Outside the glass case: The social life of urban heritage in Kyoto

摘要: Recent anthropological and other literature tends to assume that the uses of heritage in modern societies lead falsification, petrification, desubstantiation, enclosure things practices so designated. Yet two traditions Japan's ancient capital Kyoto—the historic town houses (kyo-machiya) have found a new appreciation since 1990s Gion matsuri, one most famous festivals nation—contradict these assumptions. Their well-documented histories are not widely distorted; they forever fixed but allowed evolve; valued only for their traditionality also other, substantive qualities; is dominated by concern social boundaries. This influenced urban, relatively sophisticated cosmopolitan background both traditions, as it parallel cases elsewhere. Greater attention perspectives carriers, however, will very likely show too more complex than standard assumptions believe. [Japan, cultural heritage, invention tradition, vernacular architecture, festivals, urban anthropology]