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Kitagawa, Kōchi

Coordinates: 33°27′N 134°3′E / 33.450°N 134.050°E / 33.450; 134.050
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kitagawa
北川村
Kitagawa village hall
Kitagawa village hall
Flag of Kitagawa
Official seal of Kitagawa
Map
Location of Kitagawa in Kōchi Prefecture
Location of Kitagawa
Kitagawa is located in Japan
Kitagawa
Kitagawa
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°27′N 134°3′E / 33.450°N 134.050°E / 33.450; 134.050
CountryJapan
RegionShikoku
Prefecture Kōchi
DistrictAki
Area
 • Total196.73 km2 (75.96 sq mi)
Population
 (June 30, 2022)
 • Total1,228
 • Density6.2/km2 (16/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1530 Notomo Kō, Kitagawa-mura, Aki-gun, Kōchi-ken 781-6441
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdWarbling white-eye
FlowerPyrus pyrifolia
TreePaulownia tomentosa
birthplace of Nakaoka Shintaro
Kitagawa Monet Marmottan Water garden

Kitagawa (北川村, Kitagawa-mura) is a village located in Aki District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 June 2022, the village had an estimated population of 1,228 in 612 households and a population density of 6.2 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the village is 196.73 square kilometres (75.96 sq mi).

Geography

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Kitagawa is located in northeastern Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. It is situated on a mountainous area.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Kōchi Prefecture

Tokushima Prefecture

Climate

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Kitagawa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kitagawa is 14.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2543 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 24.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.3 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Kitagawa peaked around 1960 and decreased precipitously in the following decade. The population has continued to gradually decline since then.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 3,514—    
1930 4,836+37.6%
1940 3,509−27.4%
1950 4,537+29.3%
1960 6,000+32.2%
1970 2,584−56.9%
1980 1,907−26.2%
1990 1,706−10.5%
2000 1,591−6.7%
2010 1,367−14.1%
2020 1,146−16.2%

History

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As with all of Kōchi Prefecture, the area of Kitagawa was part of ancient Tosa Province. The name of Aki District appears in Nara period . During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tosa Domain ruled by the Yamauchi clan from their seat at Kōchi Castle. The village of Kitagawa was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889.

Government

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Kitagawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral village council of eight members. Kitagawa, together with the other municipalities of Aki District, contributes one member to the Kōchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the village is part of Kōchi 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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Kitagawa's economy is centered on forestry and citrus fruit tree cultivation (yuzu).[4]

Education

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Kitagawa has one public elementary school and one public middle school operated by the village government. The village does not have a high school.

Transportation

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Railway

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The village does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest train station is Nahari Station on the Tosa Kuroshio Railway.

Highways

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Local attractions

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Noted people from Kitagawa

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References

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  1. ^ "Kitagawa village official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Kitagawa climate data
  3. ^ Kitagawa population statistics
  4. ^ Yuzu-filled Kitagawa Village
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