Taiji, Wakayama

Taiji is a small town in Japan, found in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture. As of August 1, 2021, the town was home to about 2,960 people living in 1,567 households. The town covers an area of 255.23 square kilometers, making it the smallest municipality by area in Wakayama Prefecture. With a population density of 510 persons per square kilometer, Taiji offers a peaceful and scenic place to live, surrounded by natural beauty.

Geography

Taiji is situated on a special land that reaches out into the Kumano Sea near the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula. It has a coastline with many arms and bays, called a rias. On one side lies Moriura Bay, and on the other side is Taiji Bay. 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, which means it has warm summers and cool winters. There is usually little to no snow. The average temperature there is about 16.5°C throughout the year. September is the wettest month, with an average of 2,564 mm of rain yearly. The warmest time is in August, around 25.1°C, and the coolest is in January, around 6.8°C.

Demographics

The town of Taiji has seen its population go down little by little for the last 40 years, according to information collected by Japan during a big count called a census.

History

The area of the modern town of Taiji was within ancient Kii Province. Taiji has long been well 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, but no health problems were found.

Government

Taiji uses a mayor-council system, where people elect a mayor and a town council with 10 members. Together 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 relies on this activity for its work and living.

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 ride the train on the Kisei Main Line operated by JR West to reach Taiji.

Highway

There is also National Route 42 that you can use to drive to Taiji.

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 go back many years and 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. Originally, her family name was pronounced "Taiji," but she chose to use "Taichi" as her stage name.