Keihoku Town (京北町)
Keihoku Town was a town which existed in Kitakuwada-gun, Kyoto Prefecture until March 31, 2005.
It was a part of current Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, and consisted of areas whose place names have the prefix 'Keihoku.'
It was formed on March 1, 1955 by the merging of a town and five villages (Shuzan Town, Hosono Village, Utsu Village, Kuroda Village, Yamaguni Village and Yuge Village) in the southern part of Kitakuwada-gun. The town name was elected from among the ideas which were sought from the public. Oaza Hirokawara in the town was absorbed into Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City on April 1, 1957. On April 1, 2005, since the whole area of the town was absorbed into Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Keihoku Town disappeared.
Geography
Keihoku Town had contact with Kyoto City at the city's northern border, and the whole area of the town was in the Tanba highland.
Rivers
The Kamikatsura-gawa River: The upper reaches of the Katsura-gawa River (the Yodo-gawa River system)
The Yuge-gawa River: A branch of the Kamikatsura-gawa River
The Hosono-gawa River: A branch of the Kamikatsura-gawa River
Industry
Forest industry
Most areas of the town was forest, and the forest industry prospered as the production area of Migaki Maruta (polished log) of Kitayamasugi (Kitayama cedar trees) and so on. It was the main supply area of lumber to Kyoto from ancient times using water transport, because the Katsura-gawa River (the Yodo-gawa River system) crossed the town and connected to Sagano, Kyoto and so on.
Sister city and partner city
Domestic
Nanporo Town, Hokkaido
Sister town partnership was formed in October, 1990.
Overseas
Mercury Bay (New Zealand)
Sister city partnership was formed in September, 2000.
Transportation
There were no trains in the town.
Buses
West Japan JR Bus Company (Kyoto Station to Nijo Station, Takao, Toganoo, Keihoku-cho)
Keihoku municipal bus (It became Kyoto Keihoku Furusato [hometown] public corporation after the town was absorbed into Kyoto City.)
Roads
National Routes
National Route 162 (Shuzan-kaido Road)
National Route 477
Famous sites, historic sites, tourist spots, festivals and events
Joshoko-ji Temple
Shuzan-jo Castle site
Seryo no Sato (Seryo Village)
Details of absorption into Kyoto City
May to June, 2002
Signatures by more than 80 percent of eligible voters of the town were collected through the signature campaign demanding the absorption into Kyoto City.
November 7, 2002
Keihoku Town offered Kyoto City the absorption in response to the signatures.
October, 2003
The Legal Absorption Conference was organized by Kyoto City and Keihoku Town.
August 9, 2004
The absorption was officially decided on by the Legal Absorption Conference. According to the will of Keihoku Town, it was also decided not to apply the exception to the fixed number of assembly members.
April 1, 2005
The town was absorbed into Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City.