Kesen (気仙郡) is a rural district in Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. Formerly, the area of the cities of Rikusentakata and Ōfunato were within the borders of the district. the district consists only of the town of Sumita with a population of 5,228 people, with a density of 15.6 per km2 and an area of 334.84 sqkm.

History

During the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate, the district was within Mutsu Province and was under the control of the Date clan of the Sendai Domain. In 1869, following the Meiji restoration, Mutsu Province was divided, with the area of Kesen District becoming part of Rikuchū Province, and from 1872, part of Iwate Prefecture. On April 1, 1889, with the establishment of the municipalities system, the district was organized into two towns (Sakari and Takata) and 20 villages.

Subsequent timeline