Kawamata

Kawamata is a medium-sized town of around 15,000 in north-eastern Fukushima Prefecture (kenpoku area). It is located just to the south-east of Fukushima City, and north-east of Nihonmatsu.

The name "Kawamata", or "river-fork", derives from its location at the intersection of two small rivers, Hirose and Isazawa. Much of the town lies in a valley, although the Yamakiya district is higher up in the mountains.

Kawamata's primary industries include agriculture (especially rice), silk and other textiles, cultivation of "shamo" (a kind of large Asian chicken known for its low-fat, high-protein meat and distinctive flavour), and automobile parts manufacturing.

History
Kawamata was formally established in 1876, although settlements in this area go back many centuries. Its current designation as Kawamata Town dates to 1889; in 1955, it was merged with the neighbouring villages of Fukuda, Iizaka, Kotsunagi, Ōtsunagi, Ojima, Tomita, and Yamakiya, which established the town's present-day boundaries.

The Kawamata area has a centuries-old association with silk production. The town includes a large statue of Otehime (which overlooks the town from the top of a hill in Kawamata's central park), a sixth-century empress-consort of Japan who is said to have encouraged the local silk industry.

Geography and Climate
Kawamata borders the Iino district (formerly Iino Town) of Fukushima City, which lies to the north-west. Date City is immediately north of Kawamata, and Nihonmatsu City is to the south-west. Iitate Village and Namie Town lie to the east.

Kawamata is located in a river valley, although at a slightly higher elevation than nearby Fukushima City. Temperatures in central Kawamata are usually two to three degrees cooler than in Fukushima City; the Yamakiya district is somewhat cooler still.

Summers are hot (often reaching 33-35 °C) and humid, although less so than around Tokyo. Autumn is generally mild and pleasant through to late October.

Winter weather usually arrives in late December and lasts until March; however, the coldest part of the season starts around early January and typically lasts about a month. Daytime temperatures during this period are usually at or slightly below freezing (dropping several more degrees at night) in the central town; in Yamakiya, however, the temperature can remain well below freezing throughout the day.

The cherry blossoms generally bloom around mid-April, and warm spring weather usually arrives quite abruptly. The fair weather mostly lasts until the rainy season starts in mid-June.

Transportation
Kawamata sits at the intersection of national Routes 114 (east-west) and 349 (north-south). Driving for about 25 minutes west on Route 114 will get you to Fukushima City. Going in the other direction takes you up through Yamakiya and then on to Namie (or it would, except that Namie is still largely under evacuation advisory). Route 349 (north) leads to Date City and beyond.

There are buses to Fukushima City and various other surrounding areas. The bus to Fukushima station takes about 45 minutes and costs just under 1000 yen (about $10). The first bus leaves Kawamata around 6:00am and they run roughly once an hour until lunchtime, then again from around 3:30pm until just after 7:00pm. (They run less often on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.)  The last bus to Kawamata leaves Fukushima station at around 9:00pm on weekdays, or 8:00pm on weekends and holidays. Keep an eye on the time!

If you have to take a taxi into Kawamata, expect to pay at least 8,000 yen (!) if you start from the east exit of Fukushima station. (Depending on the time, you can sometimes catch a local train to Matsukawa station and get a taxi from there, which is slightly less expensive.)

Kawamata has no train station. (There was one many years ago but it closed down in 1972.)  The closest existing train station is in Matsukawa village, about 20 minutes' drive from central Kawamata. The closest Shinkansen (bullet train) station is Fukushima Station, about 40 minutes' drive.

The best way to get to Koriyama is to drive to Matsukawa, then either get onto Route 4 and head south (not recommended during rush hour), or else hop on a train from Matsukawa station; either method should get you to central Koriyama in about an hour.

The best way to get to Sendai is to go into Fukushima and catch a highway bus (cheapest) or Shinkansen (fastest) from there. The bus takes around an hour and a half; the Shinkansen about 20 minutes.

The best way to get to Iwaki is not to take the train, because it takes several hours and requires you to transfer in Koriyama. Instead, take a direct highway bus to Iwaki from Fukushima station, which is both cheaper and faster.

The best way to get to the ALTS-Bandai ski resort is go to Koriyama (see above) and catch the free shuttle bus from in front of Koriyama station. (However, double-check the shuttle schedule first; there are only a couple of shuttles each day so it requires careful timing.)

The easiest way to get to Tokyo is to hop on a Shinkansen at Fukushima station. It takes about 90 minutes to get to Ueno station (the best stop for popular destinations like Ueno Park, Akihabara Electric Town, and Ryogoku, the home of professional sumo). Tokyo central station is about 10 minutes more on the same line; from there you can switch to the JR West lines that can take you to Osaka, Kyoto, and so on. Obviously, the Shinkansen is expensive; you can get to Tokyo more cheaply by highway bus, but these usually have to be booked by phone in advance (Japanese ability required), and, naturally, take much longer to get you there. helpful hints generic for clonidine clomid cost cephalexin

Festivals and Events
Cosquin (October)

Kawamata's biggest event every year is the Cosquin en Japon (コスキン・エン・ハポン) festival, a three-day celebration of Argentinian and Andean music and dance. Cosquin is held in October every year (during the long weekend of Health and Sports Day).

Cosquin traditionally begins with the Cosquin Parade, in which both community and visiting groups parade through the central town (starting at Kawamata-Minami Elementary School, and finishing at Kawamata Elementary School), usually in costume or ceremonial wear, and often playing music or otherwise performing as they proceed. This is followed by a three-day open concert at the main stage of the central community centre, which features performing groups from all over Japan and internationally as well.

Karariko Festa (August)

The Karariko Festa is Kawamata's O-Bon street festival. It features traditional Japanese festival stalls, as well as live outdoor performances, Bon dancing, and fireworks.

Shamo Matsuri (August)

A two-day exhibition at the central community centre, celebrating the local shamo industry. It mainly consists of an open market and outdoor stage with various performances. In addition, the festival often includes making a giant yakitori or similar, which has won world records in several past years.

Kasuga Jinja Matsuri (October)

The main autumn festival, held on the road (adjacent to Kawamata Junior High School) which leads up to the Kasuga Shrine. This is a fairly typical Japanese street festival. In the evening of the first day, a mikoshi parade is held in the central town as well.

Other Events
 * Kawamata Road Race (川俣ロードレース大会) (June) - a 10km run (with shorter distance events also available), open to all participants.
 * Traffic Safety "Koteki" Parade (交通安全鼓笛隊パレード) (September) - a musical marching band parade in which all the local elementary schools participate.
 * Silk Fair (October) – a two-day open market for silk and other local products, held at the central community centre.

Restaurants and Food
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