Historical Geography on the Formation of Industrial Areas and the Reorganization of Life Infrastructure in Modern Japan

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03237
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Human geography
• Research Institution: Hosei University (2019-2021); University of Tsukuba (2017-2018)
• Principal Investigator: Yuzawa Noriko 法政大学, 人間環境学部, 教授 (20409494)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 近代日本 / 生活基盤 / 循環経済 / 食 / 衛生 / 教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the formation of industrial regions in modern Japan and the process of development and restructuring of "living infrastructure" . In this study, "livelihood infrastructure" includes not only food, clothing, and housing, but also social services such as sanitation, education, and welfare.
The study area was set in the Bisai textile industry region of Aichi Prefecture and the urban areas of Tokyo and Osaka, as areas that had undergone significant changes due to industrialization. There were two main research themes. The first theme was "food," and the study elucidated the food space in factories and urban areas. The second theme was "sanitation," and included discussions on excretion, fertilizers, and material circulation. It became clear that the development and reorganization of the living infrastructure was an important element in the structural transformation of regions and industries.

Free Research Field

人文地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、産業革命期という大きな変化の中で、製造業の発展を支えた「労働者」に着目し、生身の人間がいかに生きたか、またそのための生存基盤の構築が、どのように新しい社会を形成していったかを明らかにしたものである。
既存の歴史地理学や経済史研究における近代日本に関する議論は、鉄道、道路、建物などのインフラストラクチャーの整備や企業勃興を対象としたものが中心であった。それに対し、本研究では人間と社会との関係に議論を拡張し、近代日本についての新たな知見を提示した点に学術的意義がある。またその知見は、絶え間ない変化に直面している現代の私たちの暮らしや生き方にも多くの示唆を与える社会的意義を有している。