景観

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 景観(けいかん) means the overall visible appearance of an area or place.
• Basic usage: It covers natural scenery such as mountains and lakes as well as built environments such as old streets.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Scenery and landscape
  • 景色(けしき) is widely used in everyday descriptions of the view before one's eyes.
  • 景観 is also common when discussing an area's overall appearance and its preservation.
• What is preserved
  • 町並みの景観を守る means protecting the appearance formed by the streetscape as a whole.