Namerikawa, Toyama Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Namerikawa is a city in eastern Toyama Prefecture, Japan. The city has an estimated population density of 605 persons per km². Its total area was 54.63 square km (21.09 sq mi). The coast of Namerikawa is the habitat of the world famous glowing firefly squid (ほたるいか, hotaru-ika), which surface yearly in a phenomenon that has been designated a Special Natural Monument by the Japanese government. The city was founded on March 1, 1954.

Geography Namerikawa is in north-eastern Toyama Prefecture, in the Hayatsuki river delta and is bordered by the Sea of Japan (Toyama Bay) to the northwest. Namerikawa is located 1 hour by air (via Toyama Airport), 3 hours by rail and 5 hours by car from Tokyo. Since March 2015, rail access is possible via Hokuriku Shinkansen high-speed train from nearby Toyama. The city area is formed on the alluvial fan between the Hayatsuki River and the Kamiichi River.

Surrounding municipalities Toyama Prefecture • Toyama • Uozu • Kamiichi.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Namerikawa has remained relatively steady over the past 50 years.

History The area of present-day Namerikawa was part of ancient Etchū Province. During the Heian period, much of the area was part of shōen controlled by Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto. During the Edo period it was part of the territory controlled by the Maeda clan of Kaga Domain. The town of Namerkawa was created within Nakaniikawa District, Toyama with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On November 1, 1953, Namerigawa merged with the neighboring villages of Nakakazumi, Higashikazumi, Nishikazumi, Kitakazumi, Hamakazumi and Hayatsukikazumi. It was raised to city status on March 1, 1954.

Government Namerikawa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 15 members.

Economy Once a rural town in the overlooking Toyama bay, then prospering as inn town on the Hokuriku Kaidō, Namerikawa has developed as an industrial city and commercial centre, and is increasingly a bedroom community for nearby Uozu.

Education Namekawa has seven public elementary schools and two public junior high schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Toyama Prefectural Board of Education.

Transport: Rail • Ainokaze Toyama Railway • Higashi-Namerikawa-Namerikawa • Toyama Chihō Railway • Nakakazumi - Nishi-Kazumi - Nishi-Namerikawa - Naka-Namerikawa - Namerikawa - Hamakazumi - Hayatsukikazumi - Etchū-Nakamura.

Transport: Road • Hokuriku Expressway • National Route 8.

Local attractions • To promote firefly-squid-themed eco-tourism and education, the world's only firefly squid museum opened in March 1998.