ANGKOR and I

47/194

41 University of Fine Arts, Director of the APSARA National Authority and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and so on. Currently (2018) at the archaeological sites, three graduates of Sophia University are spearheading the work of conservation and restoration. On the one hand prior to 1970, around 85 to 100 or more individuals capable of processing stones were in charge of the Cambodian masonry, which is essential for conservation and restoration. Yet in 1980, only twelve returned to the Angkor Conservation Office. There was a vital need to train Cambodian masons who could process stones. Mr. Kosugi Takayuki (who was aged 68 in 1996), a masonry builder and president of the Kosugi Stone shop in Chiba Prefecture, served for over 8 years as a volunteer, assisting us in training masons regarding the processing of stones. Currently there are 38 individuals who have received training in what Mr. Kosugi describes as “one serving equals one mason.” On observing them I feel as though my hopes which commenced as a prayer for the repose of souls are steadily being realized, namely, that the “Preservation and Restoration of the Cambodian Heritage should be carried out by the Cambodians, for the Cambodians.” Restoration of the Angkor Wat Western Causeway In research work concerning the preservation and restoration of the Angkor archaeological site, we need to consider the natural environment of Cambodia which has a tropical monsoon climate, specifically the weather conditions during the rainy season (June to November) and dry season (December to May). Professor Katagiri Masao (Professor, Nihon University, now deceased) was in charge of the restoration work on 100 meters north of the western approach, while a researcher, Miwa Satoru (Assistant Professor, Sophia University) was engaged as assistant. It was done while conducting training, as a site for the human resources development. The work