Nakai, Kanagawa
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Ashigarakami District
, Kanagawa Prefecture
, Japan
. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population
of 10,042 and a density
of 502 persons per km². The total area was 20.02 km².
, the area around present-day Nakai was part of Odawara Domain
in Sagami Province
. After the Meiji Restoration
, it became part of Ashigarakami District
in Kanagawa Prefecture. Nakai village was formed on April 1, 1889. It merged with neighboring Iguchi village on April 1, 1908. The village was elevated to town status on December 1, 1958.
s predominating. An industrial zone established near the Tōmei Expressway
has attracted a number of industries, including Fuji Xerox
, Terumo
and Nippon Express
.
bisects the town. Nakai can be reached by Kanagawa Prefectural Route 71 or 77.
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 Ashigarakami District
Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa
is an administrative district of Japan located in western Kanagawa Prefecture. Most of the mountainous district is sparsely populated, and is part of the Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park.-History:...
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, 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 2009, the town had 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 10,042 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 502 persons per km². The total area was 20.02 km².
Surrounding municipalities
- HiratsukaHiratsuka, Kanagawais a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 259,991 and the density of 3,830 persons per km²...
- OdawaraOdawara, Kanagawais a city located in western Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 198,466 with a population density of 1,740 persons per km² . The total area was .-Geography:...
- HadanoHadano, Kanagawais a city in west-central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, Hadano has an estimated population of 170,293 and a population density of 1,640 persons per km²; it had a total area of 103.61 km².-Geography:...
- NinomiyaNinomiya, Kanagawais a town located in Naka District, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 29,709 and a density of 3,270 persons per km²...
- ŌiOi, Kanagawais a town located in Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 17,928 and a density of 1,250 persons per km²...
History
During the Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, the area around present-day Nakai was part of Odawara Domain
Odawara Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in western Sagami Province. It was centered on Odawara Castle in what is now the city of Odawara.-History:...
in Sagami Province
Sagami Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central and western Kanagawa prefecture. It was sometimes called . Sagami bordered on Izu, Musashi, Suruga provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Sagami Bay...
. After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, it became part of Ashigarakami District
Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa
is an administrative district of Japan located in western Kanagawa Prefecture. Most of the mountainous district is sparsely populated, and is part of the Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park.-History:...
in Kanagawa Prefecture. Nakai village was formed on April 1, 1889. It merged with neighboring Iguchi village on April 1, 1908. The village was elevated to town status on December 1, 1958.
Economy
The town economy is primarily agricultural, with dairy farming, mandarin orangeMandarin orange
The orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads...
s predominating. An industrial zone established near the Tōmei Expressway
Tomei Expressway
The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
has attracted a number of industries, including Fuji Xerox
Fuji Xerox
is a joint venture partnership between the Japanese photographic firm Fuji Photo Film Co. and the American document management company Xerox to develop, produce and sell xerographic and document-related products and services in the Asia-Pacific region...
, Terumo
Terumo
was founded in 1921 by Dr. Kitasato Shibasaburō. The company's first product was thermometers and it has since expanded into a global largest medical devices manufacturer, producing a wide variety of products ranging from medical disposables, cardiovascular systems and diabetes care products.In...
and Nippon Express
Nippon Express
is a worldwide leader in logistics services. Its head office is based in Tokyo, Japan. The company was established in 1937 in line with the Nippon Tsu-un Kaisha Law as a semi-government transportation service.Nippon Express annual revenues exceed $14 billion USD...
.
Transportation
Nakai has no train service, and is not on a national highway, although the Tōmei ExpresswayTomei Expressway
The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
bisects the town. Nakai can be reached by Kanagawa Prefectural Route 71 or 77.
Noted People from Nakai
- Bassui TokushōBassui Tokushowas a Rinzai Zen Master born in modern day Kanagawa Prefecture who had trained with Sōtō, Rinzai and Ch'an masters of his time. Bassui was unhappy with the state of Zen practice in Japan during his time, so he set out in life with the mission of revitalizing it. The problems he saw were really two...
- Muromachi period Zen priest - Hiroko Sato - singer, actress
External links
- Official website in Japanese