Yugawara

Yugawara
湯河原町

Town

Yugawara skyline

Flag

Seal

Location of Yugawara in Kanagawa Prefecture

Yugawara

Coordinates: 35°9′N 139°4′E / 35.150°N 139.067°ECoordinates: 35°9′N 139°4′E / 35.150°N 139.067°E

Area

• Total

40.99 km² (15.83 sq mi)

Population (June 1, 2012)

• Total

26,424

• Density

646/km² (1,670/sq mi)

Time zone

Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

Symbols

• Tree

Sakura, camellia

• Flower

Mikan

• Bird

Japanese white-eye

Phone number

0465-63-2111

Address

1-2-1 Chūō, Yugawara-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken 259-0392

Website

Town of Yugawara HP

Yugawara (湯河原町^?, Yugawara-machi) is a town located in Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2012, the town had an estimated population of 26,474 and a population density of 646 persons per km². The total area was 40.99 km².

Yugawara is located in the far southwestern corner of the prefecture, facing Sagami Bay on the Pacific Ocean.

Kanagawa Prefecture

Shizuoka Prefecture

During the Kamakura period, the area around Yugawara was called "Doi County" in Sagami Province. The area was under control of the late Hōjō clan in the Sengoku period, and part of Odawara Domain during the Edo period. After the Meiji Restoration, it was divided into six villages, and initially formed part of the short-lived Ashigara Prefecture, before becoming part of Ashigarashimo District of Kanagawa Prefecture. In April 1889, four of the six villages merged to form Doi village. The remaining two villages merged to from Yoshihama village. On July 1, 1926, Doi village was elevated to town status, taking the new name of Yugawara. Yoshihama attained town status on April 1, 1940, and merged into Yugawara on April 1, 1955. A planned merger of Yugawara into Odawara in 2005 was rejected by local voters in an August 8, 2004 referendum.

Yugawara has many onsen hot spring resorts, and tourism plays a major role in the local economy. Agriculture and commercial fishing play secondary roles in the local economy.

...
Wikipedia