Kawanehon
Geography. Kawanehon is located in north-central Shizuoka, along the upper reaches of the Ōi River, with approximately 90% of the town area covered in forest and mountains. It is bordered to the north by the Japanese Alps, with peaks ranging to 2400 meters. Forests range from Siebold's Beech at lower elevations to Siberian Dwarf Pine at higher altitudes, and wildlife include wild boar and kamoshika. The area enjoys a temperate maritime climate with hot, humid summers and mild, cool winters. Surrounding municipalities. Shizuoka Prefecture Nagano Prefecture Demographics. Per Japanese census data, the population of Kawanehon has been  in decline over the past 70 years. Climate. The town has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification "Cfa"). The average annual temperature in Kawanehon is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . History. Kawanehon is on the border between the former provinces of Suruga and Tōtōmi, and was mostly "tenryō" territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system in  the early Meiji period in 1889, the area was reorganized into numerous villages within both Haibara and Shida Districts within Shizuoka Prefecture. Kawanehon was formed on September 20, 2005 by the merger of the former towns of Nakakawane and Honkawane, both from Haibara District. Economy. The economy of Kawanehon is dominated by forestry and the production of green tea, with tourism on the Ōigawa Railway and to hot spring resorts also playing a role.