is a

rural district A rural district was a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. I ...

located in

Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...

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 ...

. As of October 2020, the district has an estimated population of 6,577 and an area of 79.54 km². The cities of Murayama,

Higashine is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 47,910 in 17868 households, and a population density of 230 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Located on the eastern shore of ...

and Ozanazawa and a portion of the city of Tendō were formerly part of Kitamurayama District.

Towns and villages

Ōishida is a town located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 6,945 in 2348 households, and a population density of 87 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Geography Ōishida is located in the mountains ...

History

Murayama County was an ancient place name in part of

Dewa Province was a province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. Dewa bordered on Mutsu and Echigō Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History Early per ...

, occupying the area of modern Mogami, Nishimurayama,

Higashimurayama is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,275, and a population density of 8700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Higashimurayama is located o ...

and Kitamurayama districts. Under 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 ...

, the area Kitamurayama district was a complicated mosaic. Two towns and 48 villages were

tenryo 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 ...

ruled directly by the

, 32 villages were part of

Matsumae Domain file:Matsumae Nagahiro.jpg, 270px, Matsumae Nagahiro, final daimyo of Matsumae Domain The Matsumae Domain (松前藩), a prominent domain during the Edo period, was situated in Matsumae, Matsumae Island (Ishijima), which is currently known as M ...

Ezo is the Japanese term historically used to refer to the people and the lands to the northeast of the Japanese island of Honshu. This included the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, which changed its name from "Ezo" to "Hokkaidō" in 1869, Nu ...

, 13 villages were part of

Shinjō Domain was a Japanese Han (Japan), domain of the Edo period, located in Dewa Province Japan and ruled by the Tozawa clan. It was centered on Shinjō Castle in what is now the city of Shinjō, Yamagata and occupied all of what is now Mogami District, Yam ...

, 7 villages were under

Tsuchiura Domain was a Han (Japan), feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Hitachi Province (modern-day Ibaraki Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Tsuchiura Castle in what is now the city of Tsuchiura, Ibaraki. It was rule ...

, 4 villages were under Nagatoro Domain, 2 villages were part of

Tendō Domain was a Han (Japan), feudal domain in Edo period Japan, located in Dewa Province (modern-day Yamagata Prefecture), Japan. It was centered in what is now the city of Tendō, Yamagata. Tendō was ruled by the tozama daimyo, tozama Oda clan, direct ...

, 2 villages were part of

Tatebayashi Domain was a Han (Japan), feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Kōzuke Province (modern-day Gunma Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Tatebayashi Castle in what is now the city of Tatebayashi, Gunma. History Fol ...

and 1 village was part of

Sakura Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Shimōsa Province (modern-day Chiba Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Sakura Castle in what is now the city of Sakura, Chiba. It was ruled for most of its hist ...

The area became part of Yamagata Prefecture in 1876. At that time, Kitamurayama District consisted of 2 towns and 105 villages. With the establishment of the municipality system on April 1, 1889, the district was consolidated into 23 villages. * On March 18, 1892 Tateoka was raised to town status * On June 15, 1896 Higashine was raised to town status * On April 22, 1897 Ōishida was raised to town status * On July 16, 1897 Obanazawa was raised to town status * On November 1, 1954 the city of Murayama was founded by the merger of Tateoka with five neighboring villages. * On November 3, 1958 Higashine was raised to city status * On April 10, 1959 Obanazawa was raised to city status

References

{{Authority control Districts in Yamagata Prefecture