City Ordinances on the Preservation of Vistaed View (京都市眺望景観創生条例)
The City Ordinances on the Preservation of Vistaed View are ordinances in Kyoto City to 'create Kyoto's surrounding scenery and vistaed views, and preserve them for future generations' (Article 1). They were enacted in 2007.
The ordinances have distinct features in terms of considerably strict regulations on the construction of new buildings and the extension and reconstruction of old buildings in order to protect surrounding scenery and vistaed views.
Summary
A total of eight types of surrounding scenery and vistaed views were selected, and the buildings in the restricted zones are subject to regulations in order to preserve them.
Eight types of the surrounding scenery and vistaed views include: in particular, the 'temple views' such as Kamo Wakeikazuchi-jinja Shrine, Kamo Mioya-jinja Shrine, To-ji Temple and Kiyomizu-dera Temple; the 'street views' such as the Oike-dori Street and the Shijo-dori Street; the 'waterfront views' such as the view from Lake Biwa Canal; the 'background garden view' such as Entsu-ji Temple (Kyoto City); the 'mountain views' such as the Higashi-yama mountains and the Kita-yama mountains; the 'symbol views' such as the Daimonji (huge kanji character "dai" formed by bonfire in the Daimonji Festival); the 'lookout views' such as the view from the bridge over the Kamo-gawa River; and the 'bird's-eye views' such as the view from Mt. Daimonji-yama.
Three types of vistaed view preservation zones are established as follows:
Vistaed View Preservation Zone
Close View Preservation Zone
Distant View Presentation Zone
Examples
When designated as one of these preservation zones, the area is subject to quite specific regulations: the shapes of roofs must 'be the kirizuma (gable-style), the yosemune (hip-style), or the irimoya (combination of the kirizuma and the yosemune)'; the roofs must be covered 'with either Japanese roof tiles or copper sheets;' and the ratio of the angle of roofs must fall between a specified range. When constructing (also extending and reconstructing) a building, one is required to have a plan examined to see whether it conforms to these regulations and approved by the mayor.