The mechanism of water utilization within disaster prevention，and the management of water supply and drainage in the villages at the foot of Mt. Hira in Shiga Prefecture

• Published in: Journal of The Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture Vol. 87; no. 5; pp. 401 - 406
• Main Authors: FUKAMACHI, Katsue, YAMAGUCHI, Keita, OHARA, Ayumi, WANG, Wen, MIYOSHI, Iwao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Tokyo Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture 31.03.2024; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: community; Disasters; Mountains; spring; Traditional and local knowledge; Urban planning; Villages; Water consumption; water environment network; Water supply; water supply and drainage
• ISSN: 1340-8984; 1348-4559
• DOI: 10.5632/jila.87.401

This study was conducted in Moriyama village, situated at the foot of Mt. Hira in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. Our investigation centered on the village's water environment and its integration with disaster prevention and mitigation, considering four key facets: everyday life, livelihood, disaster prevention, and religious factors. The village's water environment encompassed two primary categories: water sources shaped by the environment and topography and human-made structures. A sophisticated water network with strategically located points extended from the mountains to the lakeshore, ensuring the reliable utilization of water from mountain sources. lakeside springs, and the lake itself. We also identified intricate water-handling techniques employed for disaster prevention. The role of 'self-help, mutual-help and public-help' in disaster management and community activities that also take into account the position of urban planning was discussed.