Kawamoto

The former name of a town (Kawamoto-machi) was in Osato-gun in northern Saitama Prefecture. The area currently occupies the southeastern part of Fukaya City. The former Kawamoto-machi was incorporated as a town in 1977 (Showa 52). It was merged into Fukaya City in 2006 (Heisei 18). The Arakawa River flows east through the center of the former town area, with alluvial plains on both banks and diluvial plateaus on the outside. The Chichibu Railway and National Route 140 pass through the area. Mulberry fields are widespread and sericulture and dairy farming were thriving, but sericulture has declined significantly and vegetable and flower cultivation has increased. Agriculture is modernizing thanks to the National Arakawa Central Agricultural Irrigation Project in 1959 and the subsequent Prefectural Farmland Improvement Project. The tomb of Hatakeyama Shigetada, a military commander from the Kamakura period, and the Kashima Burial Mounds (a prefectural designated historic site) are located here. In recent years, the Arakawa River near the Kashima Burial Mounds has become a haunt for swans.

[Masatami Nakayama]

"Kawamoto Town History" (1989, Kawamoto Town)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

埼玉県北部、大里郡(おおさとぐん)にあった旧町名（川本町(まち)）。現在は深谷市(ふかやし)の南東部を占める地域。旧川本町は1977年（昭和52）町制施行。2006年（平成18）深谷市に合併。旧町域中央を荒川が東流、両岸に沖積平野、その外側に洪積台地が広がる。秩父(ちちぶ)鉄道と国道140号が通る。桑園が広がり、養蚕と酪農が盛んであったが、養蚕は大幅に減少、野菜や花卉(かき)栽培が増加している。1959年の国営荒川中部農業水利事業、その後、県営の圃場(ほじょう)整備事業が行われ、農業の近代化が進んでいる。鎌倉時代の武将畠山重忠(はたけやましげただ)の墓や鹿島古墳群（県指定史跡）がある。なお、鹿島古墳群近くの荒川は、近年ハクチョウの飛来地となっている。

［中山正民］

『『川本町史』（1989・川本町）』

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