Town names of the Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City (京都市西京区の町名)
This section shows the list of official town names in the Nishikyo Ward and summarizes the period and process of their establishment.
Summary of the Nishikyo Ward
The ward is located on the right bank of the Katsura-gawa River, which is south-west of the urban area of Kyoto City. It shares a border with Ukyo Ward, Minami Ward (Kyoto City), Muko City and Nagaokakyo City in Kyoto Prefecture, Shimamoto Town and Takatsuki City in Osaka Prefecture, as well as Kameoka City in Kyoto Prefecture. It is 59.20 square km in area. Its population is estimated to be about 153,000 as of March 2009.
It includes Arashiyama, a famous sightseeing spot, the Matsuo district where the Matsuo-taisha Shrine is located, the Katsura district where the Katsura Imperial Villa is located, and the Ohara district where the Shoji-ji Temple (the Temple of Flowers) and the Oharano-jinja Shrine are located. In addition to these, there are many famous temples and shrines such as the Saiho-ji Temple (known as Koke-dera Temple) and the Yoshimine-dera Temple which is one of the temples of Saigoku Fudasho (temples for pilgrimage in western Japan). It also covers Rakusai New Town. The Tonohata and Izuriha districts on the western edge are bordered by Osaka Prefecture.
This ward, originally a part of Ukyo Ward, was established when the area of the right bank of the Katsura-gawa River was separated in 1976. The area from the northern to the eastern part consists of the former Matsuo, Katsura and Kawaoka villages, Kadono County, which were integrated into Ukyo Ward in 1931. The area from the southern part to the western part consists of the former Oeda and Oharano villages, Otokuni County, which were integrated into Ukyo Ward in 1950 and in 1959, respectively.
Summary of town names
The town names in Kyoto City are categorized into ones which use the former village name or former Oaza (larger section of village) such as 'Ohara Raikoin-cho' (in this case, 'Ohara') and ones which uses an independent name such as 'Kameya-cho' and 'Kikuya-cho.'
The town names in Nishikyo Ward all include district names such as former Oaza as a prefix.
According to the second volume of "Kadokawa Nihon Chimei Daijiten No. 26 Kyoto-Fu" (Kadokawa dictionary of place-names of Japan, No.26 Kyoto Prefecture), the ward had two-hundred and seventy-six officially declared towns in 1980. After 1980, the names and borders of some towns were changed in accordance with the implementation of land readjustment projects, and sixteen towns were newly created and six towns were abolished. As of 2009, there are two-hundred and eighty-six towns (towns which have the name 'chome' such as Oeda Kitakutsukake-cho from 1-chome to 7-chome, are counted as a town).
There are some towns which have no letter of '町' (read as 'cho', meaning town) as a suffix, such as 'Arashiyama Minami Matsuoyama' and 'Goryo Minamitani.'
These were mountainous areas inhabited when the town's names were established in 1931.
The former Matsuo village
The former Matsuo village, Kadono County, was integrated into Kyoto City in 1931, and became a part of the then Ukyo Ward. There were the five Oaza in the Matsuo village: Arashiyama, Matsumuro, Matsuodani, Shimoyamada and Goryo. Among them, the Oaza Arashiyama (the former Kamiyamada village) was reorganized into twenty towns which were prefixed by the name 'Arashiyama' in 1931. Then, the Miyamachi town was established in 1945 and Kokuzoyamacho Town was established in 1951; accordingly, there are currently twenty-two towns.
Oaza Matsumuro was reorganized into thirteen towns which were prefixed by the name 'Matsumuro' in 1931.
The Oaza Matsuodani was mostly reorganized into nine towns which were prefixed by the name 'Matsuo' in 1931, and the rest became Oaza Matsuodani, Ukyo Ward. In 1942, Matsuodairicho Town was established. In 1965, all places in Kyoto City whose names included the terms 'Oaza' and 'Aza' (the latter meaning a small section of a village) were renamed with the suffix 'cho', therefore, a place called 'Oaza XX Aza YY' would have been renamed 'XXYY-cho'. At this time, the area of 'Oaza Matsuodani' became the Matsuodani Matsuoyamacho Town.
Through the above process, there are now ten towns which bear the name 'Matsuo' as a prefix and one town which has the prefix of 'Matsuodani.'
