Kotohira, Kagawa

Kotohira 琴平町
Town
Kotohira Shrine
Flag Emblem
Location of Kotohira in Kagawa Prefecture
Kotohira Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°12′07″N 133°49′36″E
Country	Japan
Region	Shikoku
Prefecture	Kagawa
District	Nakatado
Government
• Mayor	Hideki Kataoka
Area
• Total	8.47 km2 (3.27 sq mi)
Population  (September 30, 2022)
• Total	8,105
• Density	960/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	817-10 Enokii, Kotohira-chō, Nakatado-gun, Kagawa-ken 985-8501
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Michelsa compressa
Tree	Cherry blossom

Kotohira Town Hall

Kotohira (琴平町, Kotohira-chō) is a town located in Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2022, the town had an estimated population of 8,105 in 3618 households and a population density of 960 persons per km². The total area of the town is 8.47 square kilometres (3.27 sq mi). The town is best known as the site of Shikoku's largest shrine complex, the Kotohira Shrine (popularly known as Konpira-san).

Geography

Kotohira is located in southwestern Kagawa Prefecture. The west side of the town area runs along the foot of Mt.Kotohira

Neighbouring municipalities

Kagawa Prefecture

• Mannō
• Mitoyo
• Zentsūji

Climate

Kotohira has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kotohira is 15.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1439 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 26.2 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.7 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Kotohira has been declining steadily since the 1960s.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1960	14,839	—
1970	14,324	−3.5%
1980	13,807	−3.6%
1990	12,632	−8.5%
2000	11,335	−10.3%
2010	9,967	−12.1%
2020	8,468	−15.0%

History

The area of Kotohira was part of ancient Sanuki Province. The town developed as a market before the gates of the Kotohira Shrine, which has attracted pilgrims since prehistoric times. During the Edo Period, the area was tenryō territory ruled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the town of Kotohira was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on February 15, 1890. Kotohira annexed the village of Enai on April 1,1955.

Government

Kotohira has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 10 members. Kotohira, together with Mannō, contributes two members to the Kagawa Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Kagawa 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

As the monzenmachi of the Korohira Shrine, the local economy is heavily centered on tourism.

Education

Kotohira has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high schools operated by the Kagawa Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

Railways

Shikoku Railway Company - Dosan Line

• Kotohira

Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad Kotoden Kotohira Line

• Enai - Kotoden-Kotohira

Highways

• National Route 319
• National Route 377

Local attractions

• Kanamaru-za, Japan's oldest surviving Kabuki playhouse.
• Kotohira Shrine

• 
  Kanamaru-za (Kabuki theatre)
• 
  Saya Bridge (Covered bridge)
• 
  TakaTōrō (Tōrō)

External links

• Media related to Kotohira, Kagawa at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website (in Japanese) (English version)
• Kotohira travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Geographic data related to Kotohira, Kagawa at OpenStreetMap