The purpose of this paper is to present a couple of methodological problems with which we are confronted when we are trying to construct the theory of geography. The paper is divided into the eleven sections.
The section 1 and 2 are brief introductions to author's view point on geography. It is enphasized that the main purpose of geography is to study the orders of tempo-spatial variations in earth surface, in other words, we are concerned with the invariant nature of variations.
The section 3 through 6 are devoted to discussion of basic methodological problems of gegraphy. Two alternative approaches—the concrete-specific versus the abstract-universal—are compared, and importance of the latter is emphasized.
In the rest of the paper, author consideres various problems with which geographers are confronted when they are trying to formulate the theory of geography.
The difference between “rule” and “regularity” are argued, and with this background, it is emphasized that geographers should find the rule under which the variations in earth-surface are regulated.

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Japanese houses have elevated thier eaves (Noki) with the passage of time, and the side has gradually become visible easily. The writer tried to classify the house type according to front side form, which is facing to the frontal space (Niwa) and exposed mostly.
The writer surveyed the houses in autumn 1972 at Kasano, Yamamotomachi, Miyagi prefecture, one of small settlements on sand dune.
From the observation on the front side form of all houses in this settlement, 16 elements of the front side form were picked up. The elements (1) to (16) are arranged left to right on the front. The surveyed hoases have some of these elements, and according to their elements, they are denoted by the column of 16 plus or minus signs (Table 1). These columns are typological basis.
Tere are so many types in this way. Terefore some elements are selected for easy typifying. In Kasano, the writer selected 6 elements, and gave 18 types. The columns of 6 plus or minus signs are transformed to alphabetical denomination A to O (Fig. 4).
The front side, the most open side of the houses, is sheltered by window or door. We can add the window or door materials such as Amado, Garasudo, Sasshi etc. to the elements of the front side form.
Further, we can use not only actual front side form but also of the former house plan. Thus, we can compare the actual houses with the former houses recorded in the same settlement. The writer compared those of 1972 and 1970 (fig 5), and recognized that 28.5% of all houses in this settlement changed among A to O types.

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There are two different regions in the migration of thatchers (Kayate) in east Fukushima Prefecture: Nakadori (Abukuma River Basin), where they come from Konan, Tamura, Adachi, Shintatsu and Yanagawa, and Hamadori (Coastal lowland) where they come from coastal upland.
In the original areas of thatchers, generally speaking, the farmers suffer low productivity in agriculture, and some of house holders must hold a side-job as thatcher to earn their living.
Except those in Yanagawa, they have inherited the skill from Nishiaizu in Fukushima Pref. Thatchers in Yanagawa have been greatly affected in their skill from Echigo (Niigata Pref.) or Shonai (Yamagata Pref.).
The Fukushima Basin is an overlapped area of the thatching techniques from Nishiaizu and from Echigo or Shonai.

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The writer examined linear depressions and asymmetrical ridges frequent on the ridges of Mt. Iide (Fig. 1).
“Linear depression” was named first by Suzuki, I. (1974) in place of double ridges so far used. As an important forming factor of linear depression, frost shattering of base rock under cold environment is presumed, but such a process is thought to be feeble at present. On the other hand some linear depressions seem to be formed by the fault activity. In the examined area most of the linear depressions have small rills through which melt water from snow runs out, and the linear depressions on the main ridge often present asymmetrical form. Heavy snow drift filling the depression is thought to have modified the linear depression to such forms. At present, most of the linear depressions have been filled up gradually, but the inclined bottom in the direction of axis of linear depression has been eroded by rill water.
In the formation process of asymmetrical ridges, fragments produced by frost shattering was carried downward by solifluction on the windward gentle slope, but at present it is stabilized by vegetation cover, while the leeward steep slope has been eroded by nivation, which is still active. These observations are supported by the difference in drainage density of valley on windward and leeward slopes of the main ridge (Table 2).

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River terraces are usually composed of those in various scales even in a valley. The subjects of the studies of river terrace made to date is mainly broad and dominant terraces, but small terraces is also important to interpret the developmental process of river terrace.
Not only broad terraces but also small terraces situated between Yamagata and Nagai Basin along the Mogami river were surveyed, and findings are summarized as follows;
1) River terraces are grouped into five (I-V) based on the zonal pattern in vertical distribution of terraces (Fig. 2). Formation of the tonal pattern of terraces relates to that of broad terrace surfaces such as the upper IV, which results in loss of the terraces such as III on the other hand.
2) Most river terraces are Strath terraces with gravel beds of several meters in thickness, but under formation of terraces III, Filltop terraces were formed at an altitude of 220m, which attribute to the effect of dam up by a landslide.
3) The paired terraces of the upper IV were aged about 30, 000 year B. P. and terraces of the lower IV are comosed of small terraces. Therefore, it is deduced that some change in factor with regard to the formation of river terraces occurred after 30, 000year B. P. The paired terraces distribute widely in the rivers running in the mountainous district, such as Ou Backbone Ranges, Dewa Hills and Kitakami mountains.

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The Sendai Coastal Plain is located in the northeastern part of Honshu Island. The studied area in this paper is the southern part of this coastal plain and is about 30km long from north to south and 8km wide from east to west. Natural levees, beach ridges and other micro-landform units are commonly recognized in this area, but in place exist some landform units with slight elevation which can not be classified into either natural levee or beach ridge according to their similar topographic forms. The present author attempted to discriminate these uncertain landform units into natural levee or beach ridge from statistical parameters which depend on the shape of grain size frequency curves.
For this purpose the author first of all clarified from the grain size distributions of sediment on typical natural levees and beach ridges, that standard deviation versus skewness and standard deviation versus mean grain size are effective in distinguishing the sediment of natural levee from that of beach ridge (Figs. 3, 4). The beach ridge sand and the natural levee sand are mainly separated by standard deviation, that is to say, beach ridge sand is more sorted than natural levee sand. And these sands are much more distinguishable by an analysis of the relation between standard deviation and other parameters of skewness and mean grain size.
As the result of land classification, with consideration of sedimentary structures of alluvium and distribution of historical remains, the geomorphological development of this coastal plain was considered as follows (Figs. 8, 9).
i) About 7, 500yrs. B. P. this area was under shallow maritime environment and the shore line was indented into the hilly area.
ii) And by the beginning of the Yayoi period (about 2, 000yrs. B. P.), the 1st (innermost) beach ridge in this area was formed along the foot of hill-land, which resulted in shallowing of sea bottom by deposition of the terrestrial sediment, according to the reduced rate of sea level rise.
iii) The 2nd beach ridge range appeared on the shallow off-shore bottom, before the middle Kohun period (about 1, 500yrs. B. P.), following to accmulation of terrestrial sediments on sea bottom. The marsh between 1st and 2nd beach ridges was gradually filled by fluvial sediment and peaty sediment, and the later period of this stage, the natural levee, to the north of Abukuma river, was formed on the marsh.
iv) The 3rd beach ridge range was formed near the present shore line in the last stage. The marsh formed between 2nd and 3rd beach ridges was gradually accumulated and modified by natural levees while the Abukuma river changed its course due to repeated floodings and cut the 2nd beach ridge, then the natural levee, to the south of the river, was formed.

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