is a town in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 12917 in 5414 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km2. The total area of the town was . Kawamata is known for its production of silk and silk products. In the late 6th century, Ōtomo no Koteko, also known as Otehime, came to this area. According to tradition, she is honored for having encouraged silk farming in the area. The town is also known for the raising of shamo, a special breed of game bird similar to chicken. Shamo ramen is a local speciality. Kawamata's main annual event is the Cosquín en Japón festival, a three-day celebration of traditional Argentinian music and dance, which is held each year in October. Geography The geographic area of Kawamata is approximately 10 km east-to-west and 20 km north-to-south; the total land area is 127.66 km2. It has an altitude of 201.2 m as measured at the site of the municipal office. Kawamata is located at the confluence of two local rivers, the Hirose and the Isazawa, from which the town's name (meaning "river fork") is derived. Several other small rivers and streams run through the town. There are four designated mountains in Kawamata: Mt. Kōdaishi (863 m), Mt. Hakubaishi (821 m), Mt. Kuchibuto (842 m), and Mt. Hanazuka (918 m). Surrounding municipalities Fukushima Prefecture Fukushima Date Nihonmatsu Iitate Namie Subdivisions The central town consists of the Kawamata neighborhood and parts of Tsuruzawa, Kogami, and Iizaka. The remaining areas are outlying neighborhoods: (Central) Kawamata Tsuruzawa Kogami Iizaka Ōtsunagi Kotsunagi Higashi-Fukuzawa Nishi-Fukuzawa Ojima Akiyama (also called Fukuda) Yamakiya Yamakiya The former village of is the largest and most sparsely populated region of Kawamata, as well as the most physically isolated. It is located in the mountains to the south-east of the central town; at 37.40 km2, it occupies almost one third of Kawamata's geographic area. Within Kawamata, Yamakiya retains some of its own distinct cultural characteristics. Yamakiya is home to the Yamakiya Taiko Club, an amateur taiko drum performance group made up of young people from the community. In April 2012, several members of the club travelled to Washington, DC in the US for the 100th anniversary of the National Cherry Blossom Festival as part of a cultural exchange initiative. One of Yamakiya's prominent facilities is the Yamakiya Skating Rink, an outdoor ice rink which is normally