Approximately 83% of its area is covered by forests, and five rivers (the Tashiro, Sakura, Tazawa, Usune, and the Mizomata) flow through the village.

Gunma Prefecture Kawaba has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfb) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.

On April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration, Kawaba village was established within Tone District, Gunma.

However, this proposal was strongly opposed by the Gunma prefectural government and met with lukewarm response from Setagaya, and the village remained independent.

Kawaba has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral village council of 10 members.