抄録
It is a remarkable fact that in spite of proximity to Tokyo, eastern Kanto plain is characterized by self-sustenance economy, and extensive use of land, as well as by low standard of living of agrarian people. Contrary to western Kanto where more intensive use of land is of common practise as indicated by the usage of heavy commercial fertilizers and consequently bigger per unit area yield of crops, as well as by double crops system of rice fields, and where agriculture is closely combined with sericulture and various sorts of manufacturing industries including silk weaving, eastern Kanto is dominated by single crop rice system, self support of fuels and fertilizers, predominance of food crop production such as sweet potatoes besides rice, barley and wheat, extensive distribution of flat upland forests and pastoral lands, as well as by the absence of significant manufacturing industries.
In many respects, eastern Kanto may be regarded as the southern extension of Tohoku district in terms of agricultural land use.
The present article treats of the historical development of land reclamation of Shimosa upland, the central portion of this district, then deals with the agrarian condition by taking a rural village called Yamakura-mura as an example, and lastly tries to find out some clue to the solution of the problems concerning future development of this region.
