Taking it to the Mayor
この前に、「京都では京都らしさが消えている」との件について書きました。その時に、ジャパニーズイングループの集まりで京都の方に怒られました。京都は最近に「日本の中の京都である」との事を気付いて、保存は一生懸命だと。
私は別に京都バッシングしていたじゃなくて、一例としてしか言っていません。日本全国で日本のらしさが消えているわけ。この千曲市で、一番目立っているのは土壁の蔵が多い稲荷山地区です。一方では市の観光印刷物に紹介されているけど、実際は年々に蔵が減っています。壊れていてきている蔵は民間だけじゃ直せないのは現実です。今日は稲荷山の町並み保存の仲間と市長にアポを取って挨拶しました。行政の協力をお願いしました。「タイラーも来たか？」と言われました。そうだよ。私は稲荷山みたいな地区の為に日本に来ましたよ。千曲市は京都と同じく、日本にある。その「日本」のらしさを守る責任があると、意見として言わせていただきました。
まあ、去年は千曲市が「花いっぱい運動」を中止したぐらい町並み関心の（及び予算）がないから言い訳で終わっちゃいそう・・・ 悲しい。
Last week I wrote about how Kyoto was losing its Kyoto-ness. Then at the Japanese Inn Group annual meeting, one of the Kyoto innkeepers got upset, saying that Kyoto has come to realize that it doesn't exist in a vaccuum, that it is in Japan, and as such has a responsiblity to honor and respect its traditions as such.
I wasn't trying to be critical of Kyoto per se. I was just mentioning it as one example. All over Japan, areas of Japan-ness are disappearing. Here in Chikuma City, the most noticeable is the Inariyama district with a large concentration of earthen-walled storehouses. At one point, the city was using pictures of Inariyama in its tourism literature. But so many of the classic storehouses have been demolished, or covered in aluminum siding, that it's become an embarrassment as a tourist site. Today, some of the members of the Inariyama Preservation Society and I got an appointment with the mayor and passed on our desire for the city's help in preserving these irreplaceable buildings. Private owners can't pay for the upkeep themselves -- public support is necessary. The mayor was surprised to see me attend. I told him it was for districts like Inariyama that I came to Japan!
However, Chikuma City's cancelation of its city-supported flower program last year I think is an indication of how little importance the city pays to its appearance (as well as how tight the budget is). I am afraid Inariyama's storehouses will dissappear in a sea of excuses... How unfortunate.
