A Study on the Process of Laying Electric Tracks in the Periphery of Kyoto in the Late Meiji Period

- For the Arashiyama Electric Tramway -

Abstract

This study clarifies the procedures and changes in response between the Arashiyama Electric Railway and the prefectural and national governments, and examines the process of laying electric track peculiar to the urban periphery. Unlike in the existing urban area, in the periphery of the city, fields spread out outside the villages, and it was possible to create "escape routes""without widening the roads, so it was not necessary to lay all of the track on the roads. While the purpose of the line was for sightseeing, it also had a strong "general transportation" element, and due to the proximity of the periphery in terms of distance and culture, it is easy to mix these elements even today. The Arashiyama train track is a mixture of different elements, and this is due in large part to the fact that each intention has been recognized in the process of construction. On the other hand, the fact that the majority of the track was dedicated and that the track was not laid within existing villages and the roads were not widened may have created a unique situation in the periphery of the area.