![KotohiraCho Yakuba](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/KotohiraCho_Yakuba.jpg)
is 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
Nakatado District,
Kagawa Prefecture,
Japan. , the town 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 8,105 in 3618 households and a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical ...
of 960 persons per km².
The total area of the town is . The town is best known as the site of
Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
's largest shrine complex, the
Kotohira Shrine (popularly known as ''Konpira-san'').
Geography
Kotohira is located in southwestern Kagawa Prefecture. The west side of the town area runs along the foot of Mt.Kotohira
Neighbouring municipalities
Kagawa Prefecture
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Zentsūji
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Mitoyo
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Mannō
Climate
Kotohira has a
Humid subtropical climate (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kotohira is 15.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1439 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.7 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kotohira has been declining steadily since the 1960s.
History
The area of Kotohira was part of ancient
Sanuki Province
was a province of Japan in the area of northeastern Shikoku. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Sanuki''" in . Sanuki bordered on Awa to the south, and Iyo to the west. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of the Gokishichidō system ...
. The town developed as a market before the gates of the Kotohira Shrine, which has attracted pilgrims since prehistoric times. 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 characte ...
, the area was ''
tenryō
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia' ...
'' territory ruled directly by the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
. Following 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 town of Kotohira was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on February 15, 1890. Kotohira annexed the village of Enai on April 1,1955.
Government
Kotohira 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 multi ...
town council of 10 members. Kotohira, together with Mannō, contributes two members to the Kagawa Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Kagawa 3rd district of the
lower house of the
Diet of Japan.
Economy
As the ''monzenmachi'' of the Korohira Shrine, the local economy is heavily centered on tourism.
Education
Kotohira has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high schools operated by the Kagawa Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation
Railways
Shikoku Railway Company
The , commonly known as , is the smallest of the seven constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates of intercity and local rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company has i ...
-
Dosan Line
is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). It connects Tadotsu Station in Tadotsu, Kagawa, and Kubokawa Station in Shimanto, Kōchi. The line links the city of Kōchi with northern Shikoku a ...
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Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad
The (or Kotoden) is a transportation company in Kagawa Prefecture, which is on the island of Shikoku, Japan. With headquarters in Takamatsu, Kagawa, Takamatsu, the company operates three passenger railway lines, as well as bus subsidiaries. It was ...
Kotoden Kotohira Line
The is a Japanese railway line in Kagawa Prefecture, which connects Takamatsu-Chikkō Station in Takamatsu with Kotoden-Kotohira Station in Kotohira. It is owned and operated by the Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad. The line color is yellow ...
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Highways
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Local attractions
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Kotohira Shrine
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Kanamaru-za, Japan's oldest surviving
Kabuki
is a classical form of Japanese dance- drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.
Kabuki is though ...
playhouse.
File:Former Konpira-ooshibai01n3999.jpg, Kanamaru-za (Kabuki theatre)
File:Saya-bridge01.jpg, Saya Bridge (Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...
)
File:Takatourou-Kotohira01.jpg, TakaTōrō (Tōrō
are a type of traditional East Asian lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Originating in China, stone lanterns spread to Japan, Korea and Vietnam, though they are most commonly found in both China – extant in Buddhist temples and traditional ...
)
References
External links
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Official website
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Towns in Kagawa Prefecture
Kotohira, Kagawa
{{Kagawa-geo-stub