Restoring Streetscape in the Past on Virtual Kyoto
Keiji Yano, Toshikazu Seto, Ayako Matsumoto, Naomi Kawasumi and Dai Kawahara
Ritsumeikan University
56-1 Tojiin-Kita-Machi, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8577, Japan
yano@lt.ritsumei.ac.jp
Abstract
This paper presents how we, members of the Digital Museum project, constructed the past and
present streetscape on Virtual Kyoto, more precisely, the streetscape in the center of the Kyoto city
used for the parade of the Gion festival that represents Kyoto’s culture and tradition. For digitally
reconstructing the streetscape, we make use of various geo-spatial data: old large-scale maps and
aerial photos. The streetscape on Virtual Kyoto shall contribute to reconstruction of the Yamahoko
parade in the Gion festval before World War II.
Key words: 3D-GIS, streetscape, historical GIS, Virtual Kyoto, Gion festival
1. Introduction
The GIS revolution which started in Europe and the U.S. in the late 1980s was instrumental in
forming a new area of studies called Geographic Information Science (GISc), which aimed at
creating new knowledge. Exploitation of GISc’s information tools made it possible to analyse and
visualize a large amount of digitalized geo-spatial information (Longley et al., 2010). GISc has
continued to experience rapid development and expansion as a result of not only development of
new spatial analysis and map visualization techniques, but also its integration with research fields in
virtual reality, and application of new information technology such as the Internet, and portable and
wireless terminals.
GIS had been used in various disciplines in the Humanities, including human geography,
historical geography, and archaeology, all of which use maps as one of their conventional resources.
Recently, however, other disciplines in the Humanities have joined in this trend, such as history,
literature, and arts, which conventionally had not used maps. There exist other factors to contribute
to this trend. For instance, new information processing technology enables us to construct digital
databases of texts and graphics, and to use these resources much more extensively. Moreover,
applications and analysis of such databases help expand research fields. Such progress in GIS has
led scholars to use time-space oriented information, a part of resources regularly used in the
Humanities, in an unprecedented way. Consequently, the importance of having a historical and
spatial analytical perspective within the Humanities is, in a way, born again (Bodenhamer et al.,
2010).
Virtual Kyoto is a virtual geographic environment created on computer with the aim for
exploring the past, present and future of the historical city of Kyoto (Yano et al., 2007; 2008a;
2008b; and 2011). This virtual environment employs various information technologies, including
3D modeling, GIS, VR (virtual reality) and Internet transmission. It also utilizes geo-spatial
information about Kyoto newly available from a wide variety of geo-referenced historical materials
and field surveys, such as the latest digital maps, old topographic maps, cadastral maps, aerial
photos, picture maps, street photos, landscape paintings, archaeological sites data, and historical
documents.
One of unique features of Virtual Kyoto is 4D-GIS that adds temporal dimension to
conventional two-dimensional GIS and three-dimensional CAD models. 4D-GIS makes it possible
to store a lot of geographical information in different historical time slices. This unique feature has
been crucial from the outset since the Virtual Kyoto project aims at illustrating history of the city, as
well as reconstructing the city’s urban landscape in the past.
This paper elucidates how we, members of the Digital Museum project, constructed
streetscape, past and present, on Virtual Kyoto (Figure 1), more precisely, the streetscape in the
center of Kyoto city used for the parade of the Gion festival that represents Kyoto’s culture and
tradition.
Figure 1. Virtual Kyoto
2. Objectives
In 2009, the Gion festival was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity, UNESCO. Originating in the mid-ninth century, the festival had evolved to
take its current form by the mid-fourteenth century and continues even today with minor
interruptions. During the festival, thirty-two floats called yama and hoko which represent
neighborhood communities respectively parade through the center of the city, such as Shijo,
Shinmachi and Sanjo Streets.
The Yamahoko parade of the Gion festival symbolizes Kyoto’s landscape in summer
(Figure 2). So rich in culture, the yama and hoko floats are often called “moving museums.” In
other words, full of various cultural assets, both tangible and intangible, the festival presents not
only a suitable but also challenging example for us to explore possibilities in digital documentation
in various temporal and spatial dimensions. As a part of the Digital Museum project, therefore, we
took on the task of constructing virtual streetscape for the Gion festival by employing cutting-edge
information technologies such as laser scanning, high-quality sound recording, ultra high-definition
multiband image capturing, weave pattern modeling and 4D-GIS.
