Townscape preservation (町並み保存)
Townscape preservation refers to activities intended to renew distinctive characteristics and attractiveness of towns and to improve living conditions of the residents by preserving townscapes that retain traditional architecture and so on.
Normally, "historical townscape" is used for towns that had their structures formed during the Edo period, and for those that still retain some of the buildings that were constructed during the period between the end of the Edo period to the Meiji and Taisho periods. However, the term also applies to towns that developed during westernization in the Meiji period, such as Kobe and Hakodate.
Townscape preservation can be done by several ways, for example, by designating townscape preservation districts, by following the regulations on preservation districts for groups of important national historical buildings, by following prefectural and city landscape ordinances, and by forming townscape preservation movements by setting up townscape conservation societies.