2025 Volume 24 Issue 1 Pages 69-76
In southern Shiga Prefecture, Omihachiman, Yasu, and Moriyama have populations between 50,000 and 100,000, while Kusatsu has about 140,000, and all have maintained their populations. This study examines changes from 2000 to 2020 in the location of facilities by industry (commercial, medical/welfare, public) and form (stand-alone or complex) within a 1 km radius of major JR stations in these cities. It also compares differences in facility distribution inside and outside this radius, considering urban structure and planning. Key findings include: (1) a decrease in retail facilities, while medical and welfare facilities remained stable or increased; (2) a significant rise in both the number and proportion of complex facilities; and (3) distinct patterns in facility distribution near stations, reflecting each city's unique urban planning and arterial road networks.
