Human geography
Although the Human Geography Section was established in 1995 and so has only a short history, it has steadily built up its research and educational expertise since the time of its forerunner, Comparative Cultural Studies, Course of Japanese Studies. The Human Geography section has enjoyed particularly remarkable achievements in the study of old maps and historical geography. Currently, the faculty members comprise Professor Shigeru KOBAYASHI and Associate Professors Kenji TSUTSUMI. Professor Kobayashi, dedicated to studying the relations between people and the environment, has been engaged in various fieldworks. He is also interested in historical and archaeological materials. Associate Professors Tsutsumi has analyzed social and economic changes in depopulating areas, and exchanged his views with Western researchers. Students in this section are expected to learn the theories and techniques that human geographers have developed thus far, and to assimilate the methodology of other related sciences. Since human geography is rapidly expanding in scope, this study approach will be helpful for students in understanding the research frontier and participating in interdisciplinary studies, which are expected to become increasingly important.
Professors
- KOBAYASHI, Shigeru (D.Lit.)
- Cultural Geography and Cultural Ecology: Cultural Ecology of the Nepal Himalaya and the Ryukyu Islands, Map Making during the Tokugawa Era, Medical Geography of Smallpox and Malaria
- TSUTSUMI, Kenji (Ph.D.)
- Social and Economic Geography; Research on Depopulated Regions, Regional Transformation and Modernization