Basically, the size of the Yamahoko floats has not changed over the centuries. However,
rapid urban development at the center of the city in the 1960s had the parade change its route. That
means that we can no longer view and experience the parade as it was. Our ultimate goal is to
reconstruct the Yamahoko parade in the prewar time on Virtual Kyoto.
Figure 2. Yamahoko Parade in Gion Festival
3. Data and Methodology
In order to digitally create modern-day 3D building models on Shijo, Shinmachi and Sanjo Streets
through which the Yamahoko floats parade in the Gion festival, we use detailed, large-scale digital
map (1:2500), LiDAR data for heights of the buildings, and photos of their façades. We construct
the 3D models using CG software called Multigen Creator.
As to digitally reconstruct 3D models of buildings in the past, we make use of various
geo-spatial data. Kyoto experienced minimal damage during World War II, and as a result, most
prewar building structures still remain in the city. For this reason, we decided to construct a 3D
model of present-day Kyoto landscape first, which facilitated travelling back in time and recreating
the cityscape in the past. What we have to do first is to establish GIS-based footprints of the
buildings in the prewar era, based on 2D maps.
In November 2010, the Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives discovered about 300
sheets of old large-scale maps of Kyoto city (1:1,200) published in 1927 (Showa 2), on which
building information was added until 1951 (Showa 26). Similar to old fire insurance maps, these
maps show fine details, including the structure and description of each building. They were recently
scanned and digitalized, and their geo-references were also created by using GIS. As a result, the
maps have become a very important resource, contributing to restoration of the urban landscape of
Kyoto in the early Showa era (1925-1945). Thanks for the large-scale maps, we can create detailed
footprints of buildings on both sides of the streets which the Yamahoko parade went through those
days. The maps also provide us with valuable information about heights and architecture of the
buildings. Moreover, helpful for our research are old photographs of the streetscape from published
photo albums and private collections.
What we have to do first is to establish GIS-based footprints of the buildings in the prewar
time, based on 2D maps. As mentioned before, the Virtual Kyoto project has created a GIS database
by using old large-scale maps and aerial photos as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Old large-scale maps and aerial photos
1) The Kyoto Cadastral Map in 1912 (Scale 1:1,200-3,000),
2) The Large-scale Maps of Kyoto city in 1927-51 (Scale 1:1,200)
3) Aerial Photos by Kyoto City in 1928
4) Aerial Photos by US Army in 1946
As to Sanjo Street, we demonstrate characteristics of geo-spatial data sources in Table 1. In
Figure 3, maps of Sanjo Street between Karasuma and Yanaginobanba Streets are shown. Some of
distinct features of each map are as follows:
1) The Kyoto Cadastral Map in 1912: This Cadastral Map is the oldest one with the large-scale
level in modern Kyoto. In the map each land lot was drawn with some accuracy, though it is not
necessarily mans that shapes of land lots correspond to ones of their buildings. Also this map is
very informative, including area, land value, land grade, and the name and address of the land
owner for each lot. In figure 3-1), we can estimate shapes of buildings along Sanjo Street, and
how they were used from their names. However, these land lots in the cadastral map do not
necessarily correspond to buildings. Some Western-style buildings and Kyo-machiya (traditional
wooden townhouse) in the map still exist even today, which include the Japan Insurance
Company (as a part of the Kyoto Cultural Museum).
2) The large-scale maps of Kyoto city in 1927-51: The maps show building footprints in 1927, and
the information on how they were used was added by hand through 1951. We can construct 3D
building models based on the maps. Like the case of the cadastral map, the maps tell us that
some buildings of those days still exist even today, such as the Nakagyo Post Office and the
Bank of Japan (as a part of the Kyoto Cultural Museum).
