Can Hiraizumi be
deserved to be a world heritage?
-Three problems for Hiraizumi to be registered with a world
heritage-
11th of June, 2006
Dear who may it concerned,
We are very concerned about the development of Hirizumi.
Our group has been doing various activities to watch out changes of
sceneries caused by the development and up their pictures to our
web-site for more than 6 years before the Hiraizumi became a candidate
for a world heritage.
At the moment, the enthusiasm around the local and the national
governments to make Hiraizumi to be a world heritage are growing those
days. But again we would like to give a warning to this enthusiasm.
There are three reasons for our concern. We would like to ask you to
give your thoughtful attention to what we write on this letter. We have
to dare to say that you may trespass UNESCO's World Heritage
Convention's important principle of preventing cultural destruction
from rampant development if you don't listen to us at all.
While victimizing Hiraizumi by the development, the governments try to
get economical benefit by registering it as a world heritage based on
the UNESCO's principle. We are wondering if economical development will
never come along with the principle of UNESCO or not.
We are very concerned about the present situation of Hiraizumi which is
changed into the destructive direction with the disaster prevention
measures. Driving registration of Hirazumi as a world heritage under
this situation makes us very sad and concerned.
We really hope that our concern is removed completely and that
Hiraizumi will be recognized and loved by the world not only as a world
heritage but as a religious city with eternal peace upon the water's
edge.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Group for Register HIRAIZUMI as a
world heritage!
A representative organizer Hiroya Sato
Our
three proposals
1. Beautiful
scenery from Takadachi has changed a lot.
Takadachi is the place where the very famous poet Matsuo Basho made a
tanka (Japanese traditional short poem), longing for the collapsed city
which used to be called a golden city. This palace is where the genius
Samurai, Minamoto Yoshitsune lived. The scenery from this palace is the
best in Hiraizumi. You can imagine the scenery which Basho had seen.
But we are facing the great risk to lose this beautiful scenery. The
reason is that Kitakami River running under this palace was moved to
east. Instead, Hiraizumi bypass was constructed which is also
considered as an embankment, running to northeast. The bypass cut
across the beautiful scenery.
2. Too much focus
on the disaster prevention measures
The character of Hiraizumi used to be scenery with water. But now the
city is equipped with the disaster prevention measures, being afraid of
the threat of water. As already mentioned, Kitakami River was moved to
east for 100 meters and surrounded by the bypass. Ohta River, a
tributary of Kitakami River is also surrounded by concrete embankment
of 20 meters high. The scenery around rivers has greatly changed. Their
riverbeds are covered with concrete material and turns themselves to be
waterway from rivers. Around another tributary called Koromo, the
construction of embankment is carried away. We can see the painful
process of construction from Chuson Temple.
It is impossible to recover the universal value of Hiraizumi, unless
people change their attitude to co-exist with water and to preserve the
scenery.
3. Imperfect idea
on the city of peace
Hiraizumi was created on the idea of peace of Fujiwara Family in
Kamakura Era. People don't recognize the spirit of Fujiwara Kiyohira,
the first family head of the family. He has his own idea of peace and
people not only inside but also outside. People should know why
Kiyohira constructed Hiraizumi City on the boundary between indigenous
people's area and Yamato Imperial Court (Japanese people). He played
for the dead who died in wars. A whole Oshu area should be considered
as a buffer zone among those who fought as enemies in wars. Hiraizumi
is the city of a requiem for those who suffered and died in wars in the
past, especially, the war which continued for 30 years in Oshu.
2006.6.11 Hiroya Sato
平泉景観問題HP
Hiraizumi scenery problem HP