| Kitayama | |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Seal Type: | Emblem |
| Pushpin Map: | Japan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Japan |
| Coordinates: | 33.9333°N 193°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kansai |
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture |
| Subdivision Name2: | Wakayama Prefecture |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Higashimuro |
| Extinct Title: | Now part of |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 48.21 |
| Population Total: | 432 |
| Population As Of: | October 1, 2016 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | JST |
| Utc Offset1: | +09:00 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | City hall address |
is an exclave village that belongs to Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, but is located on the border between Mie and Nara Prefectures. It lies along the Kitayama River and has become a popular spot for log rafting.[1]
As of 2016, the village has an estimated population of 432 and a density of 9 persons per km2. The total area is 48.21 km2.
Kitayama is the only remaining village in Wakayama Prefecture. Kitayama is known in Japan for growing a fruit called jabara,[2] which is considered a potent cure for hay fever.
Kitayama has a long history associated with logging, cutting trees and sending the timber to be sold in nearby Shingū. When the transition from the Edo period to the modern era of prefectures occurred, the people of Kitayama desired to remain a part of Wakayama prefecture due to their close connections with Shingu City, and as a result this request was granted and the village remains an exclave. In 2005, there were plans for the village to merge with Shingu but those plans were canceled.