Kawakami (川上村, Kawakami-mura) is a village located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2025, the village had an estimated population of 1,023 and a population density of 3.8 persons per km2. The total area of the village is 269.26 km2 (103.96 sq mi).
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Geography
Kawakami is located in central Nara Prefecture. The majority of the village is mountainous. The Ōmine Mountains are on the west side and the Daidaka Mountains on the east side. The area is the source of the Yoshino River, on which the Osako Dam and Otaki Dam are located. The area has many limestone caves and hot springs.
Surrounding municipalities
Mie Prefecture
Matsusaka
Ōdai
Nara Prefecture
Yoshino
Kurotaki
Tenkawa
Kamikitayama
Higashiyoshino
Climate
Kawakami has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Kawakami is 11.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is 2422 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around -0.4 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Kawakami is as shown below. In the quarter century between 1991 and 2016, no birth had been recorded in the Sogio district of Kawakami village.
History
The area of Kawakami was part of ancient Yamato Province. The discovery of the Miyanohira ruins (submerged under the Otaki Dam), believed to date back to the Jomon period, proves that the area of Kawakami has been inhabited since ancient times. The village of Kawakami was established on April 1, 1889, with the creation of the modern municipalities system.
Government
Kawakami has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral village council of eight members. Kawakami, collectively with the other municipalities of Yoshino District, contributes two members to the Nara Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the village is part of the Nara 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The local economy is based on tourism and forestry. Due to the terrain, there is very little commercial agriculture.
Education
Kawakami has one public combined elementary/junior high school operated by the village government. The village does not have a high school.
Transportation
Railways
Kawakami has no passenger railway service. The nearest train station is Yamato-Kamiichi Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line in Yoshino.
Highways
National Route 169
Local attractions
Ohtaki Dam
Ohsako Dam
Notable people from Kawakami
Daimanazuru Kenji, former sumo wrestler