著者

中山 修一

出版者

広島大学

雑誌

地誌研年報 (ISSN:09155449)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.1, pp.109-122, 1989

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The purpose of this paper is to make better understanding the changes in the usage of the term 'Chishi (Regional Geography)' in the history of modern Japan since the begining of Meiji Era (1867-1912). In Japan, the term 'Chishi' is traditionally used for 'regional geography'. However, it is unfortunate to say that the public of Japan, even among historians, feels something difficult to understand the real meaning of its contents. Therefore geographers in Japn are requested to give simplified definitions for 'Chishi' in order to give easy means of understanding for the public. 1) The term 'Chishi' was first used officially to edit the Imperial Gazetteer of Japan. The Meiji Government of Japan established the section of Chishi in the Ministry of Civic Affairs in 1872, after 5 years of the commencement of the modem Japan. This section, however, disappeared from the government office in 1891 by the result of stopping of editing work of the Imperial Gazetteer of Japan. Since then, the term 'Chishi' as the -.section name in the central government has never been used again. 2) In the field of education in the Meiji Era, the term 'Chishi' was given a very important role in the elementary school curriculum prescribed by the central government. World 'Chishi' and Japanese 'Chishi' were introduced as a basic subject in the elementary education since the beginning of Japanese modern education commenced in 1872. 3) As a result of the earliest establishment of geography department in Japanese universities in the beginning of 1910s, the term 'Kyodo Chishi', which presents local geography or Hymatkunde became popular term gradually instead of 'Chishi'. This tendency continued till the beginning of 1940s. 4) After World War 11, the term 'Chishi' recovered its position in the public through several series of publication about world and Japanese regional geography as listed in Table 2. However, the term 'Chishi' has never occupied the main stream to explain so called 'regional geography' in Japan. 5) The term 'Chishi', today, is c