Abstract
Abstract. This study intends to develop a method of learning changes in the Kyoto townscape. We conducted an experiment using the Kyoto Memorygraph with old photographs from the Kyoto City Tram and Bus Photograph Database. The key findings of this paper are the following: Users can easily understand the details of changes in the townscape when comparing old photographs with the current townscape using Kyoto Memorygraph. By using this application in tours, users who were not previously familiar with the locations and characteristics of old photographs exhibited notable learning outcomes. In this experiment, participants focused on mountains as a distant marker and buildings, roads, and objects on the roadside as proximate markers. These are the basic components of the city; participants examined the structure and elements from the old photos and became aware of changes in the townscape. In the case that the characteristics of the photo had changed significantly, some participants felt it was difficult to match old photos with the current townscape. By visiting the location where the old picture was taken and capturing the current cityscape, users of Kyoto Memorygraph were able to consider the city’s structure and elements. These results indicate that Kyoto Memorygraph can be a regional learning tool for understanding townscape development.
Highlights
Kyoto was less intensely affected by World War II than other cities in Japan; many historic buildings have remained and comprise a historic townscape
This study focuses on the Kyoto townscape between 1950s and 1970s and examines the method of learning changes in the townscape by comparing the present landscape with old photographs from the Kyoto City Tram and Bus Photograph Database that is digitally archived and published at the Ritsumeikan University Art Research Center (ARC)
・ It is suggested that it is easy to understand the details of changes in the townscape by comparing old photographs with the current townscape using Kyoto Memorygraph
Summary
Kyoto was less intensely affected by World War II than other cities in Japan; many historic buildings have remained and comprise a historic townscape. The historical Kyoto townscape is gradually being lost because economic growth has taken top priority following the war, and many historic buildings had been demolished due to substantial uniform land development and construction activities. In the case of old photos taken individually, the shooting location, date, and time may be unknown They may be difficult to use as academic materials, and there are situations in which the use of content does not appreciably progress after archiving. In this context, it is considered important to systematically find a proper archive of old photographs and use their regional data efficiently. The characteristics of Kyoto Memorygraph are detailed in 1.2
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