Utilization and Sustainability of Nagaya-Mon Gate in Rural Area

Abstract

The study aims to clarify actual conditions of the Nagaya-mon gate focusing on utilization and its owner's intension to maintain, in order to obtain clue of preserving the gate. Utsunomiya city and Takanezawa town, Tochigi prefecture, were chosen for investigation because many Nagaya-mon Gates of rural type now exist in the area and these two local governments have both launched local landscape plan referred to the gate. Observation survey as well as hearing and questionnaires to the owner have been put into practice several times from 2008 to 2014.The conclusions can be summarized that in spite of the problems such as maintaining expenses, the owner's attachment and pride of the Nagaya-mon Gate is still observed, as they conceive that Nagaya-mon Gate is the symbol of their family's history. It can also be said that Nagaya-mon Gate would be maintained for the future, because facing damages by the Great East Japan Earthquake, majority of the injured gate were repaired