3) Aerial Photos by Kyoto City in 1928 and by US Army in 1946: The aerial photos in 1928 are
the oldest ones. We can identify Kyo-machiya based on their roofs and estimate their sizes. The
shapes of buildings are very effective as footprints for constructing 3D building models.
Comparing aerial photos of 1928 to that of 1946, we can understand how the streetscape
changed before and after World War II.
1) The Kyoto Cadastral Map in 1912
2) The large-scale maps of Kyoto city in 1927-51
3) Aerial Photos by Kyoto City in 1928
4) Aerial Photos by US Army in 1946
Figure 3. Old Large-scale Maps and Aerial Photos around Sanjo Street.
For constructing 3D buildings those days, we can use still existing ones, modern
Western-style buildings and Kyo-machiya, without extensive modifications. Now-defunct buildings
are reconstructed in imitation of existing Kyo-machiya. Moreover, the Kyoto Cultural Museum has
a diorama of Sanjo Street in the 1920s based on some historical materials, cadastral map and photos.
The diorama is used as a reference to construct 3D building models along Sanjo Street.
4. 3D Visualization of Streetscape Between the Present and the Past
We create three streetscapes at the present and the early Showa (around the late 1920s) of Shijo,
Sanjo and Shinmachi Streets. These streets are parts of the route of Yamahoko parade. Figure 4
allows us to understand drastic change in streetscape over 90 years.
1) Shijo Street (left: the present; right: the late 1920s)
2) Sanjo Street (left: the present; right: the late 1920s)
3) Shinmachi Street (left: the present; right: the late 1920s)
Figure 4. Virtual Streetscapes
As a part of the Digital Museum project since 2009, we have been creating a virtual
Yamahoko parade of the Gion festival. This Digital Museum project calls for in-depth collaboration
among humanities researchers, information scientists, museum professionals, and content folders.
We expect that using new information technologies will lead us to not only new findings in the
traditional humanities fields, but also establishment of new methodology to put these findings on
exhibition so that people can experience them with high realistic sensation. Among the Digital
Museum’s several on-going research topics concerned with the Gion festival, we concentrated on
constructing the virtual Yamahoko parade on Virtual Kyoto. A model of Yamahoko float is then
placed in virtual streetscape in the above-mentioned, two time slices (Figure 5).
1) The present
2) The late 1920s
Figure 5. Fune-boko Float on the Virtual Streetscape of Sanjo Street
5. Summary and Challenges
In short, this paper elucidated how to reconstruct virtual streetscapes for the Yamahoko parade of
Gion festival before World War II. For that purpose, we made the optimum use of historical
materials, such as old large-scale maps, aerial photos, and photographs of streetscape. We have
already created 2D and 3D streetscapes of Kyoto today as well as in the early Showa era in the
Virtual Kyoto project. Comparison between the two clearly shows historical changes in the
streetscape.
As the next step of the Digital Museum project for the Gion festival, we plan to recreate a
virtual Yamahoko parade before World War II, inserting it into the streetscape of Virtual Kyoto
which we created. To reproduce the Yamahoko parade in the virtual environment, we need to
combine motion data of not only the parade, but also spectators and parade officials in different
roles, with visualizations of Virtual Kyoto. As a result, the content of the virtual parade includes
various types of CG floats, crowd simulation, acoustics and streetscapes of Virtual Kyoto.
The software Vizard enables us to create a virtual Yamahoko parade in real time by
integrating its assets. VRML data of streetscapes and floats were imported into Vizard to construct
the streetscape of the parade. Character models with motion were transformed from 3ds MAX
format into CAL3D format. These data were then used to generate the crowd simulation in Vizard.
Approximately 730 characters were simulated in this virtual parade to make realistic crowd
behavior. Figure 6 shows the Fune-boko parade, taken out of the virtual Yamahoko parade (Choi, et
al., 2010).
Figure 6. Virtual Fune-boko Parade in Virtual Kyoto
Acknowledgements
This research is part of the research outcome of the MEXT Global COE Program "Digital
Humanities Center for Japanese Arts and Cultures" (2007-2011, Ritsumeikan University); and the
MEXT Scientific Research Grant B "Digital topography of the historical city of Kyoto using GIS"
(Keiji Yano, 2009-2011).
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