The aim of this paper is to clarify the relationship between reclamation work in Karafuto (present-day Sakhalin) and the construction of its capital city, Toyohara (present-day Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) after the Russo-Japanese war. There are four main points of consideration. As a study of colonization, this paper examines the relationship between suzerain policy and urban design as well as the transfer of systems and techniques from domestic to overseas territories. In addition, since Karafuto resembled Hokkaido in regional character during Japanese colonial times, as a study of urban design this paper compares Karafuto with Hokkaido, especially in terms of the intentional construction and nodal function of cities. Based on these four points, the contents of this paper can be summarized as follows:
1. Similar to Hokkaido in its population density and ethnic composition, Karafuto has been considered the Japanese overseas territory most similar to its domestic territory in terms of colonial government policies. It has not always been considered so similar in regard to climate and agriculture, however, leading the author to surmize a feeling of incongruity among its settlers. As the ratio of non-settling fishermen to permanent settlers was high in the early colonial times, the encouragement of permanent residence was the most important task of the reclamation work.
2. The construction of the new capital city was begun shortly after the Japanese occupation of Karafuto. From among several choices, the village of Urajimirofuka was selected as the site for the new city due to its location in the Suzuya Plain, an important agricultural area, yet also near a military base and along the main road. The new capital city was named Toyohara.
3. Greatly influenced by the division of farmland, the streets of the new city were laid out in a grid pattern, modeled after the one used in Sapporo. The center line of the new town was its railway, later dividing the governmental area from the civil area. If the design of Sapporo was greatly influenced by the design of cities in domestic territories, then the planning technology of Toyohara can be considered to have been introduced into Karafuto from Japanese domestic territories by way of Hokkaido.
4. The construction of Toyohara was closely related to the division work of farmland. The plans for Toyohara were drafted mainly by persons associated with Sapporo Agricultural College. That is to say, Karafuto received a transfer of experience and technology from the reclamation work carried out in settling Hokkaido as a domestic colony.
5. In the early days of Japanese colonization, the nodal function of cities on Karafuto was of the Reverse Y type, concentrating every function in the city of Otomari. After Toyohara was constructed, the function changed to a Sideways T type, with everything concentrated there. The change was almost complete by 1911.
6. The inland settlement of Karafuto was more difficult than had been expected. As Toyohara was not enthusiastically received by settlers, the Japanese colonial government in Karafuto had to politically promote the invitation of settlers and encourage their permanent residence. Although a few cities and fishing villages developed along coastal areas, few permanent settlements developed further inland.