Niihari [village] - Niihari

Japanese: 新治[村] - にいはり

A village in Niiharu County, central Ibaraki Prefecture. Population 9,619 (1995). The area is made up of a plateau surrounded by the mountainous region that continues to Mt. Tsukuba and the lowlands of the Sakuragawa River that flows into Lake Kasumigaura. During the Edo period, the area was known as a producer of rush grass for wicks. Rice is grown in the lowlands, and vegetables and fruit trees are cultivated on the plateau, with chestnuts being particularly prolific. Stone for construction is mined at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba. National Route 125 runs through the area, and in recent years the number of commuters to Tsuchiura City has increased. It is also home to Hounji Temple, which was founded in the early Muromachi period. [Chiba Tatsuya]

Niiharu [Shinji village]

A village in Tone County, at the northern tip of Gunma Prefecture. Population 7,925 (1995). It occupies the upper reaches of the Akatani River, a tributary of the Tone River, and borders Niigata Prefecture across the Mikuni Mountains. Most of the village area is forest, and sericulture was once the main industry. In recent years, livestock farming has increased. During the Edo period, the Mikuni Highway ran through the village, and Sukawa and Nagai flourished as post towns, with a checkpoint in Sarugakyo. Sarugakyo Onsen is located on the north shore of Lake Akatani (Aimata Dam), which was built on the Akatani River. With the completion of the Mikuni Tunnel and the construction of National Route 17, the village has developed into a hot spring resort since the 1960s.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

茨城県中部，新治郡の村。人口9619(1995)。筑波山に続く山地と霞ヶ浦に注ぐ桜川の低地，両者に囲まれた台地からなる。江戸時代には灯心用のイグサの産地として知られた。低地では米作，台地では野菜，果樹の栽培が行われ，特に栗を多産する。筑波山麓では建設用石材が採掘される。国道125号線が通じ，近年は土浦市への通勤者も増加。室町時代初期創建の法雲寺がある。【千葉立也】

にいはる【新治[村]】

群馬県北端，利根郡の村。人口7925(1995)。利根川の支流赤谷川の最上流域を占め，三国山脈を隔てて新潟県と接する。村域の大半は山林で，かつては養蚕が中心だった。近年は畜産がふえている。江戸時代には三国街道が通じ，須川，永井は宿場町として栄え，猿ヶ京には関所が置かれた。赤谷川につくられた赤谷湖(相俣ダム)北岸には猿ヶ京温泉があり，三国トンネルの完成と国道17号線の整備によって，1960年代以降，温泉保養地として発展した。

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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