The Maintenance of the Exterior of Kyo-Machiya Houses (Q&A)

Q: Can the Exterior Be Legally Maintained?

Research on fire prevention to preserve traditional designs has made it possible to renovate buildings in a way that makes use of traditional designs.
This section will introduce the methods used to legally improve the appearance of the building. 
*​If the exterior improvement falls under the category of large-scale repair or large-scale redecoration, renovation work may be required for areas other than the exterior improvement due to the retroactive application of the Building Standards Law. 

A: ​Exterior Maintenance Can Be Done Legally.

​Wall: I want to change my mortar walls to mud walls. Can this exterior modification be made legally?

⇒ Can be modified legally.

•  Change from mortar finish to mud wall 

⇒ The above exterior change can be classified as a structural modification for fire prevention purposes. 
For details, please refer to "Exterior Modifications Are within the Legal Framework: Wall & Eaves"

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Eaves: I want to change the mortar-finished eaves to wood-finished eaves. Can this exterior modification be made legally?

​​⇒ Can be modified legally.

• Change from mortar finish to eaves with rafters. 

⇒ The above exterior change can be classified as a structural modification for fire prevention purposes. 
For details, please refer to "Exterior Modifications Are within the Legal Framework: Wall & Eaves"

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Building Fixtures: I want to make the fittings of the fire prevention equipment look like wooden fittings. Can this exterior modification be made legally?

​⇒ Can be modified legally.

• Putting up wood on the fire prevention equipment of the notified specifications 

⇒ The above appearance change does not interfere with the use of the fire prevention equipment. 
For details, please refer to "Exterior Modifications Are within the Legal Framework: Building Fixtures & Fittings"

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Wooden Lattice: I want to install a wooden lattice on the outside of the fittings of the fire prevention equipment. Can this exterior modification be made legally?

⇒ Can be modified legally.

• Installation of a wooden lattice on the outside of fire protection equipment 

⇒ The above appearance change does not interfere with the use of the fire prevention equipment.
For details, please refer to "Exterior Modifications Are within the Legal Framework: Building Fixtures & Fittings"​