Onomichi

Onomichi
is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
, the city had an estimated population of 129,314 in 64055 households and a population density of 450 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Onomichi is located in southeastern Hiroshima Prefecture. It faces the Seto Inland Sea to the south, and the coastline is intricate and forms part of the Setonaikai National Park. The main urban concentration is in a narrow band on the coast, where there is very little flat land. Because of its unique scenery, it is often used as a filming location for movies.
Adjoining municipalities
Hiroshima Prefecture
Fukuyama
Mihara
Fuchū
Sera
Climate
Onomichi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) characterized by cool to mild winters and hot, humid summers. The average annual temperature in Onomichi is . The average annual rainfall is with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Onomichi was on 5 August 2021; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 26 February 1981.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data, the population of Onomichi in 2020 is 131,170 people. Onomichi has been conducting censuses since 1960.
History
1168: The city's port opened and for the next 500 years served as a rice shipment center and port for all trades with foreign countries. Its commercial significance somewhat wavered during the Tokugawa period.
1898: Onomichi Town in Mitsugi District becomes the second city in Hiroshima Prefecture on April 1.
1935: The RMS Adriatic was scrapped in Onomichi.
1937: The town of Kurihara and the village of Yoshiwa, both in Mitsugi District incorporated.
1939: The village of Sanba from Numakuma District incorporated.
1951: The village of Fukada from Mitsugi District incorporated.
1954: Three villages from Mitsugi District incorporated.
1955: Three villages from Numakuma District incorporated.
1957: The village of Urasaki from Numakuma District incorporated.
1970: The town of Mukaihigashi from Mitsugi District incorporated.
March 28, 2005: The towns of Mitsugi and Mukaishima (both from Mitsugi District) were merged into Onomichi.
January 10, 2006: The towns of Innoshima and Setoda (both from Toyota District) were merged into Onomichi.
Government
Onomichi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 26 members.Onomichi contributes three members to the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Hiroshima 5th district and Hiroshima 6th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Crime and safety
The Kyodo-kai yakuza syndicate is based in Onomichi. The Kyodo-kai is the second largest yakuza group in the Chugoku region after the Hiroshima-based Kyosei-kai.
Economy
Onomichi has prospered as a port town and a commercial city. Before World War II, it had an economy comparable to that of Hiroshima City. Shipyards have existed in Onomichi, Mukaishima, and Innoshima for a long time due to their location, which is blessed with water transport. In recent years, the shipbuilding industry has been in decline due to the decline of the industry.
Manufacturing
Shipbuilding
Naikai Shipbuilding
Mukaishima Dock
Onomichi Dockyard
Universal Shipbuilding Onomichi dock
Hitachi Zosen Corporation Onomichi dock
JFE Shoji Trade Shipbuilding
Tsuneishi Shipbuilding
Metalworking
Press Kogyo
Union Plate Onomichi plant
Chemistry
Nitto Denko Onomichi plant
Yokohama Rubber Company Onomichi plant
Agriculture
Mikan, Grape, Juncus effusus, Scallion
Fishery
Kamaboko, Stockfish, Tsukudani
Media
Onomichi FM
Onomichi Cable Television
Bookselling
Keibunsha
Education
Onomichi City University
Onomichi has 24 public elementary schools and 16 public junior high schools and one public high school operated by the city government, and six public high schools operated by the Hiroshima prefectural Board of Education. There are also one private middle school and one private high school. The prefecture also operates two special education schools for the disabled.
Transportation
Railway
JR West – San'yō Shinkansen
JR West (JR West) - San'yō Main Line
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Highways
San'yō Expressway
Onomichi Expressway
Nishiseto Expressway (also known as the "Shimanami Kaidō")
Sister city relations
Imabari, Ehime, Japan
Higashiizumo, Shimane, Japan
Honfleur, France
Jung District, Busan, Korea
Chiayi, Taiwan
Taichung, Taiwan
Local attractions
The city is known for its many temples such as the Buddhist Senkō-ji Temple (founded in the 9th century), has a shipbuilding yard and a motor factory. It offers a steamship service to ports of northern Shikoku and islands in the Inland Sea.
Temples
Senkō-ji – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage No. 10
Kōmyō-ji
Tennei-ji
Jōdo-ji – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage No. 9
Saigō-ji
Saikoku-ji – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage
Kongō-ji
Kōsan-ji in Setoda, Hiroshima
Kōjō-ji in Setoda – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage No.11
Jikō-ji
Kaifuku-ji
Jōsen-ji
Syōjyu-in
Jikan-ji
Myōsen-ji
Taisan-ji
Shrines
Misode-tenman-gū
Ushitora Shrine – the oldest shrine in Onomichi
Kubohachiman Shrine
Castles
Innoshima Suigun Castle
Onomichi Castle
Fukuyama Domain Bansho site
Parks and gardens
Senkoji Park on Mt. Senkoji – connected by Senkōji Ropeway from Onomichi Station
Senkoji Park Green Land (1965–2007)
Bingo Regional Sports Park
Onomichi Shimanami Baseball Stadium – NPB game held twice a year as Hiroshima Carp home game.
