The castle town of Hikone and its future

The author, Professor Emeritus of Kyoto University and the University of Shiga Prefecture , of which he is also ex-President, completed his studies at the graduate school of architecture in Kyoto University. He has specialized in the history of town planning and Planning for Conservation; he has carried out surveys on the history and design of historical towns and villages in Kyoto and the Shiga area; and he has been involved in archaeological excavations and restoration works on Buddhist sites in Gandhara. He has also acted as Visiting Professor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies. The text that follows was presented at the international symposion on "Globalization and Local Identity, " organized jointly by the World Society for Ekistics and the University of Shiga Prefecture in Hikone, Japan, 19-24 September, 2005.