Abstract
The study reveals locational factors of convenience stores in Kochi City from geographical conditions. The locational pattern of convenience stores in Kochi is different from that in other Japanese cities. Many of the stores were found in places other than along main road in the early stage of the 1980s, when the first store was opened in Kochi City. On the other hand, the number of the stores along main roads increased in the 1990s. The stores have been concentrated in the inner-city area or their trade areas have diversified since the 2000s. The construction of expressways, one of the external conditions, is acknowledged as a factor that encouraged the entry of major convenience chains into the market and stimulated the changes in the local chain's location strategy. Especially, the local chain operates chain stores owned by other prefectural capital through area franchise. It became clear that the change in the conditions of contract became one of the factors which altered the locational pattern of the stores.
