Kihoku is located in southeastern the Kii Peninsula in southern Mie Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean.

Kihoku has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall.

The village of Nagashima was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889 and was raised to town status in 1899.

Kihoku has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members.

In terms of national politics, the town is part of Mie 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.