is a district located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It currently consists of only one town, Samukawa. The entire cities of Chigasaki, Fujisawa, Yamato, Ayase, Ebina, Zama; and parts of the city of Sagamihara, were formerly part of Kōza District.
As of 2009, the district has an estimated population of 47,812 and a density of 3,560 persons per km2. The total area is 13.42 km2.
Towns and villages Samukawa
History
Kōza District was one of the ancient subdivisions of Sagami Province, extending from Sagami Bay north to the border of Musashi Province between the Sagami River and the Sakai River. It was mentioned in the Nihon Shoki records of 675 AD in the Nara period as . The provincial capital of Sagami Province and its kokubunji were located within Kōza District, although its exact location is today unknown.
The area was under the control of various shōen from the Heian period through the Sengoku period, and was held as tenryō territory administered by the shōgun under the Tokugawa shogunate of the Edo period.
Timeline After the Meiji Restoration, it was established as a district under the cadastral reform of 1878, with a district office built near what is now part of Chigasaki. This was moved to Fujisawa-Ōsaka Town (present-day Fujisawa) in 1906.
On April 1, 1889, Kōza District was divided into one town (Fujisawa-Ōsaka) and 22 villages. In 1908, Chigasaki Village became a town, as did Kamimizo in 1928, and Zama in 1937. Fujisawa became a city in 1940. Samukawa and Ebina became towns the same year. In 1941, Zama, Kamimizo and six neighboring villages merged to form the town of Sagamihara. Yamato became a town in 1943, Shibuya in 1944 and Ayase in 1945. Chigasaki became a city in 1947. In 1948, Zama was separated from Sagamihara, which became a city in 1954. The town of Shibuya dissolved in 1955, with the southern portions merging with Fujisawa, and the northern portion reverting to the status of village until absorbed by Yamato town in 1956. Yamato became a city in 1959, and both Ebina and Zama became cities in 1971, and Ayase in 1978, leaving Samukawa as the only remaining component of Kōza District.
Merger table pre-1889April 1, 18891889 - 19261926 - 19441945 - 19541955 - 19891989–PresentPresent Samukawa village Samukawa village November 1, 1940 Samukawa town Samukawa town Samukawa town Samukawa town Samukawa Chigasaki village October 1, 1908 Chigasaki town Chigasaki town October 1, 1947 Chigasaki city Chigasaki city Chigasaki city Chigasaki Shorin village Tsurumine village Koide village Koide village Koide village Koide village April 5, 1955merged with Chigasaki city (except for Endo division) April 5, 1955merged with Fujisawa city(Endo division) Fujisawa city Fujisawa Fujisawa-Ōsaka town Fujisawa-Ōsaka town April 1, 1908 Fujisawa town October 1, 1940 Fujisawa city Fujisawa city Fujisawa city Kamakura DistrictFujisawa-Ōtomi town October 1, 1907 merge with Fujisawa-Ōsaka town Kugenuma village Kugenuma village Meiji village Meiji village Mutsuai village Mutsuai village March 10, 1942 merge with Fujisawa city Goshomi village Goshomi village Goshomi village Goshomi village April 5, 1955merge with Fujisawa city Shibuya village Shibuya villageNovember 3, 1944 Shibuya town Shibuya town April 5, 1955merged with Fujisawa city(southern portion) April 5, 1955 Shibuya town(northern portion) September 1, 1956merge with Yamato town February 1, 1959 Yamato city Yamato city YamatoTsurumi village September 25, 1891Yamato village November 3, 1943Yamato town Yamato town Yamato town Ayase village Ayase village Ayase village April 1, 1945 Ayase town November 1, 1978 Ayase city Ayase city Ayase Ebina village Ebina village December 20, 1940 Ebina town Ebina town Ebina town November 1, 1971 Ebina city Ebina city Ebina Arima village Arima village Arima village Arima villageApril 20, 1955merge with Ebina town Zama village Zama village December 20, 1937 Zama townApril 29, 1941Sagamihara town September 1, 1948 Zama village November 1, 1971 Zama city Zama city Zama Araiso village Araiso village Araiso village November 20, 1954 Sagamihara city Sagamihara city Sagamihara city Sagamihara Asamizo village Asamizo village Asamizo village Tana village Tana village Tana village Mizo village Mizo village January 1, 1928Kamimizo townOsawa village Osawa village Osawa village Aihara village Aihara village Aihara village Ono Village Ono Village Ono Village