Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan for the World Cultural Heritage, “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” March 2013 Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan for the World Cultural Heritage, “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” CONTENTS Chapter 1 Objective and Function of this Plan 1 1. Background and Objective of this Plan ........................................................... 2 2. Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan .................................... 3 3. Function of this Plan ....................................................................................... 9 4. How this Plan was Developed ........................................................................ 10 Chapter 2 Overview and Existing State of the World Heritage, “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” 15 1. Basic Facts Related to World Heritage Inscription ........................................... 16 2. Existing State of the Property ......................................................................... 28 3. Summary of the Existing State of the Property and Perspectives for the Development of this Plan .................................................................................. 41 Chapter 3 Vision and Basic Policies for Comprehensive Preservation and Management 43 1. Vision for Comprehensive Preservation and Management ............................ 44 2. Scope of Comprehensive Preservation and Management ............................. 45 3. Basic Policies for Comprehensive Preservation and Management ............... 46 Chapter 4 Preservation and Management of the Property 51 1. Principles ........................................................................................................... 52 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 53 Chapter 5 Conservation of the Buffer Zone 59 1. Principles........................................................................................................... 60 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 61 Chapter 6 Conservation of Landscapes of the Surrounding Area 75 1. Principles........................................................................................................... 76 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 77 Chapter 7 Safeguarding of Historical Cultural Resources Associated with the Property 81 1. Principles....................................................................................................... 82 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 83 Chapter 8 Infrastructure, Interpretation and Utilization 87 1. Principles........................................................................................................... 88 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 89 Chapter 9 Monitoring 99 1. Principles........................................................................................................... 100 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 101 Chapter 10 Organization for Comprehensive Preservation and Management 107 1. Principles ........................................................................................................... 108 2. Direction of Action (Guidance) .......................................................................... 109 Chapter 11 Revision of the Plan 113 Action Plan 115 Chapter 1 Objective and Function of this Plan Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan for “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” 1. Background and Objective The recent situations encompassing the UNESCO World Heritage has been indicating the need for and importance of comprehensive preservation, management, and utilization of the property, buffer zone etc. even already in the nomination stage in order to maintain the Outstanding Universal Value. In Japan, the development of a “Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan” is now a requirement for new nominations, although at the time of the nomination of this particular property it was not a requirement. The aforementioned tendency is particularly evident in the case of serial cultural properties whose component parts are in different locations and of varied characteristics. The World Heritage “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” (referred to as the “this property” hereinafter) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Okinawa Prefecture has since been taking the initiative in conserving each of its component parts at the local government level, for example by developing the “Basic Guidelines for Preservation, Management, and Utilization of the Component Parts of the World Heritage” in 2002 and clarifying its basic policies for the preservation and management of this property. Since ten years have passed since its inscription on the World Heritage List, with various changes taking place including the way this property is used and the surrounding social conditions, new approach for the preservation and management of this property is required to respond to such changes in order to ensure the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value. Under the above-mentioned circumstances, the “Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan for the World Cultural Heritage, “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu’” (hereafter to be referred to as the “plan”) has been developed to show basic policies for the comprehensive preservation and management of the “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu” in the coming years, as well as measures and initiatives concerning various items related to the preservation, maintenance, interpretation, and utilization. This plan also aims to pass the Outstanding Universal Value of this property on to future generations and explore ways to address the present issues concerning the conservation of the component parts of the World Heritage in Okinawa, which have arisen over the past ten years after inscription and deal with tourism and other social services in consideration of today’s global trends and experience of World Heritage conservation in general. This plan has been developed in consideration of the latest developments in research and review on World Heritage and sustainable tourism promoted by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre*1 and the initiatives on the “formation of sustainable tourist sites” promoted by Okinawa Prefecture with the participation of local communities and other stakeholders. *1 The World Heritage Committee requested the World Heritage Centre as its Secretariat to draft a new comprehensive program regarding the World Heritage and sustainable tourism in the 34th session (Brasilia, 2010). As a result, the Secretariat presented the “World Heritage Tourism Programme” in the 36th session (Saint Petersburg, 2012), which was adopted by the World Heritage Committee. 2 Chapter 1 Objective and Positioning of the Plan 2. Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan The content of the Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan, shown in the guideline issued by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in March 2008, titled “Concerning the Preparation of the Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan for the Nomination of a Cultural Heritage for Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List (interim report)” (only available in Japanese), is shown below. This document is a report of the research conducted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs for the purpose of providing guidance for the preparation of a comprehensive plan for preservation and management of a cultural heritage to be nominated for World Heritage inscription. [What is the Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan] 1. “Management Plan for a World Heritage property” required for World Heritage inscription In the “Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention” (2005 version is the latest version at the time of the preparation of this guideline; hereafter referred to as the “Operational Guidelines”), the UNESCO World Heritage Committee sets out requirements for nomination for inscription on the World Heritage List, including the preparation of the management plan for the World Heritage property, in which the content of preservation and management is clarified in writing for the purpose of preserving and managing the Outstanding Universal Value of the nominated property properly. 2. Plan for an integrated preservation and management of the nominated property consisting of diverse component parts In the recent nominations of cultural heritage from Japan for World Heritage inscription, it has become usual to nominate several cultural properties as one whole, combining national treasures, important cultural properties, special historic sites, special places of scenic beauty, special natural monuments, historic sites, places of scenic beauty, natural monuments, and/or important cultural landscapes, and/or important preservation districts for groups of historic buildings in one context. In order to ensure proper preservation and management of the nominated property as one whole in one context, instead of addressing varied