Kotoura, Tottori

Kotoura 琴浦町
Town
Flag Emblem
Location of Kotoura in Tottori Prefecture
Kotoura Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°30′N 133°42′E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku San'in
Prefecture	Tottori Prefecture
District	Tōhaku
Area
• Total	139.97 km2 (54.04 sq mi)
Population  (June 1, 2016)
• Total	17,219
• Density	123/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
Website	www.town.kotoura.tottori.jp
Symbols
Bird	Common kingfisher
Flower	Cherry blossom
Tree	Japanese beech

Kotoura (琴浦町, Kotoura-chō) is a town located in Tōhaku District, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2016, the town had an estimated population of 17,219 and a population density of 123 per km². The total area is 139.97 square kilometres (54.04 sq mi).

Etymology

The name of Kotoura in Japanese is formed from two kanji. The first, 琴, refers to the traditional Japanese 13-string musical instrument, and the second, 浦 means "cove". The name of the town is taken from a stretch of the coast on the Japan Sea called Koto-no-ura (琴ノ浦).

History

Kotoura has been settled since ancient times. A dōtaku bronze bell was unearthed in Yabase district, one of only 400 in Japan, and a bronze sword was unearthed in Tagoshi district. Both items are from the Yayoi period (300 BC–250 AD), and both suggest a prosperous settlement in Kotoura in this period. The diary of Fujiwara no Sanesuke (957–1046), published as the Shōyūki describe rich pastures in the area during the Heian period (794–1185). Kotoura was used after this period as a center for animal husbandry; many new species of farm animals emerged from the area. In the Edo period (1603–1868) the karō of Tottori Domain resided in Kotoura, and supported a thriving market in the Urayasu district.

Kotoura was formed on September 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Tōhaku and Akasaki, both from Tōhaku District.

Population

The Population distribution of Kotoura

Geography

To the north Kotoura has a broad coast along the Japan Sea, while the southern part of the city rises to the Chūgoku Mountains. Mount Senjō, to the southwest of the town, is within the Mount Daisen range.

Tottori Prefectural Road 34

Roadside Station(Michinoeki) Port Akasaki at Kotoura Town

Bordering municipalities

Kotoura borders on four other municipalities in Tottori Prefecture.

• Daisen to the west
• Kōfu to the south
• Hokuei to the east
• Kurayoshi to the southeast

Transportation

Rail

Kotoura is served by the JR West San'in Main Line, specifically the segment that runs between the city of Tottori and Masuda, Shimane Prefecture.

• Urayasu Station
• Yabase Station
• Akasaki Station

Bus

• Hinomaru Bus Limited
• Kotoura Municipal Bus

Highways

• National Routes
  • San'in Expressway
  • Japan National Route 9
• Prefectural Routes
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 30
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 34
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 44
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 50
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 151
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 168
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 203
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 204
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 213
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 238
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 267
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 268
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 278
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 289
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 290
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 320
  • Tottori Prefecture Route 503

Notable places

Daisen Waterfall

• Mount Senjō and Mount Senjō Sakura Festival
• Daisen Waterfall
• Remains of Sainō-ji
• Remains of Yabase Castle
• Kawamoto Family Residence

Notable people

• Tomoyuki Kawabata, cyclist (1985–)
• Yoshihiro Kawakami, politician (1950–)
• Kaori Kawanaka, archer (1991–)
• Shigeru Kobayashi, baseball pitcher (1952–2010)
• Teikō Shiotani, photographer (1899–1988)

External links

• Media related to Kotoura, Tottori at Wikimedia Commons
• Town of Kotoura (in Japanese)