Kozagawa, Wakayama

Kozagawa 古座川町
Town
View of Kozagawa
Flag
Location of Kozagawa in Wakayama Prefecture
Kozagawa Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°32′N 135°49′E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Wakayama Prefecture
District	Higashimuro
Government
• Mayor	Takeo Takeda (since July 2008)
Area
• Total	294.52 km2 (113.71 sq mi)
Population  (October 1, 2016)
• Total	2,749
• Density	9.3/km2 (24/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	Takaike 673-2, Kozagawa Town, Higashi-Muro District, Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県東牟婁郡古座川町高池673－２) 649-4104
Website	www.town.kozagawa.wakayama.jp
Symbols
Bird	Cettia diphone
Flower	Prunus jamasakura
Tree	Cryptomeria japonica

Kozagawa (古座川町, Kozagawa-chō) is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

As of October 2016, the town has an estimated population of 2,749, and a density of 9.3 persons per km². The total area is 294.52 km².

Geography

This town is located in a mountainous region of southern part of Kii Peninsula. In this town, the forestry is prosperous.

The total area of Kozagawa is the second largest in Wakayama Prefecture. However, the population of Kozagawa Town is the second smallest in the prefecture.

History

Because of warm and wet climate, from ancient times, good-quality woods, called "Kozagawa-Zai(古座川材)", have been produced.

• In 1889, the municipality organization system was enforced:
  • Takaike Village (高池村) - (merger of Takagawara Village, Ikenoguchi Village, Ikenoyama Village, Kusu Village, Utsuki Village, Tsukinose Village, and Kashiyama Village).
  • Myojin Village (明神村) - (merger of Nakazaki Village, Aise Village, Tachiaigawa Village, Tsurugawa Village, Ichiburi Village, Oh'yanagi Village, Uruno Village, Tachiai Village, Shimonaka Village, Kawaguchi Village, Takase Village, Nukumi Village, and Mine Village).
  • Mitogawa Village (三尾川村) - (merger of Mitogawa Village, Nabera Village, Ohkawa Village, Nagaoi Village, Utsuo Village, Hinatagawa Village, and Kurozu Village).
  • Kogawa Village (小川村) - (merger of Choutsuo Village, Ohkuwa Village, Nishiakagi Village, Tagawa Village, Komorigawa Village, Uzutsui Village, Sarugawa Village, and Yamate Village).
  • Shichigawa Village (七川村) - (merger of Nishikawa Village, Shimotsuyu Village, Narukawa Village, Matsune Village, Hirai Village, Inodani Village, Sada Village, and Soinogawa Village).
• In 1900, Takaike Village became Takaike Town.
• On March 31, 1956, Takaike Town, Myojin Village, Mitogawa Village, Kogawa Village, and Shichigawa Village merged and became Kozagawa Town.

Administration

The present town mayor is Takeo Takeda (武田丈夫) (2008- ).

Kozagawa Town, Kushimoto Town, and Susami Town comes under Kushimoto police station. In Kozagawa Town, there are three Kōbans: Takaike, Myojin, and Sada.

Economy

According to the census of 2005, 162 people engage in primary industry, 196 people engage in secondary industry, and 927 people engage in third industry.

The local speciality of this town is Yuzu.

Sights

• Kozagawa-no-Ichimaiiwa Rock
• Takinohai Falls
• Maboroshi-no-taki Falls
• Shichikawa Dam
• Kozagawa Gorge
• Hotsprings
  • Tsukinose Hotspring
  • Yunohana Hotspring

Transportation

Railway

There are no stations in Kozagawa. The nearest station is Koza Station of JR Kisei Main Line, located in Kushimoto.

Highways

• National routes
  • National Route 371
• Main prefectural roads
  • Prefectural Road 38
  • Prefectural Road 39
  • Prefectural Road 43
  • Prefectural Road 229

Buses

• Kozagawa Town Bus (called "Kozagawa-cho-Furusato-bus")

Notable people

Persons from Kozagawa Town

• Shingo Tatsumi (巽真吾), professional baseball player

Persons related to Kozagawa Town

• Yukihisa Shimada (嶋田幸久), biologist and professor of Yokohama City University (His mother is from Kozagawa)

External links

• Media related to Kozagawa, Wakayama at Wikimedia Commons
• Kozagawa official website (in Japanese)