Traditional settlements historic experience of “non-detached” preservation (cases of Shirakawa village Ogimachi in Japan and Kryvorivnia village in Ukraine)

Abstract

The article concerns of the comparative study of traditional settlements historic experience of “non-detached” preservation. “Non-detached” there is understood like a way to preserve the whole settlement on its original place, with its local traditions, community system, crafts and customs, and in the harmony with natural environment. The cases of the study are mountain Shirakawa village Ogimachi in Japan and Kryvorivnia village in Ukraine. The both settlements are generally showing very similar historical background of geographically isolated life in the harmony with high mountain nature that leads to the shaping of original local architecture style, cultural traditions and community features. Similarly, the initiative of revitalization in the both cases emitting from local communities. Nevertheless, the history of preservation and revitalization efforts of the two cases is quite different. While in Shirakawa village Ogimachi local community took revitalization efforts starting from the middle of 20th century, Kryvorivnia village was engaged in the process starting from the middle of 19th century just with some interruption due to the soviet times. Currently the both settlements achieved good results in their revitalization and local traditions preservation activity also keeping harmony with environment. Shirakawa village Ogimachi is mostly orientated on inner community life that is almost not intersected with flourishing local tourism. Contrary, Kryvorivnia allows tourists to participate freely in local community life, rituals and festivals. Thus each of the two cases examined finally found its original way of historical settlement culture sustainable preservation and revitalization.