Kushimoto, Wakayama

Infobox City Japan
Name= Kushimoto
JapaneseName= 串本町
Map

Region= Kansai
Prefecture= Wakayama
District= Higashimuro
Area_km2= 135.78
PopDate= 2006
Population= 20618
Density_km2=
Coords= coord|33|28|N|135|47|E|region:JP_type:city
Tree= Tsubaki (Japanese Camellia)
Flower= Mochinoki (Birdlime Holly)
Bird=
Symbol

SymbolDescription=
Mayor= Shigeki Matsubara
CityHallPostalCode=
CityHallAddress=
CityHallPhone=
CityHallLink= [http://www.town.kushimoto.wakayama.jp/ Town of Kushimoto] nihongo|Kushimoto|串本町|Kushimoto-chō is a coastal town located in the Higashimuro District of Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan. The town has the distinction of being the southernmost point of the Japan's main island, Honshū. The central area of town is located on a narrow isthmus, surrounded on both sides by the Pacific Ocean. Kushimoto is bordered by the towns of Susami on the west, Kozagawa on the north, and Nachi-Katsuura on the east. On April 1, 2005, the town of Kushimoto in Nishimuro District merged with the town of Koza to form the new town of Kushimoto. The former town of Kushimoto was part of Nishimuro District, but the town has strong ties with the city of Shingu and Higashimuro District, both in political and economic reasons, the town became part of Higashimuro District upon this merger.

History

Though people were known to have inhabited the area since the Yamato Period, the first known documented settlements were established during the Edo Period. During that time, most of the area that encompasses Wakayama Prefecture today was known as Kii-no-Kuni (Kii Province) or Kishu. The area was owned by the Kii branch of the Tokugawa clan, headquartered at Wakayama Castle.

Kushimoto did not experience significant growth until the 20th century. It was officially incorporated into a town in Nishimuro District in 1907. Over the next decades, the town grew as a result of numerous mergers with the surrounding neighborhoods:
*1924: Incorporation of Fuji-Bashi
*1955: Incorporation of Arita, Shiono-Misaki, Tanami, and Wabuka
*1958: Incorporation of Oshima
*2005: Merged with Koza to form the new town of Kushimoto, becomes the town in Higashimuro District

Being in a very strategic location, Kushimoto was home to many military installations during World War II, including the Kushimoto Seaplane Base and Shiono-Misaki Airfield. Both bases were attacked by the United States Navy and Air Force in 1945. Shiono-Misaki Airfield now serves as a small base for the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.

Kushimoto (or specifically, Shiono-Misaki) was the epicenter of the Great Nankai Earthquake, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck the area on December 21, 1946 at 4:19am. This triggered a tsunami that enveloped the central part of town. Most of the Fuji-Bashi neighborhood was destroyed, but has since been rebuilt. There are memorials around town marking the event, including signposts indicating how far the tsunami had penetrated inland. Of the 269 casualties in Wakayama Prefecture, the majority were in Kushimoto and in the city of Kainan.

Name Origin

There are two widely accepted views of where the name "Kushimoto" comes from. The first is explained by a strange tree growing in a shrine in Shiono-Misaki, whose seedling is thought to have floated from a far off island to its current resting place. An archaic compound form of the Chinese character for "kushi" (串) is said to have meant "strange tree"; in combination with the second character "moto" (本), the name is supposed to represent "strange tree's origin." Another explanation dictates that the "kushi" character is a visual abstraction of the town's layout; Shiono-Misaki and Oshima act as the smaller upper "kuchi" (口) radical, while the mainland acts as the larger lower one. The "bo" (｜) radical that strikes through both of the others is said to represent the isthmus that runs through the town.

Demographics

The population of Kushimoto is 20,618, consisting of 9,561 men and 11,057 women. There are a total of 9,397 families.

