Kumano, Mie Prefecture, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Kumano (熊野市) is a city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Kumano is located near the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula, in southern Mie Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean. Parts of the city are within the limits of the Yoshino-Kumano National Park.

Geography Kumano is located near the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula, in southern Mie Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean. Parts of the city are within the limits of the Yoshino-Kumano National Park.

Neighboring municipalities Mie Prefecture • Owase • Mihama • Kihō; Wakayama Prefecture • Shingū • Kitayama; Nara Prefecture • Kamikitayama • Shimokitayama • Totsukawa.

History The area of the modern city of Kumano was within ancient Kii Province and was part of the holdings of the Kii Tokugawa clan, and administered as part of the Kii-Shingū Domain in the Edo period. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Kinomoto was established within Minamimuro District with the early Meiji period creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The city of Kumano was established on November 3, 1954 by the merger of Kinomoto with the surrounding villages of Isato, Kamikawa, Arii, Atashika, Arasaki and Tomari (all from Minamimuro District).

On November 15, 2005, the town of Kiwa (also from Minamimuro District) was also merged into Kumano.

Government Kumano has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 14 members. Kumano, collectively with the towns of Mihama of Kihō, contributes two members to the Mie Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Mie 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy The economy of Kumano is centred on commercial fishing, forestry and horticulture (oranges).

Education Kumano has nine public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Mie Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transport: Rail JR Tōkai – Kisei Main Line • Nigishima - Atashika - Hadasu - Ōdomari - Kumanoshi - Arii.

Transport: Road • National Route 42 • National Route 169 • National Route 309 • National Route 311.

Local attractions A portion of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is located within Kumano.