Mukaishima Orchid Center
Innoshima Flower Center
Citrus Park Setoda
Innoshima Ohashi Memorial Park
Mt. Takami National Park
Tachibana Nature Village
The Island's Blooms – The Pyrethrum
Hyakka Park
Souraiken Garden
Mitsugi Greenland
Marine Youth Center
Mitsugi Softball Ballpark
Chojabara Sports Center
Mukaishima Sports Park
Innoshima Sports Park
Innoshima Amenity Pool
Kaibutsu-en Ato (The remains of Kaibutsu-en) – The garden of the House of Tomishima (Tenmaya)
Museums
Onomichi City Museum of Art
Ikuo Hirayama Museum of Art – by named after Ikuo Hirayama
Musee Nakata
Onomichi Literature Museum
Entsuba Katsuzo Sculpture Museum
Honinbo Shusaku Igo Memorial Museum – by named after Honinbo Shusaku
Museum of Setoda History and Folklore
Onomichi Historical Museum
Innoshima History Museum
Island-Wide Art Museum
Onomichi Motion Picture Museum
Beaches
Shimanami Beach
Ohamasaki Camp Site
Setoda Sunset Beach
Setoda B & G Marine Center
Tachibana Beach
Iwashijima Beach on Iwashijima Island
Hot springs
Natural Spa Onomichi Fureai no Sato
Mitsugi Yu Yu-Kan
Harada-cho Yujin Hot spring
Yoro onsen
Others
Literature Path
Nishiseto Expressway – "Shimanami Expressway" connects Onomichi and Imabari, Ehime
Innoshima Suigun Skyline
Kaneyoshi Bus Stop
Statue of Fumiko Hayashi
Onomichi City Library
Tsureshio Stone Monuments
Shimanami Koryu-kan – "Teatro Shell-rune"
Bel Canto Hall
Crossroad Mitsugi
Festivals
Onomichi Minato Matsuri – the Port Festival – April
Onomichi Sumiyoshi Hanabi Matsuri – Fireworks – the last Sunday of July
Innoshima Suigun Matsuri – at Suigun Castle – August
Onomichi Betcha Matsuri – November 1–3
In popular culture
The city is featured in the Japanese film Tokyo Story (1953) directed by Yasujirō Ozu. It is the setting for the fantasy 2005 anime series Kamichu! which faithfully depicts many of the city's features and landmarks. Events of the Blue Drop series also happen in this city. It is also the setting of the romantic manga Pastel by Toshihiko Kobayashi. The video game Yakuza 6: The Song of Life heavily features Onomichi as an in-game location, and its fictional mascot, Ono Michio.
Books
A Dark Night's Passing (1921) by Naoya Shiga
Diary of a Vagabond (1930) by Fumiko Hayashi
The Accordion and the Fish Town (1931) by Fumiko Hayashi
Akumyō (1961) by Toko Kon
Films
Tokyo Story by Yasujirō Ozu (1953)
Films by Kaneto Shindō
Kanashimi wa onna dakeni (1958)
The Naked Island (1960)
Akumyō series by Tokuzo Tanaka, Kazuo Mori, Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Masahiro Makino, Yasuzo Masumura, Seiji Izumi (1961–2001)
Nikui an-chikushô by Koreyoshi Kurahara (1962)
Boy by Nagisa Oshima (1969)
Films by Nobuhiko Obayashi
Exchange Students (1982)
The Little Girl Who Conquered Time (1983)
Lonely Heart (1985)
Chizuko's Younger Sister (1991)
Goodbye for Tomorrow (1995)
One Summer's Day (1999)
His Motorbike, Her Island (1986)
Bound for the Fields, the Mountains, and the Seacoast (1986)
The Stupid Teacher (1998)
Yamato by Junya Sato (2005)
Drama
Teppan (2010)
A Girl & Three Sweethearts (2016)
Manga
Hikaru no Go (1998–2003)
Parallel (2000–2002)
Pastel (2002–2017)
Shimanami Tasogare by Yuhki Kamatani (2015–2018)
Anime
Kamichu! (2005–2007)
Blue Drop (2007)
Pon no Michi (2024)
Video games
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016)
Between the Sky and Sea (2017–2019)
Notable people from Onomichi
Musicians
Masami Shiratama
Porno Graffitti
Go players
Dogen Handa
TV
Mona Yamamoto
Sports
Hideto Tanihara
Mariko Yoshida
Authors/artists
Masami Teraoka
Kiyotaka Haimura
Ikuo Hirayama
Kaiji Kawaguchi
Nobuhiko Obayashi
Genichiro Takahashi
Katayama Bokuyō
Eiko Minami
Voice Actor
Yoshimasa Hosoya
References
External links
Onomichi City official website
Onomichi City official website
Onomichi's Coordinator for International Relations website
Cities in Hiroshima Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan
Port settlements in Japan