A Study on the Sustainable Preservation of Shirakawa-Go, the Site of WORLD HERITAGE

2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11490013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B).
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 広領域
• Research Institution: Gifu University
• Principal Investigator: GODA Shoji Gifu Univ., Faculty of Regional Studies, Professor, 地域科学部, 教授 (70021334)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ARIMOTO Nobuaki Gifu Univ., Faculty of Regional Studies, Professor, 地域科学部, 教授 (40115390) ; MORITA Masami Ouka Univ., Faculty of Human Science, Assistant Professor, 人文学部, 助教授 (50231642) ; HIGO Mutsuki Gifu Univ., Faculty of Regional Studies, Assistant Professor, 地域科学部, 助教授 (80198994) ; YOKOYAMA Etsuo Nagoya Univ., Faculty of Education, Assistant Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (40210629) ; HAYASHI Masako Gifu Univ., Faculty of Regional Studies, Professor, 地域科学部, 教授 (30198858)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2000
• Keywords: Shirakawa-Go / World Heritage / Biotope Network System / Transport Demand Management / Thatched House / Green Tourism / ENATSU Miyoshi / Industrial Heritage

Research Abstract

In Shirakawa-Go, a mountain village in Gift Prefecture, many traditional thatched houses in the Gassho-Style agglomerate, and the life of local residents intertwines with such World Heritage.
On the vegetation structure, the secondary broad-leaved forests, the most prominent elements, were composed from diverse tree species and reached the late successional stage. The vegetation in residential area and rice field also had higher species diversity. The natural environment with rich flora and fauna have been maintained by the formation of the biotope network system composed from these landscape elements.
The construction of the expressway and the tunnel around Shirakawa-Go have pulled a large number of visitors far more than the capacity of this area and bring environmental pollution caused by tourism. Such problem bring up the necessity of Transport Demand Management based on maturity of consciousness to preserve the cultural heritage.
Though Gasshou-Houses were remodeled in the past, new remodeling is strictly regulated by policy at present, involving the residents' participation in the decision. Residents maintain the traditional mutual assistance among them for renewal of their thatched roof. They depend on other villages for gathering of thatch.
Residents and tourists are requested to hold the understanding on "cultural heritage" and "green tourism" in common, through the community's objectives as follows : (1) Tourism which promotes cultural interchange between residents and tourists.(2) Liveliness in local industries and residents' daily life.(3) Preservation and commendation of Gassho-Village's traditional culture.
In the research project on literal heritage, through the examination of a roman on this region by ENATSU Miyoshi, it is confirmed that "fudo"(climate) functions as a momentum in creating the region's culture, and that "literature" plays a significant role in preserving the climate, in this particular case, of Shirakawa-Go.
Gassho-House is not only residence but also industrial heritage. People's technique which produced saltpeter from vegetable materials before moderm ages have been reflected in the construction of Gassho-House.