Kōnan, Kōchi

Kōnan (香南市, Kōnan-shi) is a city located in Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 June 2022^[update], the city had an estimated population of 33,076 in 15350 households and a population density of 49 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the city is 126.46 square kilometres (48.83 sq mi).

Kōnan 香南市
City
Kōnan City Hall
Flag Chapter
Location of Kōnan in Kōchi Prefecture
Kōnan Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°34′N 133°42′E
Country	Japan
Region	Shikoku
Prefecture	Kōchi
Area
• Total	126.46 km2 (48.83 sq mi)
Population  (30 June 2022)
• Total	33,076
• Density	260/km2 (680/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	2706 Nishino, Noichichō, Kōnan-shi, Kōchi-ken 781-5232
Website	www.city.kochi-konan.lg.jp

Aerial photograph of central Kōnan

Geography

Kōnan is located in southeastern Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. It faces Tosa Bay on the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Neighbouring municipalities

Kōchi Prefecture

• Aki
• Geisei
• Kami
• Nankoku

Climate

Kōnan has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kōnan is 15.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2190 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in Kitagawa, at around 25.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.9 °C.^[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Kōnan declined by roughly 25 percent from 1950 to 1970 but subsequently rebounded, peaking again around 2010.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1950	35,987	—
1960	30,429	−15.4%
1970	26,570	−12.7%
1980	28,493	+7.2%
1990	30,664	+7.6%
2000	32,639	+6.4%
2010	33,830	+3.6%
2020	32,207	−4.8%

History

As with all of Kōchi Prefecture, the area of Kōnan 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 area was organized into villages within Kami District with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Akaoka was raised to town status on February 15, 1899, followed by Noichi on February 1, 1926, Yasu on January 1, 1943, and Kagami on April 1, 1955. The city of Kōnan was created by the merger of these four towns and the village of Yoshikawa on March 1, 2006. On the same day, the remaining municipalities of Kami District merged to form the city of Kami, and the district was abolished as a result.

Government

Kōnan has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 22 members. Kōnan contributes two members to the Kōchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the village is part of Kōchi 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Kōnan economy is centered on agriculture.

Education

Kōnan has seven public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Kōchi Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railway

Tosa Kuroshio Railway - Asa Line

• Noichi - Yoshikawa - Akaoka - Kagami - Yasu

Highways

• Kōchi-Tōbu Expressway
• National Route 55

Local attractions

Heritage sites

Notable temples

• Dainichi-ji (Temple No. 28 in the Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage)
• Enichi-ji (houses three Buddhist statues that are important cultural properties)

Notable shrines

• Suruda Hachimangu Shrine

Tourist sites

Natural properties

• Tenshin Great Cedar (National Natural Monument])

Cultural buildings

• Ekingura Art Museum
• Noichi Zoological Park of Kochi Prefecture
• Shikoku Automobile Museum
• Ryoma History Museum

Other sites

• Teikokado Drawbridge
• YaSea Park

Festivals and events

• Suruda Hachimangu Festival
• Ekin Festival - Held annually on the third weekend of July
• Dorome Festival - Held annually in April

Notable people from Kōnan

• Yusuke Aoyagi [jp] - Manga artist
• Mikei Hagiwara [jp] - Personal physician to the Imperial Family
• Mika Iwakawa- Boxing champion
• Taro Kaiyama [jp] - Sumo wrestler
• Yu Kuroiwa [jp] - Horse racing jockey
• Shoma Morita- psychiatrist and founder of Morita therapy
• Masataka Murata- Physician who specialized in syphilis and leprosy
• Chohei Nomura [jp] - Shipwreck survivor on uninhabited Tori-shima (Izu Islands)
• Michinari Suenobe [jp] - Former Chairman of Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance

References

1. "Kōnan city official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
2. Kōnan climate data
3. Kōnan population statistics

External links

• Media related to Kōnan, Kōchi at Wikimedia Commons
• Kōnan City official website (in Japanese)