The Oaza Shimoyamada was mostly reorganized into twenty-nine towns which were prefixed by the name 'Yamada' in 1931, and the rest became the Oaza Shimoyamada, Ukyo Ward. In 1965, in Kyoto City, all the districts whose names included the terms 'Oaza' and 'Aza' ('Aza' means a small section of a village) were renamed with the suffix 'cho', so a place called 'Oaza XX Aza YY' would have been renamed 'XXYY-cho'. At this time, the area of 'Oaza Shimoyamada' became the new towns of Shimoyamada Kamisoucho, Shimoyamada Shimosoucho, Shimoyamada Teizukacho, Shimoyamada Jizoyamacho and Yamada Arashiyama-cho.
Through the above process, there are now ten towns which bear the prefix of 'Yamada' and four towns which bear the prefix of 'Shimoyamada.'
The Oaza Goryo was reorganized into sixteen towns which were prefixed by the name 'Goryo' in 1931. In accordance with the development of Katsurazaka New Town, Goryo Kitaoedayamacho, Goryo Oedayamacho from 1-chome to 6-chome, and Goryo Minegadocho from 1-chome to 3-chome were established in 1986, therefore, that there are now nineteen towns at present (the towns which have the name 'chome' are counted as one town).
御陵' in Nishikyo Ward is read as 'Goryo,' but the one in Yamashina Ward is read as 'Misasagi.'
In addition to this, a new town, 'Kyotodaigaku Katsura' was created in the districts of Goryo and Yamada in 2003.
The former Katsura village
The former Katsura village, Kadono County, was integrated into Kyoto City in 1931, and became a part of the then Ukyo Ward. There were five Oaza: Shimokatsura, Kamikatsura, Chiyohara, Tokudaiji and Kamino in the Katsura village. Among them, the Oaza Shimokatsura was reorganized into sixteen towns which were prefixed by the name 'Katsura' in 1931.
The Oaza Kamikatsura was reorganized into fifteen towns which were prefixed by the name 'Kamikatsura' in 1931.
The Oaza Chiyohara was reorganized into five towns which were prefixed by the name 'Katsura' in 1931 (Chiyoharacho, Inuicho, Ushitoracho, Tatsumicho and Hitsujisaru-cho).
The Oaza Tokudaiji was reorganized into six towns including five towns which were prefixed by the name 'Katsura' (Kawadacho, Kozucho, Hatakedacho, Onawacho and Tokudaiji-cho) and the Tokudaiji Shimizucho Town (without the name of 'Katsura') in 1931.
The Oaza Kamino was reorganized into eight towns which were prefixed by the name 'Katsurakamino' in 1931.
Then, the names and borders of some towns were changed in accordance with the implementation of land readjustment projects as follows, and there are fifty-six towns in total including the thirty-three towns which are prefixed by the name of 'Katsura,' eight towns which are prefixed by the name of 'Katsurakamino' and fifteen towns which are prefixed by the name of 'Kamikatsura.
(established in 1947) Minamitatsumi-cho
(established in 1991) Kitatakigawa-cho, Minamitakigawa-cho, Nishitakigawa-cho
(established in 2005) Tokudaijikitacho, Tokudaijiminamicho and Tokudaijihigashi-cho
(abolished in 2005) Tokudaiji Shimizu-cho (without the name of 'Katsura' on the head)
The former Kawaoka village
The former Kawaoka village, Kadono County, was integrated into Kyoto City in 1931, and became a part of the then Ukyo Ward. There were four Oaza in the Kawaoka village consisting of Ushigase, Simotsubayashi, Kawashima and Katagihara. Among them, the Oaza Ushigase was reorganized into twenty towns which were prefixed by the name 'Ushigase' in 1931. Then, the names and borders of some towns were changed in accordance with the implementation of land readjustment projects to be mentioned later, therefore, there are fifteen towns which are prefixed by the name of 'Ushigase' at present.
(abolished in 1991) Nishinokuchi-cho, Momonoki-cho, Nagase, Kurumagase, and Sameko
(the names were changed in 1991) Okunobo=>Okunobo-cho, Hayashinomoto=>Hayashinomoto-cho, Nishigaki=>Nishigaki-cho, Doden=>Doden-cho, and Shindenbuke=>Shindenbuke-cho
The Oaza Shimotsubayashi was reorganized into twelve towns which were prefixed by the name 'Shimotsubayashi' in 1931.
