DISTRIBUTION PATTERN OF MEDIUM AND SMALL SCALE FOOD PROCESSING PLANTS IN SENDAI

Abstract

It is statistically known that in 1962 were 443 plants engaged in food processing in Sendai. They are the main enterprises there. However, the category of medium and small scale enterprises with employees of less than 30 accounted for 92% of the plants. The operational areas of these enterprises have not been well established.
The present survey was intended to investigate changes in the pattern of the distribution or location of the food processing plants for a period of 1911-1963. The job specialization subjected to the survey were manufactures of cakes, kamaboko (boiled fish paste), sake (Japanese wine), miso (bean paste), shoyu (soy bean sauce), refreshing beverages, noodles, etc.
The results obtained may be summarized as follows: 1. The distribution or location of the food processing plants is closely related to the form of enterprise. 2. As a result of the diversification in the functional organization of the city area, the food processing plants located in the newly incorporated places show characteristic job specialization and scales.
3. With the expansion of the city area, there is a marked increase in the migration of food processing plants leaving off the Center of Business Districts to suburban community. Nevertheless, the C. B. D. still retains an attractive aspect for these enterprises.