Kamiyama, Tokushima Explained

Kamiyama
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:Town
Seal Type:Emblem
Image Map1:Kamiyama in Tokushima Prefecture Ja.svg
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Japan
Coordinates:33.9672°N 134.3505°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Shikoku
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Tokushima
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Myōzai
Extinct Title:Now part of
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Masakazu Goto (since June 2005)
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:173.30
Population Total:4930
Population As Of:June 30, 2022
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:JST
Utc Offset1:+09:00
Blank Name Sec1:City hall address
Blank Info Sec1:100 Jinjyō-ji Honnoma, Kamiyama-chō, Myōzai-gun, Tokushima-ken 771-3395
Module:
Embedded:yes
Tree:Cryptomeria
Flower:Prunus mume

thumb|right|270px|Kamiyama Town Hallthumb|right|270px|Amagoi Fallsthumb|right|270px|Spring in Kamiyama

is a town in Myōzai District, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan., the town had an estimated population of 4,930 in 2404 households and a population density of 28 persons per km².[1] The total area of the town is 173.305sqkm.

Geography

Kamiyama is located in the upper reaches of the Akui River, which runs parallel to the south side of the Yoshino River in central Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. Located in the eastern part of the Shikoku Mountains, about 83% of the total area is mountainous, with agricultural land and settlements scattered in the Akui River basin that crosses the center of the town from east to west. Parts of the town are within the borders of the Chūbu Sankei Prefectural Natural Park or the Higashi Sankei Prefectural Natural Park.

Neighbouring municipalities

Tokushima Prefecture

Climate

Kamiyama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kamiyama is 14.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2137 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.9 °C.[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kamiyama has been rapidly declining over the past 70 years.

History

As with all of Tokushima Prefecture, the area of Kamiyama was part of ancient Awa Province. The area has been settled since ancient times and is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki.[4] During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tokushima Domain ruled by the Hachisuka clan from their seat at Tokushima Castle. The villages of Ano (阿野村), Jinryō (神領村), Orono (鬼籠野村), Shimobun-Kamiyama (下分上山村), and Kamibun-Kamiyama (上分上山村) were established within Myōzai District, Tokushima with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889. These five villages merged to form the town of Kamiyama on November 20, 1965.

Government

Kamiyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of eight members. Kamiyama, together with the other municipalities of Myōzai District, contributes two members to the Tokushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Tokushima 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

The economy of Kamiyama is agricultural, and the town is the largest producer of sudachi in Japan, accounting for 24% of the production in Tokushima Prefecture. Kamiyama is notable for its successes in minimizing its population decline through digital transformation efforts and promotion as a rural startup ecosystem.[5] [6]

Education

Kamiyama has two public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government and one public high school operated by the Tokushima Prefectural Department of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Kamiyama does not have any passenger rail service. The closest station is the JR Shikoku Tokushima Station, which is approximately 50 minutes away by car.

Highways

Local attractions

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kamiyama town official statistics. Japan. ja.
  2. https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/tokushima-prefecture/kamiyama-31080/ Kamiyama climate data
  3. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-tokushima.php Kamiyama population statistics
  4. Web site: Kamiyama Information. Kamiyama-cho office. 20 November 2014.
  5. Web site: Tomoe . Atsushi . 2014-01-01 . Aging Kamiyama hopes to rejuvenate with IT startups . 2022-05-15 . The Japan Times . en-US.
  6. News: Fifield . Anna . May 26, 2015 . With rural Japan shrinking and aging, a small town seeks to stem the trend . 2022-05-15 . The Washington Post.