Hirogawa, Wakayama

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Hirogawa, Wakayama

Overview
Hirogawa is a small coastal town in Arida District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, in the Kansai region. It lies on the north-central coast facing the Kii Channel, and the Hirogawa River runs through the town. The town covers 65.33 square kilometers. As of November 30, 2021, about 6,778 people lived there in roughly 2,833 households.

Geography and climate
The town is cooled and moderated by the nearby Kuroshio Current. It has a humid subtropical climate with warm summers and cool winters, little to no snowfall. The average yearly temperature is about 15.7°C, and annual rainfall is around 1,878 mm, with September being the wettest month. Typhoons can affect the area in summer.

History
The area was once part of ancient Kii Province and has been settled for centuries. In the Edo period, Hiro was a fishing and farming hamlet. It became famous after the 1854 Ansei-Nankai earthquake, when local leader Hamaguchi Goryō saved villagers by guiding them to higher ground with fires on rice sheaves. He also built a seawall and started a school to help the community. The modern village of Hiro became a town in 1950, and on April 1, 1955, it merged with Minamihiro and Tsugi to form Hirogawa.

Government
Hirogawa uses a mayor-council government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 10 members. The town, together with other municipalities in Arida District, sends two members to the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly. Nationally, Hirogawa is part of Wakayama’s 3rd district for the Diet.

Economy and education
The local economy centers on commercial fishing and horticulture. Hirogawa has three public elementary schools, two public middle schools, and one high school run by the Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation
The town is served by the JR West Kisei Main Line.

Symbols and administration
- Flower: bamboo lily
- Tree: Japanese blue oak
The city hall is located at 1500 Hirogawa-cho, Arida-gun, Wakayama-ken 643-0071.