Hashimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Hashimoto is a city located in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

Geography Hashimoto is located near the prefectural border at the north-eastern end of Wakayama Prefecture, bordering Kawachinagano in Osaka Prefecture to the north and Gojō in Nara Prefecture to the east. There are also a couple of small exclaves in the neighboring towns of Katsuragi, Wakayama, and Kudoyama. Because it is close to the plate boundary on the south coast of Honshu, the mountains near Hashimoto are steep; the city is located between the Kongō Mountains and Kisen Mountains in the north and the Kii Mountains in the south. Hashimoto is on the middle of the Kinokawa River. In addition, Hashimoto City is located directly above the Japan Median Tectonic Line, which is a large fault that runs east to west in western Japan.

Neighboring municipalities Wakayama Prefecture: • Kudōyama • Katsuragi • Kōya.

Nara Prefecture: • Gojō.

Osaka Prefecture: • Kawachinagano.

Economy The mainstay of the local economy is horticulture, especially that of Japanese persimmons and Japanese pears, as well as the poultry industry. The area has traditionally been known for its Japanese white crucian carp fish farms and its textiles. As the only city in Wakayama prefecture that is included in the Osaka metropolitan area (in terms of urban employment), there are an increasing number of commuters, gradually transforming the area into a bedroom community.

Transport: Rail JR West – Wakayama Line • Suda - Shimohyōgo - Hashimoto - Kii-Yamada - Kōyaguchi

Nankai Electric Railway – Nankai Kōya Line • Kimitōge - Rinkanden-entoshi - Miyukitsuji - Hashimoto - Kii-Shimizu - Kamuro.

Transport: Road • Keinawa Expressway • National Route 24 • National Route 370 • National Route 371.