A Problem of Vacant Housing in Local Cities: Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture Case Study

Abstract

This paper takes Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, as a case study and, using the exhaustive investigation of vacant housing in the city, describes the distribution of vacant housing within the city and explains its causes. As a result, it has been confirmed that the number and percentage of vacant houses in Utsunomiya City is increasing. This is because along with the widespread use of private cars, the suburbs are becoming centres for living and employment in local cities. Conversely, the city centre is losing its appeal as a place to live and work in. People living in the city centre use cars to drive to the suburbs in order to buy groceries. As the suburbs prosper, the city centre loses its charm, accelerating the increase in vacant housing in built-up areas. The increase of vacant housing in built-up areas is hollowing the city centre and its surrounds. The city is decaying from its core. This is the problem of local city vacant housing.