Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 352

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NAGOYA,

Nagoya is called "Chukyo," or Central Capital, and in former times it was an important stage known as "Miya" on the Tokaido (Highway), where the traffic was very heavy. But since the introduction of modern methods of travel, and especially since the construction of railways, this centre of traffic has grown rapidly in importance.

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, Yamanashi, and other 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 the 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, Hatta, Shiratori, Horikawaguchi, and Nagoya Harbour Stations, making eight in all. The number of passengers using these stations in the course 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.

There are 66 post and telegraph offices throughout the city and for wireless messages, a despatching station at Yosami, and a receiving station at Yok- kaichi, both towns near Nagoya, have recently been opened. These stations are supervised and operated by the Nagoya Central Post Office, and at these stations communication is maintained with Germany, Poland, France, and Great Britain. Telephones are a Government Monopoly in Japan, and are extensively used.

Since the remarkable progress made in industry and communications during the Meiji Era, the commerce of the city, has extended throughout the Empire. As a distributing and collecting point Nagoya has become known both at home and abroad, being placed just after Osaka and Tokyo. In reviewing the movement of goods a number of years ago, it is noticeable that most of the transportation was by land, and very little by water. But since the construction of Nagoya Harbour in 1907, the volume of goods shipped by water has greatly increased.

In 1928 the total tonnage passing through the harbour was about 5,257,000 tons, while that handled by land amounted to 4,383,000 tons. Compared with the previous year both showed the striking increase of about 710,000 tons.

Commodities that are brought into the city are chiefly raw materials such as rice, sugar, lumber, coal, ginned cotton, iron, wool, etc. while those shipped out are mainly lumber, coal, cotton piece-goods, porcelain and pottery, beer, cement, and other refined or manufactured goods.

From early times Nagoya has made remarkable progress, especially in industrial arts, on account of low wages, and the diligence and special skill in handicraft of the workers. Following the spirit of the times machinery has been introduced and factories have largely taken the place of household