
is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
located in
Chiba Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. , the city had an estimated
population
Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
of 31,722 in 14,558 households and a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...
of 170 persons per km
2.
The total area of the city is .
The name of the city consists of two ''
kanji
are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...
'' characters: the first, kamo (鴨), meaning "
duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...
", and the second, kawa (川), meaning "
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
".
Geography
Kamogawa is near the southeastern tip of the
Bōsō Peninsula
The is a peninsula that encompasses the entirety of Chiba Prefecture on Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. It forms the eastern edge of Tokyo Bay, separating it from the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula covers ...
, facing the
North Pacific Ocean
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' ...
, about 50 km south of the prefectural capital,
Chiba, and about 85 km from the capital of Japan,
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
. Kamogawa is home to
Mount Atago
is a 924m mountain in the northwestern part of Ukyo-ku, in the city of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is borde ...
, which at is the highest point in Chiba Prefecture.
Mount Kiyosumi () is home to
Seichō-ji. The
Kamo River
The is located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The riverbanks are popular walking spots for residents and tourists. In summer, restaurants open balconies looking out to the river. There are walkways running alongside the river, and some stepping s ...
() empties into the Pacific Ocean at Kamogawa.
Neighboring municipalities
Chiba Prefecture
*
Futtsu
file:富津市役所.jpg, 260px, Futtsu City Hall
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 42,476 in 18,115 households and a population density of 210 persons per km2. The total are ...
*
Katsuura
*
Kimitsu
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 83,058 in 39,138 households and a population density of 260 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Overview
The area along Tokyo ...
*
Kyonan
file:鋸山から保田方面 Hota view from Mt. Nokogiri 20130105 - panoramio.jpg, 250px, View of Hota from Mount Nokogiri
is a List of towns in Japan, town located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 7,409 in ...
*
Minamibōsō
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 37,143 in 17,175 households and a population density of 160 persons per km2. The total area of the city is , making it the fifth largest c ...
*
Ōtaki
Climate
Kamogawa has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kamogawa is 15.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1833 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.9 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kamogawa has been gradually decreasing over the past 70 years.
History
Early history
The area of present-day Kamogawa was part of ancient
Awa Province.
Nichiren
was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the '' Lotus Sutra''.
Nichiren declared that the '' Lotus Sutra ...
(1222 – 1282) was born in the Kominato district of Kamogawa, and his birthplace is commemorated at
Tanjō-ji.
During the
Edo period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
, it was mostly ''
tenryō
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.
The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil war ...
'' territory controlled directly by the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.
The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...
, with portions under the control of the
feudal domains of
Funagata Domain,
Tateyama Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Awa Province (southern modern-day Chiba Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Tateyama Castle in what is now the city of Tateyama, Chiba.
History
Most of the B� ...
,
Iwasuki Domain and
Tsurumaki Domain.
The short-lived (1638-1690)
Tōjō Domain and the
Bakumatsu period
were the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. Between 1853 and 1867, under foreign diplomatic and military pressure, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a feudal Tokugawa shogunat ...
Hanabusa Domain were also located within the borders of modern Kamogawa.
Modern history
In 1877, Kamogawa suffered a notable
cholera
Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
outbreak. At the start of the
Meiji period
The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...
, 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. In 1927
Awa-Kamogawa Station
is a junction passenger railway station in the city of Kamogawa, Chiba Prefecture Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East).
Lines
Awa-Kamogawa Station is served by the Sotobō Line and Uchibō Line, and forms the terminatin ...
became the terminus of both the
Sotobō Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, on the eastern (i.e., outer) side of the Bōsō Peninsula. It connects Chiba Station in Chiba, Chiba, Chiba to Awa-Kamogawa Sta ...
and the
Uchibō Line.
The city sustained injuries and fatalities during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
via
aerial bombing
An airstrike, air strike, or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and drones. The official d ...
by the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The city was
occupied by American forces after the war. Soon after,
land reform
Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution.
Lan ...
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. Kamogawa was elevated to city status on March 31, 1971. On February 11, 2005, the town of
Amatsukominato (from
Awa District) was merged into Kamogawa.
Government
Kamogawa 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 consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...
city council of 18 members. Kamogawa contributes one member to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of
Chiba 12th district of the
lower house
A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...
of the
Diet of Japan
, transcription_name = ''Kokkai''
, legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet
, coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg
, house_type = Bicameral
, houses =
, foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...
.
Economy
Kamogawa serves as a commercial center for the surrounding region of south-central Chiba Prefecture.
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for Commerce, commercial Profit (economics), profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice ...
remains the primary industry in Kamogawa, which has five active fishing ports. The city is noted for its
sardine
Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring suborder Clupeoidei. The term "sardine" was first used in English during the early 15th century; a somewhat dubious etymology says it com ...
and
mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.
...
production.
Rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
farming and
floriculture
Floriculture (from ) is the study of the efficient production of the plants that produce showy, colorful flowers and foliage for human enjoyment in human environments. It is a commercially successful branch of horticulture and agriculture found ...
are practiced.
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.
Transportation
Railway
JR East
The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...
–
Uchibō Line
* – –
JR East
The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...
–
Sotobō Line
The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, on the eastern (i.e., outer) side of the Bōsō Peninsula. It connects Chiba Station in Chiba, Chiba, Chiba to Awa-Kamogawa Sta ...
* – -
Highway
*
*
Education
*
Josai International University – Kamogawa Campus
*
Kameda College of Health Sciences
*
Toyo University
is a private university with the main Hakusan Station (Tokyo), Hakusan campus in Bunkyō, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The university operates multiple satellite campuses in the Kanto region, including. Asaka, Saitama, Asaka, Kawagoe, Saitama, Kawagoe, ...
– Kamogawa Campus
*
Waseda University
Waseda University (Japanese: ), abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the fifth Prime Minister of Japan, prime ministe ...
– Kamogawa Campus
* Kamogawa has nine public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Chiba Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school.
Sister cities
*
Minobu, Yamanashi
is a town located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 11,674 in 5447 households, and a population density of 39 persons per km2. The total area of the town is .
Geography
Minobu is in south-central Yamanash ...
, Japan, since 1991
*
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc ( ) is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626.
History
Purporte ...
, United States, since 1995
Local attractions
*
Kamogawa Sea World, noted especially for its captive
orca
The orca (''Orcinus orca''), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. The only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'', it is recognizable by its black-and-white-patterned body. A cosmopol ...
s and numerous other sea creatures
*
Seichō-ji – Buddhist temple associated with Nichiren
*
Tanjōji – Buddhist temple associated with Nichiren
Noted people from Kamogawa
*
Tokiko Kato
is a Japanese singer, composer, lyricist, actress and activist.
She was born in Harbin, Manchukuo, to Japanese parents and graduated from the University of Tokyo. She worked as a visiting professor at Josai International University.
While b ...
, singer, composer, lyricist, and actress
*
Shimaguchi Komao, composer and writer
*
Yuka Murayama, writer
*
Nichiren
was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. His teachings form the basis of Nichiren Buddhism, a unique branch of Japanese Mahayana Buddhism based on the '' Lotus Sutra''.
Nichiren declared that the '' Lotus Sutra ...
, noted Buddhist prelate
Cultural references
The
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
series ''
Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne'' is set in Kamogawa.
References
External links
Official Website
{{Authority control
Cities in Chiba Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan