Kasagi, Kyoto

Kasagi is a town in Sōraku District in far southern Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2024 it had a population of 1,108 in 579 households over 23.52 square kilometres, the smallest population of any municipality in Kyoto Prefecture. Forests cover 80 percent of the area, the Kizugawa River flows through the center of the town and the Nunome, Uchitaki and Yokogawa rivers join it; parts of the town lie within Kasagiyama Prefectural Natural Park and enclaves of it sit inside Kizugawa city. The climate is humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa). The area was part of ancient Yamashiro Province and developed as a hub of water transport, since timber for Tōdai-ji in Nara was cut and floated down the Kizugawa. During the Genkō War of 1331 the temple Kasagi-dera served as the temporary palace of Emperor Go-Daigo in the Siege of Kasagi, and the legend of the Omizutori ceremony of Tōdai-ji is tied to it. The village was established in 1889 and became a town on 1 January 1934. The economy is agriculture and forestry, and the JR West Kansai Main Line and National Route 163 serve the town.