Narakawa [Village] - Narakawa

Japanese: 楢川[村] - ならかわ

A village in Kiso County, central Nagano Prefecture. Population 3,755 (1995). Located in the upper reaches of the Narai River, the source of the Shinano River, the village is at the northern entrance to the Kiso Valley. In 1889, the two villages of Narai and Niekawa merged to form Narakawa, taking the names of both villages. In the Middle Ages, it was the territory of the Kiso clan, and in the early modern period it belonged to the Owari Domain. Narai and Niekawa were post stations on the Nakasendo (now National Route 19). On the western edge of the village is Torii Pass, a difficult point on the road. The entire area is covered by forests and fields, and traditional lacquerware is manufactured in the central settlement of Hirasawa, with half of the total workforce engaged in lacquerware and related woodworking.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

長野県中部，木曾郡の村。人口3755(1995)。信濃川の源流奈良井川上流域を占め，木曾谷の北の入口にあたる。1889年奈良井と贄川（にえかわ）の2村が合体，両者の名をとって楢川とした。中世は木曾氏の領地，近世は尾張藩に属し，奈良井，贄川は中山道(現，国道19号線)の宿駅であった。村の西端には街道の難所鳥居峠がある。全域が山林･原野で，中心集落の平沢では伝統的な漆器製造が行われ，漆器と関連木工業に従事する者が全就業者の半数に達する。

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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