![Anaoji15s3872](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Anaoji15s3872.jpg)
is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 87,518 in 29,676 households and a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of 390 persons per km².
The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kameoka abuts Kyoto to the east and is located to the north of
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
. It is on the border line between former
Tanba and
Yamashiro Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai. It overlaps the southern part of modern Kyoto Prefecture on Honshū. Aliases include , the rare , and . It is classified as an upper province in the ''Engishiki''.
Yamashiro Province included Kyoto its ...
s. 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
The is an area in the southwest of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It consists of the northern part of the Chūgoku region, facing the Sea of Japan.
Etymology
The name San'in in the Japanese language is formed from two kanji characters. The ...
and Tanba providence with
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
. Today, the city serves as one of the
suburbs
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
of
Metro Kyoto.
Kameoka is notable as the launch point for Hozugawa Kudari, a boat ride down the
Hozu River
The is a part of Katsura River in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The river begins in the mountains near Kameoka, a town northwest of Kyoto City. It snakes into the Arashiyama section of western Kyoto before changing its name to Katsura River.
The H ...
. 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.
Neighbouring municipalities
Kyoto Prefecture
*
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
*
Nantan
Osaka Prefecture
*
Ibaraki
*
Takatsuki
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is located in northern Osaka's Hokusetsu region.
As of 2020, the city had an estimated population of 347,944 and a population density of 3,300 persons per km². The total area is 105.31 km².
The c ...
*
Nose
A nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which receive and expel air for respiration alongside the mouth. Behind the nose are the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses. Behind the nasal cavity, air next passes th ...
*
Toyono
Climate
Kameoka has a
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kameoka is 13.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1690 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.1 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kameoka peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since.
History
Kameoka was part of ancient
Tanba Province
was a province of Japan in the area of central Kyoto and east-central Hyōgo Prefectures. Tanba bordered on Harima, Ōmi, Settsu, Tajima, Wakasa, and Yamashiro Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of the Gokishichidō system ...
. Rice cultivation was introduced in the
Yayoi period
The started at the beginning of the Neolithic in Japan, continued through the Bronze Age, and towards its end crossed into the Iron Age.
Since the 1980s, scholars have argued that a period previously classified as a transition from the Jōmon p ...
,a nd the area's many large
kofun
are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Northeast Asia. ''Kofun'' were mainly constructed in the Japanese archipelago between the middle of the 3rd century to the early 7th century CE.岡田裕之「前方後円墳」『日本古代史大辞典』 ...
burial mound
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
s, especially on the left bank of the Oigawa River (Hozu River). According to the ''
Nihon Shoki'', at the beginning of the 6th century, the area was the center of a succession struggle within the imperial court, in which King Yahiko, who was in the direct line of succession was defeated by
Emperor Keitai
(died 10 March 531) was the 26th legendary emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 継体天皇 (26)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but h ...
from
Echizen Province
was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga, Wakasa, Hida, and Ōmi Provinces. It was part of Hokurikudō Circuit. Its abbreviated form ...
. The area was the location of the ''
ichinomiya
is a Japanese historical term referring to the Shinto shrines with the highest rank in a province. Shrines of lower rank were designated , , , and so forth. ''Encyclopedia of Shinto'' ''Ichi no miya'' retrieved 2013-5-14.
The term gave rise t ...
'' of the province,
Izumo-daijingū
is a Shinto shrine in the Chitose neighborhood of the city of Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Tanba Province. The main festival of the shrine is held annually on the October 21.
Enshrined ''kami''
The prim ...
and the
Tanba Kokubun-ji
is a Jōdo-shū Buddhist temple in the Chitose neighborhood of the city of Kameoka, Kyoto, Japan. It claims to be the successor to one of the provincial temples established by Emperor Shōmu during the Nara period (710–794). Due to this ...
. The
Tanba provincial capital was located nearby, but its exact location has yet to be determined. The area around Kameoka developed as transportation hub as it was the entrance to Kyoto from the
San'in region
The is an area in the southwest of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It consists of the northern part of the Chūgoku region, facing the Sea of Japan.
Etymology
The name San'in in the Japanese language is formed from two kanji characters. The ...
. In 1333,
Takauji Ashikaga raised his army in Kameoka to settle the
Genkō Rebellion in
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
. In the
Sengoku period
The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
,
Akechi Mitsuhide
, first called Jūbei from his clan and later from his title, was a Japanese ''samurai'' general of the Sengoku period best known as the assassin of Oda Nobunaga. Mitsuhide was a bodyguard of Ashikaga Yoshiaki and later a successful general under ...
constructed
Tamba, Kameyama Castle and laid out the
castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, ...
which became the core of modern Kameyama. During the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, it was the center of
Tanba-Kameyama Domain
250px, Matsudaira Nobumasa, final ''daimyō'' of Tanba-Kameyama
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Tanba Province in what is now the west-central portion of modern-day Kyoto Prefecture. It was ce ...
, which was controlled by a succession of ''
fudai daimyo'' clans. Kameyama was renamed Kameoka in 1869 to avoid confusion with
Kameyama, Mie
260px, Seki-juku (Tōkaidō)
is a city located in northern Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 49,457 in 21,745 households and a population density of 260 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geograp ...
