Yorii, Saitama Prefecture, Kantō Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Yorii (寄居町, Yorii-machi) is a town in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 March 2021, the town had an estimated population density of 510 persons per km². The total area of the town is 64.25 square km (24.81 sq mi).

Geography Located in north-western Saitama Prefecture, Yorii is on the central reaches of the Arakawa River, just downstream of Nagatoro, and is approximately 70 km from downtown Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities Saitama Prefecture • Fukaya • Misato • Ranzan • Ogawa • Minano • Nagatoro • Higashichichibu.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Yorii peaked around the year 2000 and had declined since.

History Yorii developed as a post station on the pilgrimage route to the temples of the Chichibu area from the Kamakura period, and was a castle town to Hachigata Castle during the Sengoku period. The town of Yorii was created within Hanzawa District, Saitama with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Hanzawa District was abolished in 1896, becoming part of Ōsato District.

In February 1955, the town expanded by annexing the neighboring villages of Orihara, Hachigata, Obusuma, and Yodo.

Government Yorii has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members. Yorii, together with the town of Misato and city of Fukaya, contributes three members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Saitama 11th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Honda has an automobile assembly plant in Yorii, which is a major local employer.

Education Yorii has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education.

Transport: Rail Chichibu Railway - Chichibu Main Line • Sakurazawa – Yorii – Hagure; Tobu Railway – Tōbu Tōjō Line • Minami-Yorii – Obusuma - Hachigata - Tamayodo| - Yorii; JR East – Hachikō Line • Orihara - Yorii - Yōdo.

Transport: Road • National Route 140 • National Route 254.

Local attractions • Hachigata Castle • Saitama Museum of Rivers • Tamayodo Dam • Tsuburada Dam.