Then, the names and borders of some towns were changed in accordance with the implementation of land readjustment projects to be mentioned later, therefore, there are seventeen towns which are prefixed by the name 'Shimotsubayashi.'
(established in 1991) Higashi Daihannya-cho, Minami Daihannya-cho, Banjo-cho, Minaminakajima-cho, Higashishibanomiya-cho
(the names were changed in 1991) Nakajima=>Nakajima-cho, Shibanomiya=>Shibanomiya-cho
Both 'Shimotsubayashi Banjo' (established in 1931) and 'Shimotsubayashi Banjo-cho' (established in 1991) still exist.
The Oaza Kawashima was reorganized into sixteen towns which were prefixed by the name 'Kawashima' in 1931. Then, the following towns were newly created, and there are twenty-one towns in total which were prefixed by the name of 'Kawashima'.
(established in 1948) Arisugawa-cho
(established in 1964) Takezono-cho, Matsuzono-cho
(established in 1965) Umezono-cho, Sakurazono-cho
The Oaza Katagihara was reorganized into forty-seven towns which were prefixed by the name 'Katagihara' in 1931.
The former Oeda village and Oharano village
The former Oeda village, Otokuni County, was integrated into the Kyoto City in 1950 and became a part of the then Ukyo Ward. There were three Oaza: Kutsukake, Tsukahara and Naganoshinden in the Oeda village. Among them, Oaza Kutsukake was reorganized into Oeda Kutsukake-cho, Oaza Tsukahara into Oeda tsukahara-cho, and Oaza Naganoshinden into the three towns of Oeda Higashinaga-cho, Oeda Nishinaga-cho and Oeda Nakayama-cho. Then, in accordance with the development of Rakusai New Town and Katsurazaka New Town, the following towns were newly created and there are ten towns in total which have the name of 'Oeda' (towns which have the name 'chome' are counted as a town).
(established in 1975) Nishishinbayashi-cho from 1-chome to 6-chome, Higashishinbayashi-cho from 1-chome to 3-chome, Kitafukunisi-cho from 1-chome to 4-chome, and Minamifukunishi-cho from 1-chome to 3-chome. (established in 1986) Kitakutsukake-cho from 1-chome to 7-chome.
The former Oharano village, Otokuni County, was integrated into Kyoto City in 1959 and became a part of the then Ukyo Ward. There were the eight Oaza: Oharano, Iwamikamizato, Ueba, Haikata, Oshio, Ishizukuri, Izuriha and Tonohata in the Oharano village. Among them, Oaza Oharano was reorganized into the two towns of Oharano Kitakasuga-cho and Oharano Minamikasuga-cho, Oaza Iwamikamizato was reorganized into the three towns of Oharano Iwami-cho, Oharano Kamizato Kamino-cho and Oharano Kamizato Shimono-cho. The remaining six Oaza became Oharano Ueba-cho, Oharano Haikata-cho, Oharano Oshio-cho, Oharano Ishizukuri-cho, Oharano Izuriha-cho and Oharano Tonohata-cho. Then, in accordance with the housing land development such as Rakusai New Town, the following towns were newly created and there are ten towns in total which are prefixed by the name 'Oharano' (the towns which have the name 'chome' are counted as one town).
(established in 1966) Kamizato Ojika-cho, Kamizato Katsuyama-cho, Kamizato Torimi-cho and Kamizato Momiji-cho
(established in 1975) Nishisakaidani-cho from 1-chome to 4-chome, Higashisakaidani-cho from 1-chome to 3-chome, Nishitakenosato-cho 1-chome and 2-chome and Higashitakenosato-cho from 1-chome to 4-chome.
(established in 1976) Higashino-cho
Remarks
Yamada Suzugao, Yamada Hayashi, Yamada Takao, Shimoyamada Jizoyama-cho, Yamada Arashiyama-cho
These are not shown on any map. According to the second volume of "Kadokawa Nihon Chimei Daijiten No. 26 Kyoto-Fu" (Kadokawa dictionary of place-names of Japan, No.26 Kyoto Prefecture), they are mountainous areas uninhabited.