Okawa, Kochi
Encyclopedia
is a village
located in Tosa District
, Kōchi
, Japan
.
As of 2003, the village has an estimated population
of 521 and a density
of 5.47 persons per km². The total area is 95.28 km². Ōkawa is said to be the smallest town located on the four main islands
of Japan.
A large portion of the village was submerged following the completion of Sameura Dam
on the Yoshino River
in nearby Motoyama
in 1977. As a result of this event, the population of the village dropped from about 4,000 to its current total of about 500.
The major industry in Ōkawa Village is logging; much of the town's mountains have been converted into a cedar tree farm. Additionally, the Shirataki copper mine (白滝鉱山) located in Ōkawa was in operation between 1919 and 1985.
Despite its small size Ōkawa is home to an elementary and junior high school with approximately 24 students. There is also a nature center which runs summer camps and a study abroad program which allows Japanese youth the opportunity to live in a very remote mountain village for up to 3 years.
Ōkawa is regionally famous for its Black Beef cows and the annual Ōkawa Black Beef Festival (大川村謝肉祭) has been known to draw up to a thousand people from around the area.
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 Tosa District
Tosa District, Kochi
is a district located in Kōchi, Japan.As of the January 1, 2005 merger but with 2003 population estimates, the district has an estimated population of 5,348 and a density of 17.4 persons per km²...
, Kōchi
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
, 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 2003, the village 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 521 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 5.47 persons per km². The total area is 95.28 km². Ōkawa is said to be the smallest town located on the four main islands
Geography of Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia comprising a stratovolcanic archipelago extending along the Pacific coast of Asia. Measured from the geographic coordinate system, Japan stretches from 24° to 46° north latitude and from 123° to 146° east longitude...
of Japan.
A large portion of the village was submerged following the completion of Sameura Dam
Sameura Dam
is a dam on the Yoshino River in the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is the largest dam on Shikoku. Sameura Dam created a reservoir behind the dam, named .The dam is used for hydropower, flood control, tap water, and irrigation...
on the Yoshino River
Yoshino River
The Yoshino River is a river on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is 194 km long and has a watershed of 3,750 km². It is the second longest river in Shikoku , and is the only river whose watershed spreads over the four prefectures of the island.It is regarded as one of the three greatest rivers of...
in nearby Motoyama
Motoyama, Kochi
is a town located in Nagaoka District, Kōchi, Japan.- History :Since the Meiji Restoration, what is now called Motoyama town has gone through several territorial changes. In 1889, 12 villages combined to become what was called Nishimotoyama Village, which was renamed as Motoyama Village a year later...
in 1977. As a result of this event, the population of the village dropped from about 4,000 to its current total of about 500.
The major industry in Ōkawa Village is logging; much of the town's mountains have been converted into a cedar tree farm. Additionally, the Shirataki copper mine (白滝鉱山) located in Ōkawa was in operation between 1919 and 1985.
Despite its small size Ōkawa is home to an elementary and junior high school with approximately 24 students. There is also a nature center which runs summer camps and a study abroad program which allows Japanese youth the opportunity to live in a very remote mountain village for up to 3 years.
Ōkawa is regionally famous for its Black Beef cows and the annual Ōkawa Black Beef Festival (大川村謝肉祭) has been known to draw up to a thousand people from around the area.