Human Ecological Survey of a Highland Community Kattsuru, Nagano Prefecture.

Abstract

1. Hamlet of Kattsuru in the village of Chikumaji, Nagano Prefecture was subjected to a human ecological survey as a basis of rural sanitation and guidance of local family planning. The hamlet, 890-950m above sea-level, fills a narrow valley of a rivulet, Takenoiri-gawa, and is a typical highland community in the Central Japan.2. There is cultivated area of 2.44 acres (1.12 acres of rice paddie and 1, 32 acres of dry field) per household in the average. Restricted by the geographical and climatic condition, the agriculture with this acrage corresponds to the sustenance limit. Most of the villagers seek to earn an extra income from semething or other : dairy farm, silkworm raising, civil engineering work or charcoal production to mention the main items.3. Annual food expenditure per household in 1953 was Y101, 101 which was 61.8% (Engel coefficient) of the whole livelihood expenditure, Y178, 000. It must be mentioned, however, that the harvest of this year was generally poor, owing to extraordinary lack of sunshine and heat during the summer. In an ordinary year the Engel coefficient would be a little lower.4. Uncultivated arable area is 14.9 acres for the whole hamlet of 78 households. This wasteland between the forest and the cultivated field produces hay for- the live-stock. The forest grows on a steep mountain side. So it is not practicable to change it into farming area.5. Population of Kattsuru hamlet as of September 1953 was 408 (219 males and 189 females). Ane increase would entail a reduction of livelihood level, since no effective means of increasing the population capacity are available.6. This community, considerered as a whole, is economically incapable of improvement of sanitary conditions. Suggestions derived from the present survey are :(i) Avoid further increase of population.(ii) Emigratin out of the hamlet ought to be encouraged.(iii) Mechanization of the agriculture should be introduced.(iv) Dairy farming, now isolatedly introduced, ought to be encouraged.(v) Road communication, about 4 km. connecting the hamlet with Ono station of the Central Line of the National Railway should be repaired or improved, at least to make it passable for bicycles.