Abstract
Maintenance performed by house owners is not itself sufficient to ensure that traditional wooden houses are maintained and will be preserved as community resources that define local streetscapes; rather, collaboration with the local community, tradesmen with specialist technical expertise in a variety of fields, and public support are also considered necessary. This study examined both potential and ideal approaches for such community-based initiatives. Given that “regular carpenters” play a dominant role in the maintenance of traditional wooden houses, we conducted a questionnaire survey on traditional wooden houses and streetscape preservation among contractors engaged in building and carpentry within Nara Prefecture. The contractors were manufacturing and fabrication specialists that support the maintenance efforts of house occupants. The survey results showed that training technical experts and securing appropriate materials are necessary in order to maintain and preserve traditional wooden houses. In addition, it is necessary to carefully consider the effectiveness of subsidy schemes and the difficulty associated with producing work estimates, promote awareness among local residents, and provide community support and education in order to support these efforts. There is widespread acceptance that traditional wooden houses with their traditional character must be preserved in order to maintain harmony with local landscapes, but also that these houses need to meet the requirements of the house occupants. Specifically, these efforts need to be pursued as collaborative initiatives between the occupants, local residents, specialists, and various tradesmen, with an emphasis on the quality of life of the house occupants. The survey also clearly showed that building contractors recognize that they need to collaborate in the maintenance of traditional wooden houses and also that they are willing to be involved in the effort.
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