The spatial distribution of land price is indicative of the urban structure of a region. However, since most information on land price is in the form of point data and not surface data, a certain process must be established for the creation of a land price map. The final objective of the current study is to create accurate land price maps of three metropolitan areas in Japan: Tokyo, Nagoya and Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan areas. This study uses the officially assessed land prices provided by the Japanese government and data from the land price surveys conducted by prefectural governments. First, the study presents empirical analysis of land price function of each metropolitan area by employing trans-Gaussian kriging, which enables us to consider both spatial dependence and difference of price elasticity by price ranges. Then, the study creates land price maps. Finally, we compare the created land price maps and discuss the nature of the differences in detail.

An educational assistance tool called “gittok” is developed for students in higher education. It is all-in-one software with texts and slides. Students can study fundamental knowledge of Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) based on its Body of Knowledge (BoK) and the Geographic Information Standards such as those provided by ISO/TC 211. Gittok includes an application schema designer called Modeler. It allows students to acquire and edit geospatial data directly in compliance with the application schema. They can overview and experience spatial analysis, XML data exchange, geo-library, and map design. Teachers can refer to texts and slides included in gittok and may modify the source code to be suitable for their own lectures. Therefore, gittok will be a useful tool for introductory courses on GIT education.

In this study, a new automated construction method of minute road segments is developed. Numerical simulation models for rainfall-runoff and flood inundation model considering process on roads were based on so-called “Minute road segments” that are formed as simple shape polygons to calculate the flow on roads. In the developed method, firstly crossroads are demarcated from road sections of uninterrupted flow in order to simplify a polygon of road. Secondly road sections and crossroads are divided into minute road segments. The developed method was applied for Kanda catchment and the shapes of minute road segments were validated.It was demonstrated that minute road segments can be created by using the method of this study.