ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Japanese national approach to heritage conservation in order to establish a clear understanding of the origins and history of the current system and the practice of cultural heritage in Japan. It explores the Japanese systems of presenting the past, in particular the concepts of machizukuri and furusato used by the Japanese government in utilising heritage landscape to influence people's sense of identity. The book focuses on the issue of authenticity as discussed during the 1994 Nara Conference held in Nara, Japan and incorporated in its outcome in the form of the Nara Document on Authenticity, and its relationship to Japanese practice. The Japanese national system for heritage conservation since its creation is analysed with a focus on the notion of authenticity, which is very important in the UNESCO World Heritage system. The Nara Conference, which resulted in the Nara Document on Authenticity (1994), was an important step in advancing the discussion on authenticity.
