NAGOYA
Nagoya is the third largest city in Japan, coming after Tokyo and Osaka. It has an area of 148 sq. kilometres and a population, of 1,082,814 according to the 1935 census. To the north extends the fertile plain of Nobi watered by the Kiso, Nagara and Ibi Rivers, and to the south stretch the calm waters of Ise Bay. The climate is temperate. Thus this district developed steadily from early times, becoming one of the centres of communication between Eastern and Western ports of Japan. After the construction of Nagoya Castle, famous for its golden dolphins, Ñagoya grew into a large and prosperous city. After the Restoration of Meji, with the opening of railways and the construc- tion of harbour works, the city developed rapidly, and now, together with Tokyo and Osaka, divides the country practically into three parts, and has become the actual, as well as the nominal, centre of mid-Japan. The city by no means boasts of its famous sights or historic remains, but is proud of the fact that it is still in its youth and showing remarkable progress, particularly in its commerce and industry.
Nagoya is called "Chuky,” or Central Capital, and now includes Atsuta which was, in former times, an important stage known as "Miya" on the Tokaido (Highway), where the traffic was very heavy. But since the intro- duction of modern methods of travel, and especially since the construction of railways, the City of Nagoya, being in close proximity to Atsuta, has grown rapidly in importance.
the
Not only is Nagoya Station an important intermediate station on the Tokaido Main Line, but it is also a terminus of the Kansai Line which goes to Osaka, passing through Mie and Nara Prefectures, and of the Chuo Line which running through Gifu, Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures finally reaches Tokyo. It is thus one of the most important railway centres. in all Japan. Besides these lines there is direct connection between station and the harbour, in order to link up the transportation by land and water. Within the city limits, besides Nagoya Station, there are Atsuta, Chikusa, Ozone, Biwajima, Hatta, Shiratori, Horilawaguchi, and Nagoya Harbour Stations, making nine in all. The number of passengers using these stations in the course of one year is approximately fifteen millions, while nearly three million tons of goods are handled..
:
In addition to these Imperial Government Railways, there are a number of private electric railways operating radial lines from the city, putting it into close connection with a large number of cities and towns in the neigh- bourhood. Turning to transportation within the city, there are 2,420 kilo- metres of streets covering about one eighteenth of the total area of the city. The width and arrangement of these streets, however, are not satisfactory, so that great efforts are being made in connection with the work of city planning to broaden and systematize them.
The street railway system, is owned and operated by the municipality: it has 53,5 kilometres of track on the main streets, and carries a total of 100,000,000 passengers annually. This service is supplemented by the Tsukiji Electric Railway, Shin-Mikawa Electric Railway and Nakamura Electric Railway. These private lines make connections between the centre of the city and the cutlying parts. Light motor-buses are operated on all the prin- cipal streets at a uniform fare of six sen.