Nakatosa (中土佐町, Nakatosa-chō) is a town located in Takaoka District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 July 2022, the town had an estimated population of 6,200 in 3363 households and a population density of 14 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 193.20 square kilometres (74.59 sq mi).

Nakatosa
中土佐町
Town
Nakatosa town office
Nakatosa town office
Flag of Nakatosa
Official seal of Nakatosa
Map
Location of Nakatosa in Kōchi Prefecture
Location of Nakatosa
Nakatosa is located in Japan
Nakatosa
Nakatosa
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°19′40″N 133°13′40″E / 33.32778°N 133.22778°E / 33.32778; 133.22778
CountryJapan
RegionShikoku
PrefectureKōchi
DistrictTakaoka
Area
 • Total193.20 km2 (74.59 sq mi)
Population
 (July 31, 2022)
 • Total 6,200
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address6663-1 Kure, Nakatosa-chō, Takaoka-gun, Kōchi-ken 789-1301
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdBlue rock thrush
FlowerChrysanthemum japonense
TreeMagnolia compressa
Kure Tasho-machi market

Geography

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Nakatosa is located in the central part of Kōchi Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, facing the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Neighbouring municipalities

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Kōchi Prefecture

Climate

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Nakatosa has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Nakatosa is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2533 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 25.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around5.5 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Nakatosa has decreased steadily since the 1950s.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 11,888—    
1930 12,562+5.7%
1940 12,922+2.9%
1950 16,146+24.9%
1960 14,184−12.2%
1970 11,311−20.3%
1980 10,753−4.9%
1990 9,852−8.4%
2000 8,722−11.5%
2010 7,605−12.8%
2020 6,002−21.1%

History

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As with all of Kōchi Prefecture, the area of Nakatosa was part of ancient Tosa Province. During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tosa Domain ruled by the Yamauchi clan from their seat at Kōchi Castle. The villages of Kure (久礼) and Kaminokae (上ノ加江) and Nishibun (西分村) were established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889. They were subsequently elevated to town status on June 12, 1901 and January 1, 1915 and merged on July 1, 1957 to form the town of Naktosa. On January 1, 2006 the village of Ōnomi, from Takaoka District, was merged into Nakatosa.

Government

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Nakatosa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of six members. Nakatosa, together with the municipalities of Shimanto, Tsuno and Yusuhara, contributes two members to the Kōchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Kōchi 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The local economy is centered on horticulture and greenhouse farming, with commercial fishing playing a smaller role.

Education

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Nakatosa has two public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government. The town does not have a high school.

Transportation

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Railway

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  Shikoku Railway CompanyDosan Line

Highways

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References

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  1. ^ "Nakatosa town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Nakatosa climate data
  3. ^ Nakatosa population statistics
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