Communities and Neighborhoods

Central
*Fuji-Bashi
*KushimotoWestern
*Arita
*Tanami
*WabukaEastern
*Koza
*Nishi-Mukai
*TaharaSouthern
*Oshima
*Shiono-Misaki

Education

High Schools
*Koza High School
*Kushimoto High SchoolJunior High Schools
*Kushimoto Junior High School
*Kushimoto-Nishi Junior High School
*Nishi-Mukai Junior High School
*Oshima Junior High School
*Shiono-Misaki Junior High School
*Tahara Junior High SchoolElementary Schools
*Arita Elementary School
*Hashigui Elementary School
*Kinpu Elementary School
*Kushimoto Elementary School
*Koza Elementary School
*Izumo Elementary School
*Nishi-Mukai Elementary School
*Oshima Elementary School
*Shiono-Misaki Elementary School
*Tahara Elementary School
*Tanami Elementary School
*Yoshun Elementary School
*Wabuka Elementary SchoolKindergartens
*Izumo Kindergarten
*Kushimoto Kindergarten
*Nishi-Mukai Kindergarten
*Shiono-Misaki Kindergarten

Culture

Tourism

Sites of Interest
*Hashigui Beach
*Hashigui-Iwa Coastal Scenic Area
*Kashino Lighthouse
*Koza Coastal Scenic Area
*Koza River
*Kuroshima and Taijima
*Kushimoto Marine Park
*Okyoro Art Museum
*Shiono-Misaki Lighthouse
*Shiono-Misaki Southernmost Point Park
*Shiono-Misaki Youth Hostel
*Turkish Memorial and Museum
*Umikongo Coastal Scenic Area
*United States Friendship Museum

Kushimoto is famous for its many coastal rock formations, including Hashigui-Iwa and Umikongo. The cape of Shiono-Misaki, located in the southern tip of the town, has a park and tower marking the southernmost point of Honshū.

The island of Oshima, connected to the main town via the Kushimoto Big Bridge, is home to two museums of foreign origin. The Turkish Memorial and Museum, located on the southeastern end of the island, commemorates the crash of the Turkish ship "Ertugrul" on Oshima's shores. As of 2005, there was discussion of salvaging the wreckage with a Turkish team to exhibit it in the local museum. The United States Friendship Museum commemorates the visit of the "USS Lady Washington", which took place years before Commodore Matthew Perry's infamous landing in Japan. The museum also hosts a collection of Native American artifacts and items of nostalgia from its sister city, Hemet, in the United States.

Water Sports

The surrounding wetlands and coastal areas in Kushimoto are designated areas of conservation through the Ramsar Convention of 1971. They have since become popular spots for scuba diving, with numerous diving establishments located right along National Highway 42.

A merger in 2004 incorporated the former town of Koza into Kushimoto. Located in the east of Kushimoto, Koza is home to the Kozagawa River. The river, regulated by the Shichikawa Dam, is one of three rivers in southern Wakayama Prefecture known for kayaking.

Though waves are relatively tame compared with worldwide standards, Kushimoto is a popular spot for surfing with locals and people from the bigger cities in the Kansai area.

Annual Events and Festivals

In late January or early February is the Shiono-Misaki Fire Festival. During this event the large grassy field which designates Honshū's southernmost tip is ritually burned. Spectators may walk through the fire as it progresses through the field.

In February is the Oshima Boat Race. Festivals grounds are set up at Oshima Port, and two boats ritually race to and from the port on the mainland Kushimoto.

In August, the Summer Fireworks Festival takes place at Kushimoto Port.

In October is the Sunset Marathon. The marathon's route winds through Oshima and Shiono-Misaki.

Transportation

Mass Public Transportation

Rail service is provided by the West Japan Railway Company, or JR West, on the Kinokuni Line. There are direct services to other big cities in the Kansai area, with many limited express trains bound for Shin-Osaka Station and Kyoto Station. There are 8 train stations in town (from west to east): Wabuka, Tako, Tanami, Kii-Arita, Kushimoto, Kii-Hime, Koza, and Kii-Tahara.

Local bus service is provided by the Kumano Bus Company. The nearest long distance bus services are located in Tanabe (for Osaka) and Nachi-Katsuura (for Tokyo).

Private Motoring

National Highways 42 and 371 run through Kushimoto. The Hanwa Expressway, still under construction, is set to pass to the north of the town.

Air and Sea

The nearest international airport is Kansai Airport. Nanki-Shirahama Airport, located in nearby Shirahama, is a smaller airport offering daily flights to Tokyo.The nearest available domestic ferry services are in Nachi-Katsuura.

Sister cities

Kushimoto has three sister cities:
*flagicon|TUR Yakakent, Sinop (Turkey)
*flagicon|TUR Mersin (Turkey)
*flagicon|USA Hemet, California (United States)

External links

* [http://www.town.kushimoto.wakayama.jp/ Official website] (in Japanese)