1975年度秋季大会シンポジウム4

抄録

Transport is one of the most conspicuous spatial phenomena on the earth's surface. Several themes have interested geographers: the nature of transport network in regions with different character and composition; mode and efficiency of changing transport means which reflect the growing demand of the region. This symposium was planned to attempt an effort to build up a theoretical system of transport geography by making review on studies of various aspects of transport phenomena in particular regions. By request of the organizers four speakers prepared the reports. The symposium, held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 8th, was composed of reports, comments and discussions on specific reports, and final discussion on general subjects.
The Transport and the Region—a case in the port city of Kobe and the inland region of Harima, reported by Minoru Beika, Kobe University. According to the reporter the growth of Kobe was attained in a close connection with the development of the port since its opening in 1868, and he described various roles which the municipal and private institutions played in subsequent periods. He also predicted that the recent opening of the Chugoku Jukan Express Way would force a considerable change to the existing structure of the Harima region. A discussion after the report was directed towards the following topics: correlation in directions of port facilities' expansion and shift of urban centers; relationship of the port's hinterland with the metropolitan growth; and significance of various small-scale industries of Kobe in relation to large-scale heavy industries. Concerning the diminishing rate of increase of the cargo handled at the port, it was pointed out that port activities should be interpreted in a long-range view, since the country's economic growth has turned downwards.
The Bus Transport and the Region— an example in Hyogo Prefecture, reported by Tatsuo Kimura, Kobe Gakuin University. Giving a general description of bus service routes in two separate regions of Hyogo, Tajima and Awaji, Prof. Kimura traced the development of bus transport, and showed changing patterns of network served by bus. In Tajima a change of the nation's railway policy influenced the pattern which was formerly focussed on several important railway stations and could be termed as a multi-nuclei system, and there emerged a new pattern, in which trunk bus routes are arranged in parallel with the rail. While it is possible to delimit the transport sphere by means of frequency of bus service in Tajima, it seems difficult to do in Awaji. The subjects discussed after the report relate to the following questions: When was a change brought about in bus routes patterns invarious parts of the country? To what degree should we consider regional peculiarities in establishing a sphere of transport? How does the transport sphere thus defined correlate with the sphere of retail trade?
Formation of Railway Network in Metropolitan Regions, reported by Eiichi Aoki, Tokyo Gakugei University. Processes of railway development in Tokyo and Osaka regions were examined in relation with urbanization processes for the four periods beginning at the end of the 19th century. In both cases the role of rapid transit was gradually strengthened to meet especially the growing demand made by commuters for urban centers.The shift from street-car to rapid transit as a chief transport means was depicted with many maps. The discussion followed was focussed on the difference of the role which rapid transit should play in city regions with different population size, and the reporter finally out thus pointed.