A Study on the Spatial Composition of the Villages in the Ryukyu Islands From the Perspective of the Conditions of Topographic Locations

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to select the villages which were planned and established in the Ryukyu Islands during the early modern period and to clarify the spatial composition of the villages by classifying the configuration based on the conditions of topographic location.Villages planned and established during the early modern period will be selected from the preceding studies and literatures. The landscape of the prewar villages will be reproduced and analyzed, and the spatial configuration of the villages will be classified with the locations selected based on the characteristics and configuration. The spatial composition of each village will then be clarified by analyzing the characteristics of the villages classified.

Characteristics of topographical location and spatial composition on villages on Kikaijima Island, Nansei Islands: Reconstructing spatial composition of villages immediately before and after World War II

“…We created spatial restoration maps with the same legends, same spatial scales, and same (proximate) age for each settlement on Okinawa Island and the Sakishima Islands. Then, through comparative analysis, we clarified the similarities and differences in the location and spatial composition of each settlement, and conducted a detailed analysis by classifying them in relation to topographical conditions 1–3 . In the course of their research, the authors hypothesize that while each region of the Nansei Islands has its own unique culture and village structure, at the same time, there are certain universal principles that transcend the constraints imposed by regional boundaries.…”

“…Then, through comparative analysis, we clarified the similarities and differences in the location and spatial composition of each settlement, and conducted a detailed analysis by classifying them in relation to topographical conditions. [1][2][3] In the course of their research, the authors hypothesize that while each region of the Nansei Islands has its own unique culture and village structure, at the same time, there are certain universal principles that transcend the constraints imposed by regional boundaries. To test this hypothesis, an empirical research approach is needed to conduct a comprehensive and cross-sectional survey of Nansei Islands, including those areas to the north of Yoron Island, and to compare each village using a unified method.…”