Kyuunan

Located 20 minutes north of Nonogawa, it has the largest population of the towns along the Nonogawa River Valley. Though its population is dwindling faster than Nonogawa's, due to the lure of better paying jobs in the big cities.

Industry & Trade

by Kohji Asakawa from Pixabay

Kyuunan is supported today by its rice farms, rice processing factory, and new solar power plant. The town is best known for its tasty early harvest rice, which it exports through out Japan.

by Good Ware

Residents hope that the power plant will not only supply them cheap electricity, but also bring enough jobs to keep the town's young people from moving to the larger cities. Some say the power plant might even pave the way for more industry.

History

After its founding as Kokunan, it remained a humble, tiny town that relied on rice farming and the timber industry until 1953. That was the year the southern island of Kyuushuu had a major flood that killed over 1,000 people. Evacuees poured into western Japan and enough of them stayed in Kyuunan to double the population. They renamed the town Kyuunan to honor it's influx of residents.

Geography

Located in a wide bowl of the Nonogawa River Valley along the valley's eponym. Lush forested hills surround the town and the neighboring farms.

Kyuunan

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Small town north of Nonogawa.

Maps

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  Kyuunan

  Small town north of Nonogawa.

Founding Date

September 9, 1899

Alternative Name(s)

九南町

Type

Town

Population

4,752

Related Traditions

• Nonogawa River Valley Float Festival and Race

Characters in Location

• Goda Ichiro

Rice planters in the rain by Ohara Koson