What's in a name? That's the question facing voters in Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture, who go to the polls Sunday to cast their ballots in a mayoral election and a referendum on whether to officially change the municipality's name to Tamba-Sasayama.
The city, about a 90-minute train ride north of Kobe, was created in 1999 through the merger of four villages and towns, including the town of Sasayama. The area has long been better known as Tamba-Sasayama because it was part of an ancient region called Tamba no Kuni.
The city is famous for its agricultural products, in particular big, round black beans often served at the New Year holidays. It is also known around the country for wild boar and its traditional wooden houses and buildings downtown, which have been designated a Japan Heritage Site.