Oga, Akita
Encyclopedia
is a city
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...

 located in Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....

, Japan. It is located on the Oga Peninsula
Oga Peninsula
The Oga Peninsula is a rugged peninsula which projects west into the Sea of Japan from the coast of Akita in northern Honshū, the main island of Japan...

.

The city was founded on March 31, 1954.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 of 29,377 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 of 148.34 persons per km². The total area is 198.04 km².

On March 22, 2005, the town of Wakami
Wakami, Akita
Wakami was a town located in Minamiakita District, Akita, Japan.In 2003, the town had an estimated population of 7,310 and a density of 171.40 persons per km²...

 was merged into the city. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 31,863. The total area is 240.80 km².

Culture

Oga is famous for its Namahage Festival, a traditional event held on New Year's Eve in which groups of men dressed as ogre-like deities called "Namahage
Namahage
is a Japanese ritual which is observed throughout Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture in northern Honshū, Japan. It is said to have originated as a ritual for cleansing people's souls, and for blessing the new year. It is a kind of toshigami....

" with masks and straw raincoats visit houses at night.
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