Reconstructing Kobe: The Geography of Crisis and Opportunity

A January 1995 earthquake devastated the city of Kobe, Japan. This work describes the first ten years of reconstruction efforts and offers a detailed description of the geography of the crisis and reconstruction. It examines which districts were most vulnerable to the quake and why, and looks at whether planners were successful in revitalizing and quake-proofing the city. The new reconstruction plans, intended to address problem neighborhoods that had long been ignored, were initially challenged by the area's citizens, and so part of the case involves a look at the local consultation process between city planners and the neighborhood communities. The book includes a timeline, a glossary of Japanese terms, and b&w photos and maps. It will be of interest to planners and policy makers, and to students and scholars of Japanese urban and planning history. Edgington is former director of the Center for Japanese Research and associate professor of geography at the University British Columbia Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)