Most cities in Japan originated in the feudal days and have developed under the influence of modernization since the end of the former century. It is frequently in evidence that the areal structure of cities differs in accordance with the process of their development. Therefore it is important for urban geography to classify the cities according to the growth and structure of their urban areas through comparative studies. The present writer investigated the process of urban growth and the features of land use in urban area of today taking the example of Sendai, which was a castle town in the feudal days and has developed into the center of the fairly large Tôhoku District. Its population is about 545, 000 in 1970.
In the old castle town of Sendai, the castle area was situated on the western fringe of the town, and the high-class samurai quarter near the castle. The merchants' quarters were allocated in the central part of the town and along the highway. The middle-class samura: quarter occupied large areas around the merchants' quarters. The periphery of the town was composed of the temple quarter and the lower-class samurai quarters.
Because of the social changes after the Meiji Renovation (Restoration) of 1868, the resi dential areas of the samurai class were deteriorated and in the outskirts, turned into agricultura. land. The castle area, other areas belonging to the feudal clan, and the high-class samura quarter changed to the sites of new government offices, schools and the military spaces. Orr the contrary, the merchants' quarters remained mostly untouched in their former location. Along the central shopping street banks and public institutions were built.
After the construction of railway in 1887, the central commercial area expanded towarc the station and public offices and schools were added around it. Although some schools were built in the outer part, the abrupt expansion of urban built-up area did not take place. House: soon built at that time were mostly located around the central area where many vacant spaces were seen. So, an increase in the density of houses within the extent of old castle town was recognized. Such urbanization kept on until World War II. In the 1930's some schools, hospi tals and factories were built beyond the built-up area, and several housing estates were con structed by the municipal and prefectural governments.
In 1945, the central part of the city was destroyed by the air raids. According to the cityplanning after the war, main streets in the damaged area were much broadened. Housing estates by the municipal and pref ectural governments and other establishments newly built in this period were arranged on the northern and southwestern hill-lands.
After 1955, new housing suburbs were added on the hill-lands and eastern flat area in accordance with the increased population. On the eastern fringe industrial estates and distri-bution centers were constructed outside the new residential area. In this period, a number of recreational and educational establishments were removed from the old urban area to the west-ern hill-land. In the central business district large buildings have been constructed, and func-tinoal differentiation of streets is now in progress. The area around the CBD is dense residen-tial sections, since the area escaped the destruction of the war.
As a result of the above-mentioned growth, the urban area of today is composed of various quarters characterized by different functions and formed in different periods.
1) Central business district. In the commercial areas, stores, banks, business offices, etc. are concentrated. They are composed of the old commercial quarters in the former castle town of the Edo period, and of the area newly developed after the construction of railway station.
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