History - Kyoto - page 356

KYOTO TODAY & TOMORROW
In 1994 Kyoto marked the 1200th anniversary of its founding. While the city celebrated its
ancient heritage, however, developers celebrated this milestone by building several struc-
tures in excess of the height restrictions that had been put in place to maintain the city's tra-
ditional skyline. Fortunately, in September 2007, the Kyoto city government enacted new
ordinances that restrict building heights and ban all rooftop and blinking advertisements.
Meanwhile, down on street level, there was a revival of interest in the city's machiya
(traditional wooden town houses; CLICK HERE ), and many of these fine old structures were
turned into shops, restaurants and inns.
As Kyoto heads into the future, the real challenge is to preserve its ancient history while
meeting the desires of its citizens for economic development and modern convenience.