THE TRANSFORMATION OF CITY CENTER OF A SMALL LOCAL CITY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LONG-TERM LAND OWNERSHIP TRANSITION

This study revealed the process of urban transformation from the perspective of land ownership transition from 1888 to 2020, focusing on the historic city center of Kuroishi City. The process of decline in the city center began with a decrease in population from the 1950s, followed by an increase in absentee landlords from the 1960s, stagnation in land transactions from the 1970s, and a visible decline in commercial functions such as the number of stores and sales from the early 1980s onwards. Additionally, it was revealed that most absentee landlords reside within the city or nearby areas.