Abstract
A study of the spheres of living is promoted by means of the analysis of behaviour patterns of inhabitants like embodied in such phenomena as retail trade and commuting zones. Recently, the deterioration of environment is going on in rural areas as a result of the rapid decrease of population due to general urbanization and industrialization. It is a matter of urgent need to prevent the deterioration and to stop the decrease of population. For that purpose, it is necessary to furnish various public facilities in rural areas to improve the environment.
Viewed from the point above mentioned, the writer considered the relations between the spheres of living and the location of the public facilities in the southern part of Iwate prefecture.
He classified the centers of spheres of living into three different orders as in shown in Fig. 2. The three centers of the highest order namely, Ofunato, Rikuzentakada and Sakari belong to the first class. In these three centers, Ofunato has dominant functions of commerce and industry. Concerning the public facilities, the cities of this class are equipped with multi-branch hospitals. The cities of the second class, including Setamai, Hirota and Okkirai, have total pupulations of about 5, 000 in their spheres of living. The cities of this class are equipped with high schools, offices of agricultural and fishermen's cooperatives. The lowest centers of the cities of the third class have total pupulations of about 3, 000. There are three or four centers of this class in a town or a village. The centers of this third class are equipped with many public facilities such as primary, junior high schools, and clinics, and post offices.
