Naganohara, Gunma

Naganohara 長野原町
Town
Naganohara town office
Flag Seal
Location of Naganohara in Gunma Prefecture
Naganohara
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Gunma Prefecture
District	Agatsuma
Area
• Total	133.85 km2 (51.68 sq mi)
Population (February 2015)
• Total	5,612
• Density	41.9/km2 (109/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Japanese Larch
- Flower	Azalea
- Bird	Copper pheasant
Phone number	0279-82-2244
Address	66-3 Ōaza Naganohara, Naganohara-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma-ken 377-1392
Website	Official website

Naganohara (長野原町, Naganohara-machi) is a town located in Agatsuma District of western Gunma Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of February 2015, the town had an estimated population of 5,612 and a population density of 41.9 persons per km². Its total area was 133.85 km². The controversial Yanba Dam project is located within Naganohara.

Geography

Located in the northwestern portion of Gunma Prefecture, almost all of Naganohara has an elevation higher than 500m. The town has Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (2171m) to the north and Mount Asama (2568m) to the south.

• Rivers: Agatsuma River, Shirasuna River, Kuma River

Surrounding municipalities

• Gunma Prefecture
  • Takasaki
  • Higashiagatsuma
  • Tsumagoi
  • Nakanojō
  • Kusatsu
• Nagano Prefecture
  • Karuizawa

History

The area of present-day Naganohara has man remains from the Japanese Paleolithic through Jomon periods, although archaeological findings from the Kofun period are scarce compared with surrounding areas. During the Edo period, the area was part of the hatamoto-administered territory within Kōzuke Province.

Naganohara Town was created within Agatsuma District of Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration.

Economy

The economy of Naganohara is heavily dependent on agriculture.

Education

• Gunma Prefectural Naganohara High School
• Naganohara East Middle School
• Naganohara West Middle School

Transportation

Train

• East Japan Railway Company - Agatsuma Line
  • Kawarayu-Onsen - Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi - Gunma-Ōtsu - Haneo

Highway

• Japan National Route 144
• Japan National Route 145
• Japan National Route 146
• Japan National Route 292
• Japan National Route 406

Local attractions

• Kawarayu Onsen
• Asama Volcano Museum
• Naganohora also is involved in a Sister City exchange program with the town of Livingston, Montana of the United States.

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• Naganohara Official English Website
• Official website (Japanese)