Kamogawa, Chiba
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in Chiba Prefecture
, Japan
.
As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 35,257 and a population density
of 184 persons per km². The total area was 191.30 km². The name of the city is made of two characters: the first, kamo (鴨), meaning "duck
", and the second, kawa (川), meaning "river
".
, facing the Pacific Ocean
. The area has a warm maritime climate with hot summers and mild winters.
. During the Edo period
, it was mostly tenryō territory controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate
, with portions under the control of the feudal domains of Funagata Domain, Tateyama Domain
, Iwasuki Domain and Tsurumaki Domain
. The short-lived (1638-1690) Tōjō Domain and the Bakumatsu period Hanabusa Domain
were also located within the borders of modern Kamogawa.
outbreak. The city sustained injuries and fatalities during World War II
via aerial bombing
by the United States
. The city was occupied
by American forces after the war. Soon after, land reform
and economic reform were carried out in Kamogawa. In 1958 the coastal areas of Kamogawa became a part of Minami Bōsō Quasi-National Park
, and the town became a tourist destination as a result of the establishment of the park.
remains the primary industry in Kamogawa, which has five active fishing ports. The city is noted for its sardine
and mackerel
production. Rice
production and floriculture
are practiced away from the coast.The tourist industry is a growing component of the local economy, with visitors attracted to the area's beaches, hot spring resorts
, Kamogawa Seaworld, and the Futomi Flower Center.
, Kamogawa consisted of all of Nagasa District
with two towns and nine villages, and two villages from neighboring Asai District
. All of these villages and towns (including Kamogawa Town) became part of Awa District
in 1890. Kamogawa was elevated to city status on March 31, 1971. On February 11, 2005. the town of Amatsukominato
, from Awa District, merged
with Kamogawa.
} – –
, Japan, from 1991 - Manitowoc, Wisconsin
, USA from 1993
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 35,257 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 184 persons per km². The total area was 191.30 km². The name of the city is made of two characters: the first, kamo (鴨), meaning "duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
", and the second, kawa (川), meaning "river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
".
Geography
Kamogawa is located near the southern tip of the Bōsō PeninsulaBoso Peninsula
thumb|Locationthumb|Landsat image with high-resolution data from Space Shuttle is a peninsula in Chiba prefecture on Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It forms the eastern edge of Tokyo Bay, separating it from the Pacific Ocean....
, facing the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The area has a warm maritime climate with hot summers and mild winters.
Neighboring municipalities
- Futtsu, ChibaFuttsu, Chibais a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of September 2010, the city had an estimated population of 47,705 and the population density of 232 persons per km²...
- Kimitsu, ChibaKimitsu, Chibais a city located in Chiba, Japan. As of September 2010, the city had an estimated population of 88,661 and a population density of 278 persons per km². The total area was 318.83 km².-Geography:...
- Katsuura, ChibaKatsuura, Chibais a city located in southern part of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Katsuura city is famous for Katsuura Fishing Port, which features one of the top three largest morning markets in Japan. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 20,570 and the density of 218 persons per km²...
- Minamibōsō, ChibaMinamiboso, Chibais a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010 data, the city had an estimated population of 42,035 and a population density of 183 persons per km²...
- Kyonan, ChibaKyonan, Chibais a town located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010 data, the town had an estimated population of 8,922 and a density of 198 persons per km². The total area was 45.16 km².-Geography:...
- Ōtaki, ChibaOtaki, Chibais a town located in Isumi District, Chiba, Japan, occupying the center of the Bōsō Peninsula. The town is known for its association with Edo period general Honda Tadakatsu and its prominent castle. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 10,794 and a population density of 83.1 persons...
Early History
The area of present-day Kamogawa was part of ancient Awa ProvinceAwa Province (Chiba)
was a province of Japan in the area of modern Chiba Prefecture. It lies on the tip of the Boso Peninsula , whose name takes its first kanji from the name of Awa Province and its second from Kazusa and Shimōsa Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was or...
. During the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, it was mostly tenryō territory controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, with portions under the control of the feudal domains of Funagata Domain, Tateyama Domain
Tateyama Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Awa Province , Japan. It was centered on Tateyama Castle in what is now the city of Tateyama, Chiba.-History:...
, Iwasuki Domain and Tsurumaki Domain
Tsurumaki Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Kazusa Province , Japan. It was centered on what is now the city of Ichihara, Chiba...
. The short-lived (1638-1690) Tōjō Domain and the Bakumatsu period Hanabusa Domain
Hanabusa Domain
' was a Japanese feudal domain of the early Meiji period, located in Nagasa District, Awa Province. It was centered at what is now the area of the city of Kamogawa in modern Chiba Prefecture.-History:...
were also located within the borders of modern Kamogawa.
