Characterizing the Historical Changes in Land Use and Landscape Spatial Pattern on the Oguraike Floodplain after the Meiji Period

Research on change in land use and landscape pattern is the foundation for studies exploring natural and cultural landscape of a region. This study used GIS software and utilized topographic maps to examine the changes that occurred in the Oguraike floodplain, during the time points of 1888, 1909, 1961, and 2002. The Oguraike floodplain, which was dominated by the landscape of Oguraike Pond and paddy fields in 1888, was dominated by the landscape of urban areas and paddy fields in 2002. Moreover, urban areas, cropland, paddy fields, and grasslands have become concentrated into larger patches, whilst the water bodies have become more fragmented. Overall, there has been a reduction in landscape diversity on the floodplain.