. The town of Kameyama was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1955, Kameoka merged with 15 neighboring villages all within Minami-Kuwada District, and was raised to city status.
Government
Kameoka has a
mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a
unicameral
Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one.
Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multic ...
town council of 24 members. Kameoka contributes two members to the
Kyoto Prefectural Assembly
The is the prefectural parliament of Kyoto Prefecture.
Overview
Kyoto Prefecture is a stronghold of the Japanese Communist Party, which continued with the revolutionary government of Torazō Ninagawa over the seventh term over 28 years. The t ...
. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kyoto 4th district of the
lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
of the
Diet of Japan
The is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives (, ''Shūgiin''), and an upper house, the House of Councillors (, '' Sangiin''). Both houses are directly elected under a paralle ...
.
Economy
Historically, the area served as a farming community for
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, Japan's former capital. For centuries, area farmers provided ingredients used for traditional
Japanese food
Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...
served in
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
including
chestnut
The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.
The unrelat ...
s,
black beans,
azuki
''Vigna angularis'', also known as the adzuki bean , azuki bean, aduki bean, red bean, or red mung bean, is an annual vine widely cultivated throughout East Asia for its small (approximately long) bean. The cultivars most familiar in East Asia ...
,
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
,
matsutake
, ''Tricholoma matsutake'', is a species of choice edible mycorrhizal mushroom that grows in East Asia, Europe, and North America. It is prized in Japanese cuisine for its distinct spicy-aromatic odor.
Etymology
The common name and specifi ...
,
yams, and
daikon
Daikon or mooli, ''Radish, Raphanus sativus'' Variety (botany), var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia, daikon ...
. In addition, farmers in the city provide
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus'').
In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantity ...
,
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
and
ayu
Ayu or AYU may refer to:
* Ayu (given name)
* Ayu sweetfish (''Plecoglossus altivelis''), a species of smelt
* ''Ayu'', a local name for the African manatee
* Ayu (singer) or Ayumi Hamasaki, Japanese singer
* Ayu Islands, a small archipelago in I ...
(also known as
sweetfish). At present, the area is a mix of agriculture, light manufacturing and is increasingly a
commuter town
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
for Kyoto.
Education
*
Kyoto Gakuen University
260px, Kyoto University of Advanced Science Uzumasa campus
, formerly Kyoto Gakuen University, is a private university located in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Originally founded as a trade school in 1925 and incorporated in 1969, KUAS was refounded ...
Primary and secondary schools
Kameoka has 17 public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government and two public high schools operated by the Kyoto Prefectural Department of Education.
Transportation
Railway
JR West
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...
–
San'in Main Line
The is a railway line in western Japan, which connects Kyoto and Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It is the major railway line of the San'in region, approximately paralleling the Japan Sea, crossing Kyot ...
/
Highway
*
*
*
*
*
*
Sister cities
Kameoka has agreements of friendship and co-operation with:
* Knittelfeld">Sagano Line)
* - - - -
Highway
*
*
*
*
*
*
Sister cities
Kameoka has agreements of friendship and co-operation with:
* Knittelfeld, Austria - April 14, 1964
* Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA - November 3, 1985
* Jandira, Brazil - November 3, 1980
* Suzhou, China - December 31, 1996
Local attractions
*
Tamba, Kameyama Castle ruins
*
Izumo-daijingū
is a Shinto shrine in the Chitose neighborhood of the city of Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Tanba Province. The main festival of the shrine is held annually on the October 21.
Enshrined ''kami''
The prim ...
Shinto shrine
*
Anao-ji temple, 21st on the
Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage
The is a pilgrimage of thirty-three Buddhist temples throughout the Kansai region of Japan, similar to the Shikoku Pilgrimage. In addition to the official thirty-three temples, there are an additional three known as . The principal image in each ...
*
Tanba Kokubun-ji
is a Jōdo-shū Buddhist temple in the Chitose neighborhood of the city of Kameoka, Kyoto, Japan. It claims to be the successor to one of the provincial temples established by Emperor Shōmu during the Nara period (710–794). Due to this ...
ruins, National Historic Site
*
Chitose Kurumazuka Kofun
The is a Kofun period burial mound, located in the Chitose neighborhood of the city of Kameoka, Kyoto in the Kansai region of Japan. The tumuli was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1982. It is estimated to have been built in the ...
, National Historic Site
Sports
* – home of
Kyoto Sanga FC
is a Japanese professional football club based in Kyoto. "Sanga" comes from the Sanskrit word ''sangha'', a term meaning "group" or "club" and often used to denote the Buddhist priesthood, associating the club with Kyoto's many Buddhist templ ...
, a professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club
Notable people from Kameoka
*
Maruyama Ōkyo
, born Maruyama Masataka, was a Japanese artist active in the late 18th century. He moved to Kyoto, during which he studied artworks from Chinese, Japanese and Western sources. A personal style of Western naturalism mixed with Eastern deco ...
*
Aya Domenig
Aya Domenig (born 1972) is a film-maker and anthropologist of Japanese– Swiss origin.
Early life and education
Born in Kameoka, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, Aya Domenig has joint Swiss and Japanese citizenship. Her mother is of Japanes ...
See also
*
2007 Kameoka mayoral election
References
External links
Kameoka City official website
{{Authority control
Cities in Kyoto Prefecture