After wandering through the back alleys from Kiyomizu-zaka, you will arrive at a main street. This is Go-jō Street, over 50 meters wide and home to Kyoto’s largest Shinkansen tracks. Did you notice anything strange? While this side of the street is lined with small shops, on the other side of the road these shops are nowhere to be seen. In their stead are large apartment complexes and parking garages.

Would it surprise you to hear that this road used to be just as narrow as the roads we have just traversed? Well, before the war started, there was a forced demolition of the area as an attempt to counter against airstrikes. After the war, the area was rebuilt as National Route 1 and ultimately became the road you see before you.

Think about the roads we have passed through up to this point. With houses built so close together, even without the air raids, were there to be a fire, it would spread rapidly throughout the houses. As a modern society, there was no choice but to prioritize fire prevention. But as the roads get wider, the more the landscape begins to look like any old city. Those who want to protect the traditional landscape also have to think about how to prevent the most damage in disasters as well.

Do you remember seeing red boxes all around the alleyways? These boxes hold fire hydrants and represent one way the local people try to work against fires. The people who named the alleyways, the people who want to protect Ajiki alley, the people who want to preserve the landscape of the backstreets of Kyoto are all making an effort in their own way to preserve the cultural treasures of Kyoto.