Abstract
The author analyzed the changing process of landuse and the development of fruit raising in the Tachiya Fan, Yamagata Prefecture. The decrease in the acreage of mulberry fields and the increase of fruit orchards are a nation-wide phenomenon that characterizes the changes of landuse in postwar Japan. Generally speaking, the change in the landuse developed in the Tachiya Fan is similar to the national trends, too.
The fruit raising area is spread all over the fan, and is consisted of two producing districts, old and new. The former was formed about 1930, converted from mulberry fields and forests in the central part of the fan. The latter has been developed after World War II, around the old fruit raising area. In any case, fruit are raised as cash crops by many farmers with small area of orchards. In the old producing district such orchards are mainly composed of vineyards, and the foundation of farm economy is laid on fruit raising. In contrast with this, apples and peaches are dominant in the new producing district, and the emphasis of farming is laid on rice culture with subsidiary fruit raising on small scale.
Additionally, owing to these circumstances, associations in respect to production and shipment of fruits are insufficiently organized in this fruit raising area.
