The Variation of “ Machi” Layout in Land Readjustment Areas in the Western District of Kyoto City

Abstract

In Japan’s modern era land readjustment system is a very important procedure of urban development. In the land readjustment area of Kyoto city we are able to find some historical transitions in the layout method of “machi”, the minimum unit of town community. The city’s technical guidelines in 1935 adopted street conscious method in “machi” layout. One “machi” was settled on both sides of a street. A street was the axis of a “machi”. This is similar to the traditional structure of the Kyoto city. This guideline was canceled in 1972 by new technical guideline which had the block conscious method. But in reality, street conscious method had been abandoned in 1940’s. In this city’s western area, there are several land readjustment areas in full of variety in built-up time. In this paper we compare them one another, and analysis relationship between their “machi” layout and social and physical conditions in those days.