The Niigata Plain, which one of the largest plains in Japan, is located on the western coast of central Honshu island, extending about 70 km with various widths from the northeastern end to the south-western end.
In this paper, the author studied the stratigraphy and the sedimentary environments of the Holocene sediments in the northeastern part of the plain, northward from the Agano River, on the basis of the analysis of boring data, AMS radiocarbon dating, and diatom analysis to reconstruct the geomorphic development of the region during the Holocene.
The Holocene sediments behind coastal sand dune ridges are divided into middle silt and clay (MC), upper sand (US), and top alluvial deposits (T). The middle silt and clay layers are considered to have been deposited in brackish lagoons, judging from the diatom assemblage which is composed of marine-brackish species, brackish-fresh species, and fresh-water species. The upper sand layer is mainly composed of sand and silty sand, mingled with fluvial gravel near the rivers. It is considered to have been formed as a foreset bed, because fresh-water diatoms are dominant in the layer. The top alluvial deposits are composed of sand, silt, and peat, and are considered to have been deposited in sedimentary environments of back marshes or ponds, based on the diatom assemblage.
Coastal sand dune ridges can also be classified into three groups. They are considered to have been formed discontinuously in the middle and late Holocene, judging from the stratigraphy of the Numazawanuma Pumice, the radiocarbon dates, and the distribution of archaeological remains.
The geomorphic development of the region during the Holocene can be summarized as follows:
1) In the early Holocene, small brackish lagoons were formed behind coastal barriers.
2) In the culmination of the Post-glacial transgression, about 6, 000 yr B. P., brackish lagoons spread out behind coastal barriers. They were relatively high in salinity because of the influx of seawater through the tidal inlets.
3) Between about 5, 400 yr B. P., and about 4, 800 yr B.P., sandy sediments rapidly covered the inland region and two or three beach ridges prograded seaward. It is considered that the sedimentation of sand has been influenced by the increase of coarse sediments from the upper reaches of the rivers.
4) After about 4, 800 yr B. P., seawater flowed into the inland region again.
5) Between about 3, 400 yr B. P. and about 2, 400 yr B. P., peat bogs developed in the inland region and beach ridges approached the present shore.
6) After about 2, 400 yr B. P., back marshes and ponds developed intricately in the inland region and sand dunes developed near the current shore.

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Cet article tente d'élucider la situation du developpement spatial des tonctions UHL) clans le guartier central de la yule de Koriyama, par l'analyse de la distribution et du processus d'agglomération des fonctions CBD. Les fonctions CBD fondamentales choisies dans cet article sont au nombre de quatre, soient les fonctions de commerce au detail, de restauration, d'affaires (par exemple banques, compagnies d'assurances, etc.) et d'hôtellerie.
La vine de Koriyama est située _??_ 200 km au nord de Tokyo. C'est la métropole régionale de la préfecture de Fukushima. En 1990, elle comptait 315, 000 habitants. Elle est reliée _??_ Tokyo par le Shinkansen du Tohoku qui a été inaugure en 1982. Le centre-ville est le plus vieux quartier de Koriyama. II s'est développé autour de la rue de Rikuu-Kaido (jadis la route nationale qui la reliait _??_ Tokyo), qui est une route principale construite dans les années 1600. Ce quartier a été traditionnellement un lieu d'agglornération de la population, le centre économique, ainsi que le nceud du réseau de transport non seulement pour Koriyama, mais aussi pour la région du Tohoku-sud. Actuellement, il y a la gare de JR (ex-Socieété Nationale des Chemins de Fer Japonais) avec la voie ferree du Shinkansen du Tohoku qui est située au centre. De plus, s'y concentre les rues principales comme la Nationale 4 reliant Tokyo _??_ Aomori, et l'avenue Ekimae-Odori reliant la gare avec l'Hôtel de vule.
L'importance stratégique et économique du centre de Koriyama se réfléchit dans le niveau des prix des terrains situés dans ce sectéur. Ainsi, les lots situes devant la gare JR sont les plus dispendieux de la préfecture de Fukushima. Toutefois, la distribution des bâiments _??_ multiples étages (six étages et plus) se limitent actuellement autour des principales avenues. Ainsi, beaucoup de magasins avec logement _??_ un eétage se mêlent aux immeubles moyens (au-dessous de six étages). Le réseau des rues étroites et des chemins irréguliers empêche la construction rapide de grands édifices, et par le fait meme limite l'évolution de la structure patiale du secteur.
Done, la répartition actuelle des fonctions CBD est le reflet de la distribution historique, notamment en ce qui concerne la fonction commerciale. Dans la zone commerciale du centre se trouve la rue Rikuu-Kaido et l'avenue Ekimae-ôdori qui occupe le cceur du centre-ville, lequel est entouré par la zone des restaurants. La zone des affaires est située _??_ la périphérie du quartier, tout au long de la Nationale 4 et de l'avenue Sakaibashi-Omachi. La zone hôtellière est presque similaire _??_ la zone commerciale. Beaucoup d'hôtels sont des immeubles en hauteur qui consacrent leurs étages inférieurs aux activités commerciales ou de restauration.
Au point de vue de la distribution verticale des fonctions CBD, les étages consacrés _??_ la fonction commerciale sont localisés au niveau inférieur, surtout au rez-de-chaussée _??_ l'exception des grands magasins. La fonction de restauration se retrouve aux étages inférieurs et moyens. Les fonctions des affaires et hôtellière se situent aux étages les plus élevés.
Jusqu'_??_ présent chaque fonction s'est agglomérée au centre et s'y est déplacée avec un processus différent. La fonction commerciale a été centralisé en bordure des rues entre les grands magasins dans le dessein d'attirer beaucoup de piétons.

