The Village Character Theory as a Principle of the Formation of the Oriental Agricultural Region

Abstract

1. Agricultural region in the drainage basin of the Koyoshi River, Akita Pref. -a sample valley section at Tohoku rice monoculture region .in Japan-is divided into three districts, namely complex economic district in Chokai mountain, rice monoculture district in alluvial plain, and truck farming district in Hon jo coastal dune. 2. The difference of velocity in the acceptance of new crops and livestocks, the change of occupation arising from the industrial fluctuation, and the phenomena of over-population as well as the want of labour in each district are occasionally seen. These phenomena can not be explained by any environmentalism and localization theory. 3. As a principle of explantion for these phenomena I offer the village charcter theory. This character is expressed by the combination and dependence of every farmers. 4. These combination and dependance are shown by the degree of dependance (degree of part-time farmer or tenant farmer), by the form of dependance (object which poor farmers have been depended), and by the mode of dependance (combining relation between the poor farmers and the being-depended-farmers). 5. Limits of these combinations and dependances in this drainage basin are coincided. with the limits of three phenomena above mentioned in the 2nd section. 6. Formation of oriental agricultural region is controlled by. the economic agency, the natural environment, and especially the village character which combines the economic agency with the natural environ-ment. When we study the oriental agricultural region, the village character theory as a new geographical principle. should be systematized together with the environment theory and localization. theory.