Abstract
Many of the cities of Japan are old in their origin. Already in the feudal age, they existed as castle-towns, post-towns, and port towns. In the process of their development into modern cities, industrialization has played an important role in shaping the character and the function of each city. The present writer attempts to survey all the historic cities along the coasts of the Inland Sea of Seto and study the influences which development of industries has had on their modernization.
There are three types in the process of their regeneration: Firstly, traditional feudal industries, such as cotton and shipbuilding industries, developed into modern industries after the industrial revolution. (Fukuyama and Imabari are two of such cases).
Secondly, traditional feudal industries have not been much affected by the industrial revolution. In this case, modernization of the towns is rather slowed. (Naruto, Mitsuishi, etc.)
Lastly, modern industries such as chemical and machine industries sprang up newly after the industrial revolution. (Tokuyama, Takasago)
