Taiji, Wakayama

Taiji is a small town in Japan, in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture. As of August 1, 2021, about 2,960 people lived there in 1,567 households. The town covers 255.23 square kilometers, the smallest area of any town in Wakayama Prefecture. With a population density of 510 persons per square kilometer, Taiji is a peaceful and beautiful place surrounded by nature.

Geography

Taiji is located on a special piece of land that stretches into the Kumano Sea near the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula. It has a coastline with many inlets and bays, called a rias. Moriura Bay is on one side, and Taiji Bay is on the other. The town is surrounded on three sides by the nearby town of Nachikatsuura.

Neighboring municipalities

Wakayama Prefecture

• Nachikatsuura

Climate

Taiji has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm summers and cool winters. There is usually little to no snow. The average temperature is about 16.5°C all year. September is the wettest month, with about 2,564 mm of rain each year. August is the warmest month, around 25.1°C, and January is the coolest, around 6.8°C.

Demographics

The town of Taiji has had a slowly shrinking population over the past 40 years. This information comes from Japan's regular count of its people, known as a census.

History

The area of the modern town of Taiji was within ancient Kii Province. Taiji has long been known for whaling and helped develop better whaling methods in the 1600s. The village of Taiji was created on April 1, 1889, when two smaller areas joined together. It became a town on April 1, 1925.

Taiji is famous for whaling. Traditional Japanese whaling began here in the 1600s, and catching small whales and dolphins is still important for the town's economy. In 1988, Taiji stopped commercial whaling after a decision by the International Whaling Commission, but it still hunts small whales and dolphins.

The town faced hard times in 1878 when many whalers were lost at sea during a hunt. After the Russo-Japanese War, whaling grew again, and Taiji helped supply crews for Antarctic whaling.

The town's dolphin hunt has drawn attention and protests from people around the world. The documentary The Cove featured the hunt, leading to more international attention. The town has taken steps to manage the situation. Some studies have looked at mercury levels in the town's residents due to eating dolphin and whale meat.

Government

Taiji uses a mayor-council system. People elect a mayor and a town council with 10 members. With other areas in Higashimuro District, Taiji sends two representatives to the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly. For national decisions, the town is part of the Wakayama 3rd district in the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Commercial fishing is the main part of the local economy in Taiji. The town depends on this work for jobs and food.

Education

Taiji has one public elementary school and one public middle school that the town runs. There is no high school in the town.

Transportation

Railway

You can take the train on the Kisei Main Line operated by JR West to get to Taiji.

Highway

You can also drive to Taiji using National Route 42.

Local attractions

Taiji has several interesting places to visit. The Taiji Whale Museum, opened in 1969, shows more than 1,000 items about whales, including bones from different whale species. There are also two small hot springs in the town: Natsusa (or Nassa) Onsen and Taiji Onsen.

The town holds two special festivals each year. In summer, the Taiji Isana Festival happens on August 14. In autumn, the Taiji Whale Festival is held on the first Sunday of November. Both festivals celebrate whales with traditional dances and drumming.

Sister cities

Taiji has friendly relationships with three places around the world. It has been connected with Broome, Western Australia, Australia, since 1981. There was a short pause in this friendship in 2009, but it was renewed soon after. Taiji also has ties with Hakuba, Nagano in Japan since 1984, and with Klaksvík in the Faroe Islands since 2018. These connections help the towns learn from each other.

Notable people

Taiji, Wakayama has been home to some interesting people. Eitaro Ishigaki was an American artist who lived from 1893 to 1958. Another notable person is Kiwako Taichi, an actress born in 1943 who passed away in 1992. Her family name was once pronounced "Taiji," but she decided to use "Taichi" as her stage name.