Kariwa, Niigata
Encyclopedia
is a village
located in Kariwa District
, Niigata
, Japan
.
As of March 31, 2007, the village has a population
of 4,997 (m:2,519; f:2,478) and a density
of 190.14 persons per km². The total area is 26.28 km².
Together with Kashiwazaki
city, it is the home of the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa
nuclear power plant
, the largest nuclear generating station in the world by net electrical power
rating.
and near the center of Niigata prefecture. It takes over 3 hours to reach Tokyo
by train (using local trains and Joetsu Shinkansen
from Nagaoka
) or by driving a car on the Kan-Etsu Expressway
.
are the primary means of civic transportation. Bus routes and two train stations can be used to travel within the village or go to a large city.
serves the village Kariwa with the Echigo Line
. Arahama Station and Kariwa Station are located in Kariwa.
Villages of Japan
A is a local administrative unit in Japan.It is a local public body along with , , and . Geographically, a village's extent is contained within a prefecture....
located in Kariwa District
Kariwa District, Niigata
is a district located in Niigata, Japan.As of April 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 4,836 and a density of 184.02 persons per km². The total area is 26.28 km²....
, Niigata
Niigata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of March 31, 2007, the village has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 4,997 (m:2,519; f:2,478) and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 190.14 persons per km². The total area is 26.28 km².
Together with Kashiwazaki
Kashiwazaki, Niigata
is a city located in Niigata, Japan.As of May 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 92,947 and the density of 210 persons per km². The total area is 442.70 km²....
city, it is the home of the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
The is a large, modern nuclear power plant on a 4.2-square-kilometer site including land in the towns of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa in Niigata Prefecture, Japan on the coast of the Sea of Japan, from where it gets cooling water...
nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
, the largest nuclear generating station in the world by net electrical power
Electric power
Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...
rating.
Geography
Kariwa is located near the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
and near the center of Niigata prefecture. It takes over 3 hours to reach Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
by train (using local trains and Joetsu Shinkansen
Joetsu Shinkansen
The is a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company .-History:The program was initiated in 1971 by Niigata-born prime minister Tanaka Kakuei...
from Nagaoka
Nagaoka, Niigata
is a city located in the central part of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture, behind the capital city of Niigata...
) or by driving a car on the Kan-Etsu Expressway
Kan-Etsu Expressway
The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company.-Naming: is the kanji acronym of and the old comprising modern-day Niigata Prefecture....
.
Municipal timeline
- November 1, 1901 - The municipality of Kariwa was established.
- September 30, 1956 - A part of Nakadori(-mura) was absorbed into Kariwa.
- April 10, 1959 - A part of Futada(-mura) was absorbed into Kariwa.
- May 1, 2005 - Kariwa becomes only municipality in Kariwa DistrictKariwa District, Niigatais a district located in Niigata, Japan.As of April 1, 2005, the district has an estimated population of 4,836 and a density of 184.02 persons per km². The total area is 26.28 km²....
.
2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit off the coast of Kashiwazaki, killing 10 people, and injuring more than 1200, causing massive power outages. Total over 340 houses were destroyed and thousands of people are now forced to live at the shelters. The quake caused a fire at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in an electrical transformer, a leak of water from the spent fuel pool, and a host of other safety related events. One of 10 victims was a 79 year old woman from Kariwa, who was trapped under the collapsed house. Her neighbor helped her out of the house after spending hours making an escape way using a chain saw.< When the neighbor called the emergency number, he was told that the ambulance could not be sent since the roads were closed. The woman was denied at the first two hospitals since they were already filled with patients and died on the way to the third hospital.Industry
- The world largest nuclear power plant (Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power PlantKashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power PlantThe is a large, modern nuclear power plant on a 4.2-square-kilometer site including land in the towns of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa in Niigata Prefecture, Japan on the coast of the Sea of Japan, from where it gets cooling water...
) is located here. - You can find rice fields all over Kariwa
- Peaches are grown and harvested around the late July to the mid August.
Transportation
Privately-owned carsAutomobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
are the primary means of civic transportation. Bus routes and two train stations can be used to travel within the village or go to a large city.
Railroad
East Japan Railway CompanyEast Japan Railway Company
is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
serves the village Kariwa with the Echigo Line
Echigo Line
The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company which connects the cities of Kashiwazaki and Niigata in Niigata Prefecture, Japan...
. Arahama Station and Kariwa Station are located in Kariwa.
Roadways
- The Hokuriku National Expressway Nishiyama IC is only 5 minutes away.
- Major highway: Route 8Route 8 (Japan)National Route 8 is an important highway in the Hokuriku and Kansai regions. It connects the prefectural capitals of Niigata, Toyama, Kanazawa , Fukui, Otsu , and Kyoto.-Route Data:*Length:...
, Route 116, Route 352
Places of interest
- Kariwa Midden (Pre-historic site)
- Tohuku-in (temple)
- Joraku-ji (temple)
- Hozo-ji (temple)
- Katsuyama castle remains (Now used as hiking paths)
- Akada castle remains (Now used as hiking paths)
- Kariwa Village Life Learning Center "Rapika" (External Link (in Japanese))
Festivals
- Takiya Toro Oshiai Matsuri (Lantern Battle Festival) (April)
- Peach Flower Festival (April)
- Kariwa-mura Furusato Matsuri (Village Festival) (August)