Located on the coast of central Ibaraki Prefecture, Ōarai is located in the flatlands near the Pacific Ocean, and borders Lake Hinuma, the 30th largest body of freshwater in Japan. The Naka River flows through the town. Ōarai and Sun Beach bathing beaches were first to introduce barrier-free bathing beaches for the disabled in Japan.
Ōarai has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ōarai is 14.0 °C (57.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,416 millimetres (55.7 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.4 °C (77.7 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.6 °C (38.5 °F).[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Ōarai has declined steadily over the past 70 years.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1950
23,193
—
1960
22,290
−3.9%
1970
21,654
−2.9%
1980
21,244
−1.9%
1990
20,745
−2.3%
2000
19,957
−3.8%
2010
18,328
−8.2%
2020
15,715
−14.3%
History
The villages of Isohama and Ōnuki within Higashiibaraki District and the village of Natsumi within Kashima District were created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Ōnuki was elevated to town status on January 26, 1894. Ōnuki and Isohama merged on November 3, 1954 to create the town of Ōarai. A portion of Natsumi was annexed by Ōarai on July 23, 1955.
In 1928, Nisshō Inoue, the founder of the far-right militant organization Ketsumeidan (血盟団, League of Blood), relocated to Ōarai, where he established Risshō Gokokudō (立正護国堂, Righteous National Defense Temple), which served as a youth training center advocating a militarist revolution in Japan, eventually resulting in the 1932 League of Blood Incident.
Since 1998 the chief of a factory association in Oarai has invited Japanese descendants and migrants from North Sulawesi, Indonesia, to work for seafood industries.[4] A majority of the Indonesians inhabitants was later arrested for being undocumented.[4]
Government
Ōarai has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 12 members. Ōarai, together with neighboring Hokota and Ibaraki, contributes two members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Ibaraki 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
The nuclear industry and government largess form the basis of the local economy. Main agricultural products include rice, sweet potatoes and Japanese radish. The commercial fishing industry is important, and main fishery products include whitebait, sardines, flounder and clams. Marine food processing includes salted and dried horse mackerel, smelt and sardines and boiled octopus.
Education
Ōarai has two public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education.
Ōarai attracts 3 million visitors a year. Tourist attractions include bathing beaches, yacht and cruiser marina, marine sports, camping site, fishing, aquarium, and a famous golf course. It is known for its monkfish.[5]
The Ōarai Ankou Festival is held yearly, since 1996, and features a range of traditional activities.
In popular culture
The city has become an animepilgrimage location due to being the setting for the popular franchise Girls und Panzer. The main characters of the animated series study in a huge ship originally based in Ōarai. Real locations in the city are depicted faithfully, prompting fans to visit the town and giving a boost to local commerce.[6]
