Country Japan Area 101.2 km² Local time Wednesday 2:36 PM Region Shikoku | Prefecture Kōchi Prefecture Population 14,606 (29 Feb 2008) District Takaoka District, Kōchi | |
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Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) Website www.town.sakawa.kochi.jp Weather 14°C, Wind S at 11 km/h, 60% Humidity | ||
Sakawa (佐川町, Sakawa-chō) is a town located in Takaoka District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. It is 28 km west of Kōchi City.
Contents
- Map of Sakawa Takaoka District Kochi Prefecture Japan
- Geography
- Climate
- Agriculture
- Products
- Sites of Historical Interest
- Assistant Language Teachers
- References
Map of Sakawa, Takaoka District, Kochi Prefecture, Japan
As of February 29, 2008, Sakawa has an estimated population of 14,606 and a population density of 144.03 persons per km². The total area is 101.21 km².
Geography
Sakawa is a valley town and surrounded by mountains on all sides. The landscape is hilly and the roads and footpaths are winding and narrow.
The tallest mountain in Sakawa is Mt. Kokuzo, standing at 675m tall. Many rivers also run through the town, which are tributaries of the Niyodogawa River.
Climate
Sakawa experiences extreme seasons. Spring and Fall are mild and cool. Summer is very warm and temperatures routinely reach 35 °C with 100% humidity. The coldest months are January and February with temperatures around 10 °C during the day. There are usually one or two light snowfalls in January. The rainy season is from June to August and typhoons are common during this time.
Sakawa is also known for its noticeable temperature differences between day and night. Temperatures can dip as much as ten degrees once the sun goes down.
Agriculture
Many of the town's residents are farmers. Rice, Japanese pears, tea leaves, soybeans, strawberries, and many other crops are grown on family plots in town.
Products
Sakawa is famous for the production of Tsukasabotan, a type of sake. There is a brewery in town that offers free tours and samples.
The town is also home to artisans who produce hand-made earthenware and woven bamboo products.
Sites of Historical Interest
Sakawa is the home of the Old Seizan Library, the only Western-style wooden structure still standing in Kōchi Prefecture. Although no longer in use as a library (a new building houses all the historical texts,) the house remains open as a small museum and historical site.
In 1987, 10,000-year-old evidence of human settlement was discovered in a region of town known as the Sakawa Basin. Since then, Sakawa has been named “Mecca of geology in Japan” because "some of the world’s rarest and most precious fossils have been unearthed" in Sakawa. The site is open for tours.
Assistant Language Teachers
The town participates in the JET Programme and currently employs two JET Assistant Language English Teacher at the junior high schools and elementary schools in the central area (Sakawa) and the peripheral areas (Ogawa, Kuroiwa and Togano).
An Assistant Language English Teacher hired privately is employed at Sakawa Senior High School.