was a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
located in
Kitatsugaru District in western
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
History
The town was also known as the birthplace of famed author
Osamu Dazai
was a Japanese author. A number of his most popular works, such as '' The Setting Sun'' (''Shayō'') and ''No Longer Human'' (''Ningen Shikkaku''), are considered modern-day classics.
His influences include Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Murasaki Shiki ...
. The area was part of
Hirosaki Domain
Hirosaki Castle, the seat of the Hirosaki Domain
, also known as , was a '' tozama'' feudal domain of Edo period JapanRavina, Mark. (1998) ''Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan,'' p. 222 It is located in Mutsu Province, in northern Honsh ...
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 ...
. After the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
, the village of Kanagi was created in 1898. It was raised to town status in 1920. In 1955, it annexed the neighboring villages of Kase and Kira.
On March 28, 2005, Kanagi, along with the neighboring village of
Shiura (also from
Kitatsugaru District), was
merged
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of companies, other business organizations, or their operating units are transferred to or consolidated with another company or business organization. As an aspect ...
into the expanded city of
Goshogawara
is a city located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 53,576 in 25,568 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Goshogawara occupies two discontinuo ...
, and thus no longer exists as an independent municipality.
At the time of its merger, Kanagi 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 10,557 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 83.8 persons per km². The total area was 125.97 km².
The town economy was dominated by
commercial 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 ...
and agriculture.
Geography
Kanagi was located in the center of the
Tsugaru Peninsula
The is a peninsula in Aomori Prefecture, at the northern end of Honshū island, Japan. The peninsula projects north into the Tsugaru Strait separating Honshū from Hokkaidō. The western coast is on the Sea of Japan, while on its eastern coast ...
, in an area known for severe winter weather conditions and blizzards. The
Iwaki River
The is a river that crosses western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is in length and has a drainage area of . Under the Rivers Act of 1964 the Iwaki is designated as a Class 1 River and is managed by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, ...
ran through the town.
Neighboring municipalities
These were the neighboring municipalities of Kanagi just before its incorporation into Goshogawara.
*
Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...
*
Goshogawara
is a city located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 53,576 in 25,568 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Goshogawara occupies two discontinuo ...
*
Tsugaru Tsugaru (津軽) may refer to:
* Tsugaru, Aomori, a city of Aomori Prefecture, Japan
* Tsugaru Peninsula
* Tsugaru Strait, between Honshū and Hokkaidō
** Tsugaru Kaikyō Ferry, a ferry crossing this strait
* Tsugaru-jamisen, a traditional style of ...
*
Nakasato – now part of
Nakadomari
*
Yomogita
Transportation
Railway
*
Tsugaru Railway
The is a railway line in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, connecting in the city of Goshogawara and in the town of Nakadomari, in central-southern Tsugaru Peninsula. The line is the only railway line operated by the Tsugaru Railway Company, which ...
** - - -
Highway
*
Notable people from Kanagi
*
Osamu Dazai
was a Japanese author. A number of his most popular works, such as '' The Setting Sun'' (''Shayō'') and ''No Longer Human'' (''Ningen Shikkaku''), are considered modern-day classics.
His influences include Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Murasaki Shiki ...
- author
*
Yoshi Ikuzō - enka singer-songwriter
References
{{Authority control
Dissolved municipalities of Aomori Prefecture
Goshogawara