Waga - My

A district of Kitakami city in the central-southern part of Iwate prefecture. In 1955 (Showa 30), the three villages of Fujine, Yokokawame, and Iwasaki merged to form Waga village, and the following year it was incorporated as a town. In 1991 (Heisei 3), it merged with Kitakami city. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ou Mountains, with the Waga River flowing east through the center, and settlements and farmland in the lowlands of the river valley. The JR Kitakami Line and National Route 107 run along the Waga River. In the Middle Ages, it was under the control of the Waga clan, and in the Edo period, it was the territory of the Morioka domain. Drawing water from the Waga River, Matsuoka Weir (also known as Saruta Weir, completed in 1668) and Okuderazeki Weir (completed in 1679) were dug, laying the foundations for paddy rice cultivation, and with the completion of Yuda Dam in 1964, 1,800 hectares of land in the Gotono and Iwasaki districts were opened up to farmland. With the mechanization and intensification of agriculture, efforts have been made to promote dairy and beef cattle farming, mining at Waga Sennin Mine (iron ore) and Iwasawa Mine (gypsum), and to attract businesses through the construction of the Tatekawame Industrial Park. The Geto Onsen travertine along the Geto River is a special natural monument. The Ezuriko burial mounds (national historic site) are located across from the Ezuriko district to the east. Folk performing arts such as Susumago Daijo Kagura (Selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property) and Iwasaki Onikenbai are also passed down.

[Kano Seiichi]

"Waga Town History" (1977, Waga Town)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

岩手県中南部、北上市の一地区。1955年（昭和30）藤根(ふじね)、横川目(よこかわめ)、岩崎の3村が合併して和賀村となり、翌年町制施行。1991年（平成3）北上市と合併。奥羽山脈の東縁に位置し、中央部を和賀川が東流、その河谷低地に集落と耕地が開ける。和賀川に沿ってJR北上線、国道107号が走る。中世は和賀氏の支配下にあり、江戸時代は盛岡藩領。和賀川の水を引いて、松岡堰(ぜき)（猿田堰とも。1668年完成）と奥寺堰(おくでらぜき)（1679年完成）が開削され水稲耕作の基盤ができ、さらに1964年湯田ダムの完成で後藤野(ごとうの)、岩崎地区の1800ヘクタールが開田した。農業の機械化、集約化が進み、乳牛、肉牛の畜産振興、和賀仙人鉱山（鉄鉱）、岩沢鉱山（石膏(せっこう)）などの鉱業振興、竪川目(たてかわめ)工業団地の造成による企業誘致も図られている。夏油(げとう)川沿いの「夏油温泉の石灰華(げとうおんせんのせっかいか)」は特別天然記念物。東接する江釣子(えづりこ)地区にまたがり江釣子古墳群（国の史跡）がある。煤孫大乗神楽(すすまごだいじょうかぐら)（選択無形民俗文化財）、岩崎鬼剣舞(けんばい)などの民俗芸能も伝えられている。

［金野靜一］

『『和賀町史』（1977・和賀町）』

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