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Nagaland · Kohima · Angami Naga (Southern Angami)

Kigwema

Southern Angami village next to Kisama Heritage Village — the ceremonial venue of the Hornbill Festival.

Overview

Kigwema is a Southern Angami village on National Highway 2, about 15 km south of Kohima and immediately adjoining the Kisama Heritage Village where the state's annual Hornbill Festival is held each December.[1],[2]

The village is best known outside Nagaland as the community that hosted the first Japanese troops to enter India during the 1944 Battle of Kohima — a fact recorded on a memorial stone at the village entrance.[4]

History

Kigwema was the point at which the Japanese 15th Army first camped on Indian soil in April 1944 before advancing toward Kohima ridge; a bilingual stone commemorates this.[4],[5]

The village lends its 'Kig-' to the compound name Kisama (Kigwema + Phesama), the heritage complex opened in 2000 that now hosts the Hornbill Festival.[1],[2]

Culture & cultural significance

Kigwema follows the Southern Angami dialect and calendar; the community observes Sekrenyi in late February like other Angami villages.[3]

Festivals

Lifestyle, cuisine & handicrafts

Cuisine

  • Angami galho and smoked pork with axone
  • Bamboo-shoot pickles
  • Rice-beer varieties served during Hornbill week

Handicrafts

  • Wood-carving stalls that trade at Kisama during Hornbill
  • Bamboo mugs and traditional shawls

Things to do

  • Walk to Kisama Heritage Village (2 km) to see the morung replicas of all 17 recognised Naga tribes
  • Visit the Japanese memorial stone at the village entrance
  • Stay in a Kigwema homestay during Hornbill week to avoid Kohima's peak-season prices

How to reach

By air
Dimapur (DMU), ~90 km. Add 30–60 min beyond Kohima.
By rail
Dimapur (DMV).
By road
On NH-2, 15 km south of Kohima. Shared Sumos to Kisama pass through Kigwema.

Best time to visit: First week of December for the Hornbill Festival; October–April otherwise.

Nearby attractions & villages

  • Kisama Heritage Village

    2 km — Hornbill Festival grounds.

  • Phesama

    Adjacent Southern Angami village, also part of the Kisama compound.

  • Kohima War Cemetery

    15 km — 1944 Battle of Kohima memorial.

Related villages

Responsible travel guidelines

  • During Hornbill week, homestays are booked out months in advance — do not walk in expecting rooms.
  • The Japanese memorial is a solemn site; do not climb on it for photos.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kigwema the same as Kisama?
No. Kisama is the heritage complex on land jointly contributed by Kigwema and Phesama; the two villages retain separate identities.[1],[2]

Sources

  1. [1]Government of Nagaland — Hornbill Festival, Kisama listing
  2. [2]Wikipedia — Kisama Heritage Village
  3. [3]Wikipedia — Kigwema
  4. [4]Morung Express — Kigwema WWII memorial coverage
  5. [5]The Hindu — Battle of Kohima anniversary coverage

Facts on this page are cross-checked against tier-1 (Government of India), tier-2 (state government & tourism boards) and tier-3 (district administration, official festival organisers) sources. Wikipedia is used as a tie-breaker only. Where sources disagree, the page states the ambiguity rather than picking a side.

Last verified 2026-07-27. Facts on this page were confirmed against tier-1/2 sources on that date.

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