Study about the Increase of Welfare, Medical Care and Education Effect in the River

The river technology of Japan was highly developed and achieved much result in flood protection, water use and the environment. Nowadays, the function which is requested to the river is changes because the society changes from growth to maturity. In this study, we suggest the functions of the river in the maturity society about future welfare, medical care and education based on field research of case study. In this research, we pay attention to the functions related with culture, one) function of healing, mental stress improvement and life, two) function of landscape, education and recreation. And this paper proposed the usage of the river where adopt to the times, a function and the value of "the river as the space". We made a questionnaire to 187 river managers, and 90% of answers wear positive for use the river as the medical aspect, health and the welfare. Furthermore, based on research result of hospitals and welfare facilities which used a river for their activities, we suggest to develop and use the river walk, to design a city and rivers as one, and to use many facilities which are located on river front more active, those are improve the new river functions.