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This paper aims to draw a comparison between some major regions and cities in Japan on the basis of an analysis of the number of performances presented by foreign artists from April 1990 through March 1991. Due to data limitation, the analysis covers only the regions of Hokkaido, Metropolitan Tokyo, Tokai, Kansai and Kyushu, and the major cities in those regions.
While numerous analyses in Japanase urban research have been undertaken from a political and/ or economic standpoint, few have pursued a cultural perspective in a geographical context. Studies available on urban cultural areas quite often analyze only in terms of availability of related facilities and the like. In this sense, this study follows a relatively new viewpoint in investigating the attractiveness of cities and regions.
Metropolitan areas owe their growth to more than just economic factors, and one must not overlook the other attractions they offer. The number of performances presented by foreign artists, as shown in this study, are just one of the many sources of metropolitan attractiveness.
At the outset, the number of performances presented in the various regions and cities are enumerated. The results indicate that Tokyo (23 metropolitan wards) and its immediate environs had, predictably, the largest share of the numbers of performances; classical music concerts were predominant among them.
The number of such performances presented in Osaka was fairly high, but it significantly trailed that of Tokyo. However, if the greater Osaka metropolitan area including Kobe and Kyoto is thought to be a considerable increase in the number of performances in the area was evident. Nagoya and Fukuoka are unlike Tokyo and Osaka in that they have no other major city in close proximity; however, they had not so many performances. Sapporo in contrast, had very few performances by foreign artists.
27.3% of all the artists from overseas presented performances exclusively in the Tokyo metropolitan area; only 17.5% of all artists presented their performances in both Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas. Only 14.2% of the artists from overseas bypassed the Tokyo metropolitan area. And the fact that 38.7% of the artists did not present their performances in Osaka explains the significant difference between the two cities.
Thus, a significantly major portion of the performances presented by the foreign artists in Japan was in Tokyo. This phenomenon emphasizes a very high level of attractiveness of Tokyo commensurate with the drawing power of its great population. The overcentralization of Tokyo is not simply an economic and political phenomenon; it reaches far into the cultural dimension as well, as emphasized by the study findings.
The differences in the number of performances between the cities and regions is positively correlated with their population. The correlation factor among the population, the number of performances, and the total number of days of performances were found to be quite high, as may be seen in the correlation graphs (Figs. 1 and 2).

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