Principles and methods for the conservation of indigenous cultural soundscapes Kazuya MINOURA 1 1 Yamanashi Prefectural University, Japan ABSTRACT This paper aims to suggest basic ideas and methods for the conservation of local sonic environments, taking socio-cultural factors into account. Conservation of sonic environments has conventionally been regarded as noise control to protect public health. However, residents’ responses to the sonic environment of a specific place is usually affected by socio-cultural contexts because residents usually share local knowledge about the sound source and its associated place. From this perspective, I will introduce the concept of cultural soundscapes, which originated from the concept of cultural landscapes, defined as the cultural properties that represent the combined works of nature and of man. A cultural soundscape should be regarded as an intangible property representing the indigenous culture and nature. I will discuss the principles and methods for conserving cultural soundscapes in reference to the cultural landscape and the ‘100 Soundscapes of Japan’ project, which is a rare example of a policy approach concerning cultural soundscapes. Keywords: soundscape, conservation, policy, socio-cultural I-INCE Classification of Subjects No.: 56.3 1. INTRODUCTION The socio-cultural aspect of soundscape is significant especially in considering the management and conservation of local sonic environments. Generally, local residents’ response to the sonic environment of a specific place is affected by socio-cultural contexts because residents usually share local knowledge about the sound source and the place.[1-3] The final report of the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) project ‘Soundscape of European cities and landscapes’ stressed the importance of the soundscape approach as ‘ a new multidisciplinary approach ’ and of involving human and social sciences such as sociology or anthropology.[4] More attention should be paid to the socio-cultural aspect, although the conservation of sonic environments has been conventionally regarded as noise control to protect public health. This study aims to suggest basic ideas and methods for the conservation of local sonic environments, taking socio-cultural factors into account. For this purpose, I will introduce the term cultural soundscape, which originated from the term cultural landscape. The cultural landscape is a concept used as a category of cultural heritage in World Heritage Convention. I will discuss the methodology of conservation of sonic environments in reference to usage of the concept of cultural landscape. I will also adopt the project ‘100 Soundscapes of Japan’ as an example of a policy practice concerning cultural soundscapes. 2. SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECT OF THE SOUNDSCAPE CONCEPT Attention on the socio-cultural aspect can be easily found in the early soundscape studies conducted by Schafer and his colleagues. For example, in Shafer’s book, ‘The Tuning of the World ’, published in 1977, he stated as follows: ‘the home territory of soundscape studies will be the middle ground between science, society and the arts ’. This demonstrates interest in the sonic environment within society. Furthermore, focus on society as regards the soundscape is observed in the explanation of the term soundmark: it is explained as ‘a community sound which is unique or possesses qualities which make it specially regarded or noticed by the people in that community ’ and ‘Once a soundmark has been identified, it deserves to be protected, for soundmarks make the acoustic life of the community unique’. This explanation focuses on meanings of sounds in a community.[5] 1 minoura@yamanashi-ken.ac.jp INTER-NOISE 2016 2031