A Study of the Importance of Personal Interests Concerning on Urban Planning: Case Studies in Kyoto City, Japan

Abstract

In the conservation work or urban development terms, the most complicated process is to balance and distinguish personal requirements into group of interests or circulate public of interests for each individual. In Japan, the successful community participation process of “Machizukuri” or “Town making” has been widely accepted because of its activation of community planning achievement, especially in Kyoto. According to “Machizukuri” which refers to a collaboration of communities, Kyoto city and the business operators have followed the principle of the benefit of equivalence between peaceful living of local people and the appropriate income of business. The collaboration has kept Kyoto as a charming city where a diversity of historical image in an early era of Japan and the technological convenient facilities of the city are combined. For these reasons, the objective of this study aims to understand and expose the inner significance of Machizukuri, in order to integrate or generate several interests in the operation of community’s plan. This research has been reviewed and compared through the urban planning activities. The case-studies are separated into the tourist scenery area, living area and economic area within the three historical characteristic areas including Icinenzaka-Ninenzaka, Anekoji Dori and Pontocho. The results have shown the repetitive successful activities that mainly focus on personal interests, which gradually generate the meaningful consequences for the community’s future images. Thus, it is crucial to consider about personal benefits and it needs a greater attention from its community or sustainable urban development planning.