交通路の變遷と集落の盛衰に關する一考察

近江米原町及びその附近の集落

抄録

Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, was only a small village constituting of some twenty houses, when such villages as Joriimoto, Suribachi and Banba were flourishing along the Nakasendo (one of mam landroute at Tokugawa Era). For, Maibara was situated near Lake Biwa, and as it was marsh land, the construction of road was difficult. But in Keicho Years (ome years ago) the Honjin (an officially appointed inn of feudal lords) was established here, and as soon as it started as port. Next period canal was opened, new road was constructed, and the village attracted people and goods of Nakasendo, and soon became the top village in those districts. Moreover, it grew larger town with the reclamation of shore land and consequently Hokurikudo (another main land route) gaining its weight as communication route.
But in 1890 the Railway between Kyoto and Maibara opened and the latter lost its function as port. Now it is notable only as junction of railway. So people of Maibara has sought the rebirth of town by reclamation of the lake and the cultivation of its waste land. We can see now at this town, complex town landscape, for instance, the remains of old port, railroad running on the reclaimed port, old houses of later Tokugawa Era, streets newly constructed since Meiji Era, old and new inns etc. Those features tells us the relation between the communication route and the destiny of the town.