During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tosa Domain ruled by the Yamauchi clan from their seat at Kōchi Castle.

The area was organized into villages within Kami District with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

The city of Kami was established on March 1, 2006,[5] from the merger of the towns of Kahoku and Tosayamada, and the village of Monobe.

[6][7] Kami has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 20 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kōchi 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.