Uenohara

The former name of a town (Uenohara-machi) was in Kitatsuru-gun, on the eastern edge of Yamanashi Prefecture. It currently occupies the northern part of Uenohara City. It borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east and Tokyo to the northeast. The former Uenohara-machi was incorporated as a town in 1898 (Meiji 31). In 1955 (Showa 30), it merged with seven villages: Oome, Koto, Iwao, Ootsuru, Shimada, Yuzurihara, and Nishihara. In 2005 (Heisei 17), it merged with Akiyama Village in Minamitsuru-gun to become a city. The former town area occupies the Katsuragawa and Tsurugawa river basins and has well-developed river terraces, with most of the settlements built on them. During the Edo period, there were four prosperous post towns on the Koshu Kaido road: Uenohara-juku, Tsurukawa-juku, Nodajiri-juku, and Inume-juku. However, the opening of the Chuo Line (between Hachioji and Uenohara) in 1901 (Meiji 34) caused the post towns to fall into disuse. Located in the mountains, arable land is limited, so the town developed as a textile and sericulture town, and is one of the production areas of Kai silk. Due to its close proximity to Tokyo and good transport links such as National Route 20, the Chuo Expressway Uenohara Interchange, and the JR Chuo Main Line, the town is increasingly becoming a commuter town for the capital region. The town is also seeing the expansion of parts industries such as light electrical appliances and precision machinery. The large zelkova tree in the schoolyard of Uenohara Elementary School is a nationally designated natural monument. Sweetfish from the Katsura River are a local specialty.

[Tadao Yokota]

"Uenohara Town Journal (1955, Uenohara Town)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

山梨県東端、北都留郡(きたつるぐん)にあった旧町名（上野原町(まち)）。現在は上野原市の北部を占める。東は神奈川県、北東は東京都に接する位置にある。旧上野原町は1898年（明治31）町制施行。1955年（昭和30）大目(おおめ)、甲東(こうとう)、厳(いわお)、大鶴(おおつる)、島田、棡原(ゆずりはら)、西原の7村と合併。2005年（平成17）南都留郡秋山(あきやま)村と合併して市制施行。旧町域は桂川(かつらがわ)と鶴川の流域を占め河岸段丘の発達がよく、集落はほとんどその上にのっている。江戸時代、甲州街道の宿場が上野原宿、鶴川宿、野田尻宿(のたじりしゅく)、犬目宿(いぬめしゅく)と4宿あって栄えたが、1901年（明治34）中央線の開通（八王子―上野原間）によって宿場はさびれた。山間部にあるので耕地が狭く、織物、養蚕の町として発展、甲斐絹(かいき)の産地の一つである。東京に近く、国道20号、中央自動車道上野原インターチェンジ、JR中央本線など交通の便がよいため、首都圏のベッドタウン化の傾向が強くなっている。また、弱電、精密機械などの部品工業の進出もみられる。上野原小学校校庭の大ケヤキは国指定天然記念物。桂川のアユは名物である。

［横田忠夫］

『『上野原町誌』（1955・上野原町）』

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