Kameoka, Kyoto

Template:Infobox city Japan Kameoka (亀岡市, Kameoka-shi) is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

As of October 1, 2015, the city has an estimated population of 89,479, with 33,915 households and a population density of 398 persons per km². The total area is 224.80 km².

Geography

Kameoka abuts Kyoto to the east and is located to the north of Osaka. It is on the border line between former Tanba and Yamashiro provinces. Together with Nantan city, the region is known as Southern Tanba, Kuchitan or Nanatan. For centuries, Kameoka served as a key transportation point to connect San'in region and Tanba providence with Kyoto. Today, the city serves as one of the suburbs of Metro Kyoto.^[1]

Kameoka is notable as the launch point for Hozugawa Kudari, a boat ride down the Hozu River.^[2] It is also the location of Anaoji Temple, one of the 21 temples in western Japan authorized to issue amulets in the name of the Boddhisattva Kannon.^[3]

History

Historically, the area served as a farming community for Kyoto, Japan's former capital. For centuries, area farmers provided ingredients used for traditional Japanese food served in Kyoto including chestnuts, black beans, azuki, rice, matsutake, yams, and daikon. In addition, farmers in the city provide beef, chicken and ayu (also known as sweetfish).

In the past, Kameoka was known as Kameyama and served as the provincial capital for Tanba province.

300 BCE – Rice farming colonies were built throughout the area
741 – Emperor Shōmu established kokubunji, provincial temples
8th century – beginning to grow as a suburb of Nagaokakyo and Heian-kyō (the area was reigned by Seiwa Genji)
1333 – Takauji Ashikaga raised his army in Kameoka to settle the Genkō Rebellion in Kyoto
1577 – Under the direction of Oda Nobunaga, Akechi Mitsuhide erected Kameyama Castle
1582 – Mitsuhide Akechi raised his army in Kameoka to assassinate Nobunaga Oda and Nobutada Oda in Kyoto: The Incident at Honnō-ji
1869 – Kameyama was renamed Kameoka