Urban Retailing System in Kushiro City

In this study, the retailing system in Kushiro City was investigated separately in the daytime and in the morning and nighttime in 1988, and the relationships between these two urban retailing systems is discussed. In order to clarify this urban retailing system, a classification of retail areas was made according to the models presented by Kiji (1975, 1988). First, retail areas were classified in terms of the trade type within each area. Second, retail areas were classified in terms of the process of modernization within each area. Finally, the relationships between the two classifications was examined. The results obtained from the analysis are summarized as follows:<br> 1. As a result of the grouping of retail trade type in the daytime, five groups were derived: highorder functions; middle-order functions; low-order functions; fresh-food functions; and automobile row and gasoline stations. Next, as a result of the grouping of retail areas in terms of trade type, four groups were derived: the high-level centers; the low-level centers; the group characterized by freshfood functions, urban arterial functions, automobile row functions and high-order functions; and the group which is characterized by automobile row functions and gasoline stations. The former two groups are collectively regarded as a “nucleated” set, and the latter two as “ribbons.” As a result of the grouping of retail areas in terms of operating variables, the most modernized level, the intermediate level, and the traditional level groups were derived.<br> 2. In a comparison with the classification of retail areas in terms of trade type and the classification of retail areas in terms of operating variables, the final classifications of the modernized nucleated centers, the traditional nucleated centers, the neighborhood centers, the modernized ribbons, and the traditional ribbons were derived in the daytime. Kushiro's urban retailing system in the daytime is discussed in the following. The modernized nucleated centers, the traditional nucleated centers and the neighborhood centers may be functionally compared with nucleated centers. Meshes that belong to the neighborhood centers are very small in number. The modernized nucleated centers are most frequently observed in the CBD where ten type 1 large-scale retail stores and many multiples are located and high-order and middle-order functions are dominant. The traditional nucleated centers, which are characterized by the smallest and unincorporated retailing and the high-order and middle-order functions, are widely distributed throughout the old built-up areas except for the CBD. The modernized ribbons extend continuously along Route 38 in the western parts of Kushiro. These modernized ribbons may be compared with “automobile rows.” Meanwhile, the traditional ribbons are located continuously in the northern parts of the built-up areas.<br> 3. As a result of the grouping of retail trade type in the morning and nighttime, four groups were derived: high-order functions; low-order functions; fresh-food functions; and automobile row functions and gasoline stations. Next, as a result of the grouping of retail areas in terms of the trade types, three groups were derived: the group compared with nucleated centers; the group characterized by fresh-food functions; and the group characterized by automobile row functions and gasoline stations. As a result of the grouping of retail areas in terms of operating variables, the most modernized level, the intermediate level, and the traditional level groups were set up.