Kanaya, Shizuoka

Kanaya 金谷町
Former municipality
Flag Emblem
Location of Kanaya in Shizuoka Prefecture
Kanaya Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34.83449°N 138.12675°E / 34.83449; 138.12675
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Shizuoka Prefecture
District	Hiabara
Merged	May 1, 2005 (now part of Shimada)
Area
• Total	64.36 km2 (24.85 sq mi)
Population  (October 2008)
• Total	20,364
• Density	318.29/km2 (824.4/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
Website	www.city.shimada.shizuoka.jp
Symbols
Flower	Rhododendron
Tree	Camellia sinensis

Kanaya (金谷町, Kanaya-chō) was a town located in Haibara District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2005, the town had an estimated population of 20,364 and a density of 318.29 persons per km². The total area was 64.36 km².

History

On May 5, 2005, Kanaya was merged into its long-time twin city, the expanded city of Shimada and thus no longer exists as an independent municipality.

Kanaya was developed from the Edo period as Kanaya-juku, a post town on the Tōkaidō. Located on the west bank of the Ōi River, Kanaya prospered from the Tokugawa Shogunate's policy of not allowing any bridge or ferry to be established on the Ōi River in order to strengthen Edo's defenses. Travellers waiting to cross the river on foot were often trapped in Kanaya for days, if not weeks, waiting for the river to become shallow enough to ford.

Kanaya Town was established in 1889. It merged with neighboring Goka Village in 1957.

Economy

Its main industry was green tea production.

See also

• Kanaya Station
• Shin-Kanaya Station