Nishiwaga, Iwate
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Waga District, Iwate
, Japan
. The town was founded on November 1, 2005 from the merger of the town of Yuda
and the village of Sawauchi
. This merger occurred under pressure from the national government of Japan and in the face of steady but significant depopulating trends in Yuda and Sawauchi, as well as rural Japan in general. The new town's name came as the result of a competition open to entries from all residents of the former Yuda Town and Sawauchi Village, in preparation for the merger. The final decision was made by a vote of representatives from both municipalities. The chosen name, literally "West-Waga Town," reflects the status of the new town as comprising the western portion of Waga County, named for the Waga river (see Natural Setting below). A similar competition was held for the new town symbol and motto, all of which may be found on Nishiwaga's homepage, cited in the references section below.
As of October 1, 2000 population data, the town has an estimated population
of 7,983 and a density
of 13.51 persons per km². The total area is 590.78 km².
hot springs ("yukko" in the local dialect). There are several natural hot springs baths operated by the municipality, and inexpensive monthly passes are available to residents. There is also a hot spring heated sand bath ("suna-yukko") at one of the sites. Many traditional bed and breakfast inns operate in these areas, usually with their own private hot spring facilities, some of which are open to day visitors for a fee. The area is also home to rare old-growth beech forests found in few other places in Japan. The Waga River, a major tributary of the Kitakami River
and from which the county and current town derive their names, originates high up in the folds of Waga-dake, a 1,440 meter peak along the Oouu Range which forms the prefectural boundary between Iwate Prefecture
(on the eastern, Nishiwaga side) and Akita Prefecture (to the west). The mountains of Nishiwaga Town have drawn interest from local hikers and outdoors enthusiasts, as well as hikers and ecotourists from as far away as Tokyo. In the southeastern section of Nishiwaga Town the Waga River is restrained by the Yuda Dam, which creates a variable depth man-made lake called Kinshuko Lake.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Waga District, Iwate
Waga District, Iwate
is a district located in Iwate Prefecture. Since 2006, it has included just the town of Nishiwaga.-History:* 1878 Due to the land reforms, the district split into Higashiwaga and Nishiwaga Districts....
, 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...
. The town was founded on November 1, 2005 from the merger of the town of Yuda
Yuda, Iwate
was a town located in Waga District, Iwate, Japan.On November 1, 2005, Yuda was merged with the village of Sawauchi to form the new town of Nishiwaga, and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
and the village of Sawauchi
Sawauchi, Iwate
was a village located in Waga District, Iwate, Japan.On November 1, 2005 Sawauchi was merged with the town of Yuda to form the new town of Nishiwaga and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
. This merger occurred under pressure from the national government of Japan and in the face of steady but significant depopulating trends in Yuda and Sawauchi, as well as rural Japan in general. The new town's name came as the result of a competition open to entries from all residents of the former Yuda Town and Sawauchi Village, in preparation for the merger. The final decision was made by a vote of representatives from both municipalities. The chosen name, literally "West-Waga Town," reflects the status of the new town as comprising the western portion of Waga County, named for the Waga river (see Natural Setting below). A similar competition was held for the new town symbol and motto, all of which may be found on Nishiwaga's homepage, cited in the references section below.
As of October 1, 2000 population data, the town has an estimated 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 7,983 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 13.51 persons per km². The total area is 590.78 km².
Natural setting
Nishiwaga has many natural onsenOnsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
hot springs ("yukko" in the local dialect). There are several natural hot springs baths operated by the municipality, and inexpensive monthly passes are available to residents. There is also a hot spring heated sand bath ("suna-yukko") at one of the sites. Many traditional bed and breakfast inns operate in these areas, usually with their own private hot spring facilities, some of which are open to day visitors for a fee. The area is also home to rare old-growth beech forests found in few other places in Japan. The Waga River, a major tributary of the Kitakami River
Kitakami River
The is the fourth largest river in Japan and the largest in the Tōhoku region. It is 249 kilometers long and drains an area of 10,150 square kilometers. It flows through mostly rural areas of Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures. The river is unusual in that it has two mouths, one flowing south into...
and from which the county and current town derive their names, originates high up in the folds of Waga-dake, a 1,440 meter peak along the Oouu Range which forms the prefectural boundary between Iwate Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
(on the eastern, Nishiwaga side) and Akita Prefecture (to the west). The mountains of Nishiwaga Town have drawn interest from local hikers and outdoors enthusiasts, as well as hikers and ecotourists from as far away as Tokyo. In the southeastern section of Nishiwaga Town the Waga River is restrained by the Yuda Dam, which creates a variable depth man-made lake called Kinshuko Lake.