Miwa [village] - Miwa

Japanese: 美和[村] - みわ

A village in Naka County, northern Ibaraki Prefecture. Population 4,962 (1995). It occupies the southeastern foot of Mt. Torinoko in the Yamizo Mountains, and borders Tochigi Prefecture to the west. The Ogawa River, a tributary of the Naka River, flows through the center of the village, and National Route 293 crosses the southern part. During the Edo period, the production of handmade Japanese paper called Torinoko paper became popular, and the village was bustling with the traffic of paper merchants. After the Meiji period, production declined due to pressure from Western paper, and tobacco leaves and konjac were produced instead. In recent years, shiitake mushroom cultivation has become popular. Forestry has also been active since ancient times, with the planting of cedar and cypress trees progressing, and lumber is also carried out.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

茨城県北部，那珂郡の村。人口4962(1995)。八溝（やみぞ）山地の鷲子（とりのこ）山南東麓を占め，西は栃木県に接する。那珂川支流の緒川が中央部を流れ，南部を国道293号線が横断する。江戸時代に鷲子紙(鳥の子紙)と呼ばれた手すき和紙の生産が盛んとなり，紙商人の往来でにぎわった。明治以降，洋紙におされて生産は衰退し，代わって葉タバコやコンニャクが生産された。近年はシイタケ栽培が盛ん。林業も古くから盛んで，杉，ヒノキの造林がすすみ，製材業が行われる。

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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