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Kōryō, Nara

Coordinates: 34°33′N 135°45′E / 34.550°N 135.750°E / 34.550; 135.750
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kōryō
広陵町
Town
Koryo Town Office
Koryo Town Office
Flag of Kōryō
Official seal of Kōryō
Location of Kōryō in Nara Prefecture
Location of Kōryō in Nara Prefecture
Kōryō is located in Japan
Kōryō
Kōryō
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°33′N 135°45′E / 34.550°N 135.750°E / 34.550; 135.750
CountryJapan
RegionKansai
PrefectureNara Prefecture
DistrictKitakatsuragi
Government
 • MayorYoshiyuki Yamamura
Area
 • Total16.34 km2 (6.31 sq mi)
Population
 (March 31, 2017)
 • Total35,021
 • Density2,100/km2 (5,600/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
Websitewww.town.koryo.nara.jp

Kōryō (広陵町, Kōryō-chō) is a town located in Kitakatsuragi District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Including among its landmarks Kudara Palace, Kōryō served as a temporary capital of Japan from 640 to 642 AD. Although Kōryō is primarily agricultural, it also has a strong sock-making industry, consisting of 40% of the country's sock production.

As of March 2017, the town has a population of 35,021 and a density of 2,100 persons per km2.[1] The total area is 16.34 km2.

Etymology

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Kudara is a reference to the Korean kingdom of Baekje and "Koryo" is a reference to Korea. However, the kanji making up the town's name literally translate to 'many tombs', as the town has one of the highest concentrations of kofun in Japan.

History

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In 640 the capital of Japan moved from Kashihara to Kōryō, with Kudara Palace serving as the seat of power. In 642 the capital of Japan was relocated from Kōryō to Asuka.

The modern town of Kōryō was founded in 1955, with the town having celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2015.

Geography

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Koryo has two distinct districts, Mamigaoka and Kasa. Mamigaoka is a relatively new neighborhood that houses many shops and restaurants. It is much more affluent than Kasa, which is sometimes referred to as 'Old Town'.

Notable residents

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References

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  1. ^ "Official website of Koryo Town" (in Japanese). Japan: Koryo Town. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
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