Kamo, Niigata

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This article is about the city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. There are other places in Japan with this name, see Kamo (disambiguation).

Location of Kamo in Niigata prefecture

Kamo (加茂市, Kamo-shi^?) is a city located in Niigata, Japan, roughly halfway between the two larger cities of Nagaoka and Niigata.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 32,422 and the density of 242.55 persons per km². The total area is 133.67 km². It was founded on March 10, 1954.

Kamo is a popular place for small tour groups, especially for children in elementary school. It is advertised as a "traditional town" and sometimes referred to as the Little Kyoto of the Hokuetsu region. This is due to the fact that it shares certain structural features with Kyoto, being surrounded on three sides by mountains and intersected by a river. Kamo's most famous attraction is Kamoyama Park, which is home to the Omi Jinja (Shrine) and many other sights, including a petting area for small squirrels which the town has regularly imported. The Kamo River is also the site of many city events, including the Obon Festival in August and the Snow Camelia Festival in April. The snow camelia is a symbol of Kamo and can be seen growing in many locations around the city.

Kamo has five junior high schools (Kamo, Aoi, Nanatani, Wakamiya, and Suda), one agriculture and forestry high school (Kamo Norin), one private high school (Kamo Gyosei), and one public high school (Kamo).