The 'obimakura' used for fastening 'obi' to our body ties it up around the thoracic cavity with strings and constitute a factor to spoil the comfort, so that in these stuides the author examined the influence of 'obimakura' from its pressure and the number of respirations, and experimentarily manufactured an 'obimakura' to be worn comfortably. The major results were as follows :

  1) The pressure produced by the use of 'obimakura' was 26g/cm² with the upper body inclined forward to 0 degree, and 40g/cm² inclined forward to 45 degrees.

  2) By the use of 'obimakura', the number of respirations was increased 2 to 4 times per minute in the mean with the upper body inclined forward to 0 degree, and it was increased 3 to 4 times in the mean with the upper body inclined forward to 45 degrees.

    It was clarified that the increase was significant from all subjects.

  3) Accordingly, a new 'obimakura', which will not increase the pressure and the number of respirations, and in addition the area contacting the backside was reduced to 1/8 of the former product without spoiling the clothing comfort was experimentarily manufactured.

  A survey and experimental study were performed in young women to examine wearing comfort of modern kimono. The survey consisted of questioners about the part of kimono which elicited pressure or exhaustive sensation in 333 women. Pressure sensation was most frequently noted at the part of obi, while exhaustive sensation in the whole upper part of the body, especially in the shoulder and back. Secondly, clothing pressure of kimono was measured in 9 subjects wearing furisode, komon, hakama or yukata. As a result, the clothing pressure was high at the upper edge of obi, especially in the axially region. A three-way layout ANOVA revealed a significant correlation between the kind of kimono and clothing pressure at measuring points with the risk of 0.01.

  This study was performed to investigate physical comfort of short- and long-term kimono wearing based on a power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Changes in the heart rate was measured using an ACTIVETRACER (AC-301A, GMS). The kimono used in the study was a lined kimono tied with a fukuro-obi of otaiko knotting. Subjects were 17 healthy young female students.

  Compared with condition before wearing the kimono, the heart rate of most subjects decreased during short-time wear of a kimono. The HF/TP (high frequency / total power) ratio increased in those subjects, which indicated a parasympathetic hyperactivity. During long-time wearing of kimono, the HF/TP ratio of some subjects decreased in an early stage of the study and the ratio of other subjects increased temporally. In most cases, however, the long-term wearing of kimono suppressed the HF/TP ratio, which was considered to cause a physical stress to the subjects.

「葉山-嶺岡帯」は，南関東地方の三浦半島から房総半島南部にかけて伸びる特徴的な地形，地質構造を示す地質帯で，新第三紀以降の地層が主体の両半島の中でも最も時代の古い地層が露出するほか，蛇紋岩類，玄武岩類などのオフィオライト様岩類が産出する．玄武岩類は主として40〜50Maの年代を示し，中央海嶺やホットスポット，および島弧の性質を示す岩石が認識されている．本地帯はフィリピン海プレートの沈み込みに伴って形成された中新世～更新世の外縁隆起帯，ならびに関東地方において第四紀以降に発達した関東構造盆地の南縁として位置づけられている．本地帯では地すべりの発達による緩傾斜地形，東西方向のリニアメント，独立峰など特異な地形が認められる．三浦半島には活断層の存在が認定され，本地帯全体での活構造の存在を暗示させる．

本コースでは，葉山-嶺岡帯を，房総半島嶺岡帯の東端から西端まで，さらに，浦賀水道を挟んで三浦半島葉山帯の東端から西端まで全域を横断し，本地帯の地形や構成する地層・岩石をひととおり観察し，本地帯の共通する特徴や地域ごとの相違を確認しながら，本地帯の地質構造発達史を考える．