Iwafune District, Niigata
Iwafune (岩船郡 Iwafune-gun?) is a district located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.
As of May 1, 2008, the district has an estimated population of 7,137. The total area is 309.47 km².
The district currently has two villages.
Iwafune's name is from the Ancient Japanese Ritsuryo System. In 1878, when Iwafune District launched, the district covered all six towns listed above and the current city of Murakami, and the district areas has been the same since the founding. The district seat was located at Murakami-Honmachi (the current city of Murakami).
After the district lost Murakami in 1954, the district areas remain the same as until April 1, 2008. There had been some talks to merge with the city of Murakami but the city of Murakami killed the merger because of the city's new name. However, the talks was finally settled, and, on April 1, 2008, the city of Murakami merged with the towns of Sanpoku and Arakawa and the villages of Asahi and Kamihayashi from Iwafune District to create the city of Murakami.
Coordinates: 38°03′40″N 139°36′00″E / 38.061°N 139.60°E
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