Arakawa [village] - Arakawa

Japanese: 荒川[村] - あらかわ

A village in Chichibu County, western Saitama Prefecture, bordering Tokyo. Population 6,687 (1995). Occupying the mountainous area of the Chichibu Mountains, the village is lined with river terraces along the Arakawa River, which flows east in the northern part of the village. The settlements and farmland are on the river terraces, and the Chichibu Railway also runs through the village. During the Edo period, Niegawa was a post station on the Koshu Ura Kaido (Chichibu Highway), bustling with pilgrims visiting Mitake Shrine and the temples, and a Rokusai Market was also held there. Forestry and sericulture were the main industries, but currently, in addition to cultivating shiitake mushrooms and konjac yams, efforts are being made to promote tourism agriculture, focusing on grapes and chestnuts.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

埼玉県西部，東京都と接する秩父郡の村。人口6687(1995)。秩父山地の山間を占め，北部を東流する荒川沿いには河岸段丘が広がる。集落や耕地は河岸段丘上にあり，秩父鉄道も走る。贄川（にえがわ）は江戸時代に甲州裏街道(秩父往還)の宿駅で，三峰神社，札所巡りの参詣者でにぎわい，六斎市も開かれていた。林業と養蚕が主たる産業であったが，現在は，シイタケ，コンニャクイモの栽培に加え，ブドウ，栗を中心に観光農業の振興が図られている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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