Kawaguchi

The former name of the town (Kawaguchi-machi) was in Kitauonuma-gun, southern Niigata Prefecture. It is currently located southeast of Nagaoka City, and is an exclave sandwiched between Ojiya City. It is a key transportation point where the Shinano River and Uono River meet. It was incorporated as a town in 1957 (Showa 32), and was incorporated into Nagaoka City in 2010 (Heisei 22). It is home to Kawai Shrine, a shrine listed in the Engi Shikinai, and in the early modern period it flourished as a post town on the Mikuni Kaido road. It is a junction of the JR Joetsu Line and Iiyama Line, and National Route 17 and the Kan'etsu Expressway (where the Echigo Kawaguchi Interchange is located) run through it. The town is focusing on tourism development, such as Otokoyama Yanaba on the Uono River and Echigo Kawaguchi Onsen.

[Hisao Yamazaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

新潟県南部、北魚沼郡(きたうおぬまぐん)にあった旧町名（川口町(まち)）。現在は長岡(ながおか)市の南東方に位置し、小千谷(おぢや)市をはさんだ飛び地となっている。信濃(しなの)川と魚野川の合流点にあたる交通の要所。1957年（昭和32）町制施行。2010年（平成22）長岡市に編入。延喜(えんぎ)式内社の河合神社があり、近世は三国(みくに)街道の宿場町として栄えた。JR上越線と飯山線(いいやません)の分岐点で、国道17号、関越自動車道(かんえつじどうしゃどう)（越後(えちご)川口インターチェンジがある）が走る。魚野川の男山簗場(やなば)、えちご川口温泉などの観光開発に力を注いでいる。

［山崎久雄］

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