Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 306

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NAGOYA

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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.

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 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, Biwajima, Hatta, Shiratori, Horilkawaguchi, 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 55.5 kilometres of track on the main streets, and carries a total of 66,761,162 passengers annually. This service is supplemented by the Tsukiji Electric Railway and Shin-Mikawa Electric Railway. These private lines make connections between the centre of the city and the outlying parts. Light motor-buses are operated on all the principal 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 Wireless Telegram Office, and at these stations communication is maintained with Germany, Poland, France, and Great Britain. Telephones are Government Monopoly in Japan, and are extensively used.

With 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 opening of Nagoya Harbour to foreign commerce in 1907, the volume of goods shipped by water has greatly increased.

In 1935 the total tonnage passing through the harbour was 2,050.627 tons, while that handled by land amounted to about 3,713,399 tons.

Commodities that are brought into the city are chiefly raw materials such as wheat, bean cakes, ginned cotton, rice, iron, etc., while those shipped out are mainly cotton fabrics, potteries, vehicles, toys, spinning machinery, woolen tissues, clocks and other 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 industries. The city is fortunate in having at its disposal an abundant