Katsuyama, Okayama

Katsuyama (勝山町, Katsuyama-chō) was a town located in Maniwa District, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 9,027 and a density of 65.04 persons per km². The total area was 138.79 km².

On March 31, 2005, Katsuyama, along with the town of Hokubō (from Jōbō District), and towns of Kuse, Ochiai and Yubara, and the villages of Chūka, Kawakami, Mikamo and Yatsuka (all from Maniwa District) were merged to create the city of Maniwa.

To coincide with the 2005 merger, Katsuyama residents were given a book commemorating the last 50 years of Katsuyama's existence as a town and a special purple cloth with the town logo imprinted on it.

Local to Katsuyama is the Kanba waterfall (神庭の滝, Kanba no taki), the only Okayama waterfall on the list of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls and home to Japanese macaque monkeys.

Traditional Products

Katsuyama is famous for its bamboo basketry, originating from the town's Tsukida district, and four types of baskets produced there are designated as "Traditional Japanese Crafts".

Also famous is Gozenshu sake made by Katsuyama's Tsuji Honten brewery which has been in the town since the early 1800s, having relocated from nearby Ochiai.

Geography

• Rivers: Asahi River (The big-3 river through Okayama Prefecture)

Adjoining municipalities

• Okayama Prefecture
  • Kuse
  • Ochiai
  • Yubara
  • Mikamo
  • Hokubō
  • Ōsa

Education

• Katsuyama Elementary School
• Tsukida Elementary School
• Tomihara Elementary School
• Katsuyama Junior High School
• Okayama Prefectural Katsuyama High School

Transportation

Railways

• West Japan Railway Company
  • Kishin Line
    • Chūgoku-Katsuyama Station – Tsukida Station – Tomihara Station

Road

• National highways:
  • Route 181
  • Route 313
• Prefectural roads:
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 32 (Niimi-Katsuyama)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 84 (Katsuyama-Kurihara)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 201 (Kanba waterfall)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 311 (Akuchi-Kami)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 320 (Wakashiro-Hōkoku Station)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 321 (Kōjiro-Katsuyama)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 390 (Komi-Tsukida Station)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 459 (Wakashiro-Kōjiro)

Notable places and events

• Katsuyama castle town
• Kanba waterfall
• Katsuyama Festival (October 19–20)

• 
  Katsuyama castle town
• 
  Kanba waterfall

External links

• Official website of Maniwa in Japanese
• http://darumapilgrim.blogspot.com/2006/12/izumo-kaido-katsuyama.html
• Tsuji brewery webpages (in Japanese)
• http://www.flickr.com/groups/1133664@N25/pool/with/4298539887/ Katsuyama photo group on Flickr