Minamiashigara, Kanagawa


Minamiashigara is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
As of April 1, 2017, the city has an estimated population of 42,641, and population density of 550 persons per km². The total area is 77.12 km².

Geography

Minamiashigara is located in the mountainous west of Kanagawa Prefecture, with most of the city located within either the Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park or the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Surrounding Municipalities

Kanagawa Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
The area that is now known as Minamiashigara was under control of the later Hōjō clan in the Sengoku period, and part of Odawara Domain during the Edo period.
After the Meiji Restoration, casastral reforms created Minamiashigara, Fukusawa, Okamoto and Kitaashigara villages within Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa Prefecture. The development of the area was spurred by the opening of the Oyama Mountain Railway on October 15, 1925. Minamiashigara was elevated in status to that of a town on April 1, 1940, and annexed neighboring Fukusawa, Okamoto and Kitaashigara villages in 1955. It was elevated to city status on April 1, 1972.

Economy

The economy of Minamiashigara is based on forestry and agriculture. Fujifilm and Asahi Breweries have factories in Minamiashigara to make use of its abundant fresh water.

Transportation

Railway