Multiple Cores ............................................................................................................................ 45 Description of the Survey Area and the Hoko Neighbourhoods .................................................................... 47 Chapter 5 THE LATTICE KO¯SHI FACADE AND EVOLUTION OF THE UNIFIED TOWNSCAPE The Evolution of Kyoto’s Townscape and the Rakuchu¯ -Rakugai Paintings ..................................................... 49 The City and its Outskirts - One Entity................................................................................................................ 50 Evolution of the 16th and Early 17th Century Townscape ............................................................................... 51 The Kaleidoscopic Edo Period