My research career consists of four stages. In the first stage (about from 1953 to 1970),my main interest of the research had been placed on theoritical studies of Japanese village community (Mura). At the second stage (about from 1970 to 1985), under the influences of drastic change of rural society and its effect on rural sociology, I gradually diverted research interest from rural studies to family sociology. Speaking of rural studies through this time, I mainly engaged in practical surveys of rural problems. Interest of the studies in the third and fourth stages are almost same direction with second stage. If adding something another through these stages, rural community as an ideal or purposive concept has been becoming one of important perspectives of my rural studies.
