Statistical Analysis of Rural Residents' Attitudes toward Rural Landscape and Hometown

In case of Yakumo Village in Shimane Prefecture

Abstract

We have some subjective consciousness on how people living in rural areas consider their surrounding landscape and living space. The purpose of this investigation is to classify various rural types of landscape, to see the differences in consciousness in localities for rural landscape, and detect consciousness for their hometown by use of a questionnaire.
In conclusion, the rural landscape for residents can be summarized into 12 types of images according to a case study. Furthermore, there are some different preferences in each local place of the investigated areas for rural landscape, which are caused by natural features and experience with farming. Generally, rural residents have a desirable image of their hometown, which they see as being with peaceful nature as well as being with both traditional and good local human relations. However, it is found that some differences of consciousness for hometown exist between old residents and new ones. Namely, the former has a comparatively dominant image of local human relations, the latter has that of peaceful nature.