Urban heritage as a key DRM for safer city: Comparing practical and policy focusing on ‘Denkenchiku’ ideology to enhance CBDRM in historic city

Abstract This research focused on document review, field survey, and mapping methodology to compare the critical issues on disaster-related historic urban landscape management. The study emphasizes the ‘Denkenchiku’ which is the guideline and regulation of historic preservation of urban landscape derive from the Japan Preservation procedure. The historic areas, mostly, using vulnerable material as the main structure or decorative elements. In this study, it used the UNESCO world heritage convention as discussion topics, especially in term of Factors affecting the properties and urban present/future challenge such post-pandemic historic city. The study compared the spatial aspect, the regulation, community participation of disaster prevention practice between Chiang Mai’s historic area (Thailand) and Hizen-Hama (Japan). The results show the best practice of Hizen-Hama which allows Chiang Mai historic city to adopt the idea and pragmatic issues in disaster-related management. As Chiang Mai initiated the living historic area, it was able to integrate the Denkenchiku practice to enhance the living heritage with Disaster Risk Management. Along with the participation of community residents in the historic area who concern about local risk. As implied in the policy recommendation, the local initiative will act as a focal agent when combines heritage preservation with disaster risk management.