Kanaya

This is the former name of a town (Kanayama-cho) located in Arida-gun in the central-northern part of Wakayama Prefecture. The area now occupies the central part of Aridagawa-cho. The former Kanayama-cho was established in 1955 (Showa 30) when the four villages of Toyajo, Oishi, Ishigaki, and Sashiki merged and became a town. In 2006 (Heisei 18), it merged with the towns of Kibi and Shimizu to become Aridagawa-cho. The former town name comes from Kanaya in the former Toyajo village. The foundry village of Kanaya became the village center as it was a crossing point at the mouth of the midstream valley of the Arida River. There is also a place called Ichiba nearby. National highways 424 and 480 pass through the area. It is also the trailhead on the southern foot of Mt. Oishigamine, and was an early stop on the Arita Railway (closed in 2002). The area is home to the remains of Toriya Castle (a prefectural historic site), a medieval mountain castle, the remains of Kangi-ji Temple, which is associated with the monk Myoe Shonin, who was born here, and the Suzuki family home, a farming family from the mid-Edo period (a nationally designated important cultural property). The area is primarily cultivated with mandarin oranges, but there is also an increasing number of diversified vegetable farms and tourist farms such as grape farms. Cormorant fishing, which takes place on the Arida River, is a prefectural intangible folk cultural asset.

[Yoichi Koike]

"Kanayamacho Chronicles" 2 volumes (1972, 1973, Kanayamacho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

和歌山県中北部、有田郡(ありだぐん)にあった旧町名（金屋町(ちょう)）。現在は有田川町の中部を占める地域。旧金屋町は、1955年（昭和30）鳥屋城(とやじょう)、生石(おいし)、石垣(いしがき)、五西月(さしき)の4村が合併、町制を施行して成立。2006年（平成18）吉備(きび)、清水(しみず)の2町と合併、有田川町となった。旧町名は旧鳥屋城村の金屋に由来する。鋳物師の村金屋は有田川中流谷口の渡河点で村の中心となった。付近には市場(いちば)という地名もある。国道424号、480号が通じる。生石ヶ峰(おいしがみね)の南麓(なんろく)登山口でもあり、有田鉄道が早く通じた（2002年廃止）。中世山城(やまじろ)の鳥屋城跡（県史跡）、この地に生まれた明恵上人(みょうえしょうにん)ゆかりの歓喜(かんぎ)寺などの遺跡、江戸時代中期の農家鈴木家住宅（国指定重要文化財）などがある。ミカン栽培を主とするが、野菜栽培との複合経営やブドウなどの観光農園も増えている。有田川で行われる鵜飼(うかい)は県の無形民俗文化財となっている。

［小池洋一］

『『金屋町誌』全2巻（1972、1973・金屋町）』

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