Modern History
In 1877, ten years after the beginning of the Meiji era, Kamogawa suffered a notable choleraCholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
outbreak. The city sustained injuries and fatalities during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
via aerial bombing
Aerial bombing of cities
A species of strategic bombing, the aerial bombing of cities began in 1915 during World War I, grew to a vast scale in World War II, and continues to the present day. The development of aerial bombardment marked an increased capacity of armed forces to deliver explosive weapons in populated areas...
by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The city was occupied
Occupied Japan
At the end of World War II, Japan was occupied by the Allied Powers, led by the United States with contributions also from Australia, India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This foreign presence marked the first time in its history that the island nation had been occupied by a foreign power...
by American forces after the war. Soon after, land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
and economic reform were carried out in Kamogawa. In 1958 the coastal areas of Kamogawa became a part of Minami Bōsō Quasi-National Park
Minami Bōsō Quasi-National Park
is a quasi-national park in the Kantō region of Honshū in Japan. It is rated a protected landscape according to the IUCN. The park includes numerous widely separated portions of the coastal areas of southern Bōsō Peninsula, ranging from Cape Futtsu on Tokyo Bay to the west, to Cape Inubō facing...
, and the town became a tourist destination as a result of the establishment of the park.
Economy
Kamogawa serves as a commercial center for the surrounding region of south-central Chiba Prefecture. Commercial fishingCommercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
remains the primary industry in Kamogawa, which has five active fishing ports. The city is noted for its sardine
Sardine
Sardines, or pilchards, are several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which they were once abundant....
and mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
production. Rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
production and floriculture
Floriculture
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry...
are practiced away from the coast.The tourist industry is a growing component of the local economy, with visitors attracted to the area's beaches, hot spring resorts
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
, Kamogawa Seaworld, and the Futomi Flower Center.
Administrative History
At the start of the Meiji periodMeiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
, Kamogawa consisted of all of Nagasa District
Nagasa District, Chiba
was an administrative district of Japan located in southern Chiba Prefecture.- History :Nagasa District was one of the four districts created in former Awa Province on April 1, 1889. Much of the area of the district was part of the former Hanabusa Domain. At the time of its foundation, the district...
with two towns and nine villages, and two villages from neighboring Asai District
Asai District, Chiba
was an administrative district of Japan located in southern Chiba Prefecture. Its name was also written with the alternative kanji 朝平郡, with the same pronouciation.- History :...
. All of these villages and towns (including Kamogawa Town) became part of Awa District
Awa District, Chiba
is a district located in Chiba, Japan.As of August 2010, the district had an estimated population of 8,992 and a density of 198 persons per km². Its total area was 45.16 km².-History:...
in 1890. Kamogawa was elevated to city status on March 31, 1971. On February 11, 2005. the town of Amatsukominato
Amatsukominato, Chiba
was a town located in Awa District, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.Amatsukominato was formed on February 11, 1955 by the merger of the towns of Amatsu and Kominato...
, from Awa District, merged
Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan
Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...
with Kamogawa.
Railway
- JR EastEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
– Uchibō Line
} – –
- JR EastEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
– Sotobō Line – -
Education
- Josai International UniversityJosai International Universityis a private university in Tōgane, Chiba, Japan, established in 1992.-External links:*...
– Kamogawa Campus - Waseda UniversityWaseda University, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
– Kamogawa Campus - Toyo UniversityToyo UniversityToyo University is a university with several branches in Japan, including .- Overview :...
– Kamogawa Campus
Sister city relations
- Minobu, YamanashiMinobu, Yamanashi
is a town located in Minamikoma District, Yamanashi, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 7,672 and a density of 58.51 persons per km²...
, Japan, from 1991 - Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
, USA from 1993
Local attractions
- Kamogawa Seaworld, noted especially for its captive orcaOrcaThe killer whale , commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas...
s and numerous other sea creatures - Tanjō-jiTanjō-ji', is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Kamogawa in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Along with Kuon-ji in Yamanashi Prefecture, Ikegami Honmon-ji in the south of Tokyo, and Seichō-ji also in Kamogawa City, Tanjō-ji is one of the "Four Sacred Places of Nichiren Buddhism."- History :A temple was...
– Buddhist temple associated with Nichiren - Seichō-jiSeichō-ji (Kamogawa, Chiba)', alternately called Kiyosumi-dera from an alternative pronunciation of the kanji in its name, is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Kamogawa in Chiba Prefecture, Japan...
– Buddhist temple associated with Nichiren
Noted people from Kamogawa
- NichirenNichirenNichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, entitled Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō as the essential practice of the teaching...
– noted Buddhist prelate - Tokiko KatoTokiko Kato, is a Japanese singer, composer, lyricist, and actress. She graduated from the University of Tokyo, and worked as a visiting professor at Josai International University.- Filmography :# Izakaya Chōji .... Shigeko...
- singer, composer, lyricist, and actress - Yuka MurayamaYuka Murayamais a modern Japanese female writer. She graduated from Rikkyo University and majored in Japanese literature.-Biography:...
- writer
External links
- Kamogawa official website in Japanese
- Kamogawa official website in English
- Manitowoc, WI International Sister City
- Kamogawa visitors' information center official website in Japanese
- Kamogawa visitors' information local info website in Japanese