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 Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. As of August 2011, the city had 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 373,339 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 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².

Geography

Okazaki is located in the coastal plains of southeastern Aichi Prefecture. The ground rises to undulating hills in the former Nukata area to the northeast. About 60 percent of the city area is forested and remains sparsely populated.

Surrounding municipalities

• Toyokawa
  Toyokawa, Aichi
  is a medium-sized city of about 180,000 people located in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The city, founded on June 1, 1943, originally comprised the three formerly independent Hoi-gun towns of Toyokawa , Ko , Ushikubo , and the village of Yawata...
  
  
• Shinshiro
  Shinshiro, Aichi
  is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 49,731 and the population density of 99.7 persons per km². The total area was 499.00 km².-Geography:...
  
  
• Toyota
  Toyota, Aichi
  is a city located in the Mikawa region of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of Nagoya.Toyota's main plant, the Tsutsumi plant, is located here. The longstanding ties between the Toyota Motor Corporation and the town of Toyota-shi, formerly known as Koromo, gave the town its current...
  
  
• Nishio
  Nishio, Aichi
  is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city has an estimated population of 165,443 and a population density of 1,030 persons per km². The total area is 160.34 km².-Geography:...
  
  
• Kōta
  Kota, Aichi
  is a town located in Nukata District, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of July 2011, the town had an estimated population of 38,205 and population density of 673 persons per km². The total area was 56.78 km².-Neighboring municipalities:*Okazaki*Gamagōri*Nishio...
  
  
• Anjō
  Anjo, Aichi
  is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 179,614 and a population density of 2,090 persons per km²...
  
  
• Gamagōri
  Gamagōri, Aichi
  is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 81,767 and the population density of 1,400 persons per km². The total area was 56.81 km².-Geography:...
  
  

History

The area around present-day Okazaki has been inhabited for many thousands of years. Archaeologists have found remains from the Japanese Paleolithic

Japanese Paleolithic

The began around 50,000 to 30,000 BC, when the earliest stone tool implements have been found, and continued to around 14,000 BC, at the end of the last ice age, which corresponds to the beginning of the Mesolithic Jōmon period...

 period. Numerous remains from the Jomon period

Jomon period

The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...

, and especially from the Yayoi

Yayoi period

The is an Iron Age era in the history of Japan traditionally dated 300 BC to 300 AD. It is named after the neighbourhood of Tokyo where archaeologists first uncovered artifacts and features from that era. Distinguishing characteristics of the Yayoi period include the appearance of new...

 and Kofun period

Kofun period

The is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...

s have also been found, including many kofun

Kofun

Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...

 burial mounds. During the Sengoku period

Sengoku period

The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

, the area was controlled by the Matsudaira clan

Matsudaira clan

The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. It first originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province . Over the course of its history, the clan produced many branches, most of which also centered around Mikawa Province...

, a branch of which later rose to prominence as the Tokugawa clan

Tokugawa clan

The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...

, which ruled Japan during the Edo period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

. During this time, Okazaki Domain

Okazaki Domain

was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in eastern Mikawa Province , Japan. It was centered on Okazaki Castle in what is now the city of Okazaki, Aichi...

, a feudal han was established to rule the immediate area around Okazaki, and was entrusted to a daimyō

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

. Several smaller domains were also located within the present-day city limits, including Fukozu (later Mikawa-Nakajima), Okudono Domain and Nishi-Ohira Domain

Nishi-Ohira Domain

was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Nukata District Mikawa Province , Japan. It was centered on what is now part of the city of Okazaki, Aichi.-History:...

. The town prospered as a post station

Hatago

were Edo period lodgings for travelers at shukuba along the national highways, including the Edo Five Routes and the subroutes. In addition to a place to rest, hatago also offered meals and other foods to the travelers...

 on the Tōkaidō

Tokaido (road)

The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....

 connecting Edo

Edo

, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...

 with Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

. Following the Meiji Restoration

Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...

, the modern town of Okazaki was established on October 1, 1889 within Nukata District

Nukata District, Aichi

is a rural district located in central Aichi, Japan. As a result of various consolidations and mergers of municipalities, most of the district was incorporated into the cities of Okazaki and Toyota, and now consists of only the town of Kōta....

 of Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...

. On October 1, 1914, Okazaki annexed neighboring Hirohata Town. Okazaki was proclaimed a city on July 1, 1916. The city suffered damage in the 1944 Tōnankai earthquake

1944 Tōnankai earthquake

The 1944 Tōnankai earthquake occurred at 13:35 local time on 7 December. It had an estimated magnitude of 8.1 on the moment magnitude scale and a maximum felt intensity of greater than 5 shindo . It triggered a large tsunami that caused serious damage along the coast of Wakayama Prefecture and the...

 (which killed 9 people) and the 1945 Mikawa earthquake

1945 Mikawa earthquake

The was an earthquake which occurred off Aichi prefectures, Japan at 0338 AM on January 13, 1945. As the earthquake occurred during World War II, information about the disaster was censored, and efforts at keeping the disaster secret hampered relief efforts and contributed to a high death toll....

 (which killed 29 people). During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the July 19 1945 Bombing of Okazaki killed over 200 people and destroyed most of the city.
In 1955, through a series of mergers and consolidations, the area of Okazaki expanded considerably. The former towns of Iwazu, Fukuoka, and Yahagi, and the villages of Honjuku, Yamanaka, Kawai, Fujikawa and Ryugai were all merged into Okazaki. The 1959 Isewan Typhoon

Typhoon Vera

Super Typhoon Vera was the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in recorded history. With winds of 160 mph, Vera slammed into the southeastern coast of Japan in Wakayama Prefecture and then proceeded northeast across Honshū, causing widespread damage and flooding. 5,098 people were killed in Japan...

 caused considerable damage, and killed 27 residents. On October 15, 1962, Okazaki annexed the neighboring town of Mutsumi. Okazaki was proclaimed a core city

Core city

A is a class of Japanese city created by the first clause of Article 252, Section 22 of the Local Autonomy Law of Japan. Core cities are delegated many functions normally carried out by prefectural governments, but not as many as designated cities...

 on April 1, 2003 with increased autonomy from the prefectural government. On January 1, 2006 the town of Nukata

Nukata, Aichi

was a town located in Nukata District, Aichi, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 9,307 and a density of 58.07 persons per km². The total area was 160.27 km².On January 1, 2006 Nukata was merged into the city of Okazaki....

 was merged

Merger and dissolution of municipalities of Japan

Municipal mergers and dissolutions carried out in Japan can take place within one municipality or between multiple municipalities and are required to be based upon consensus.- Merger policy:...

 into Okazaki.

Demographics

As of May 1, 2006, the city government estimated the population at 368,201. The city remains young, with 139,233 households (2.64 residents per household). The population comprises 185,651 males and 182,550 females, reflecting the number of young men who move to Okazaki to work in the manufacturing sector. This fast population growth reflects the low unemployment rate, as well as affordable housing close to Nagoya. In April 2006 there were 263 births and 199 deaths, for a natural increase of 64 people. While for the same month 2,197 people moved into Okazaki, and 1,910 left, for a net increase of 287 people.

Of the total population, 10,760 are foreign nationals (2.92% of total, compared with the nationwide average of 1.55%). There are 5,427 foreign males, and 5,333 foreign females. Including those registered as stateless, the foreign population comes from 71 nationalities, though more than half are from Brazil

Brazilians in Japan

There is a significant community of Brazilians in Japan, consisting largely but not exclusively of Brazilians of Japanese ethnicity.-Migration history:...

. As of April 2006, there were 5,573 registered Brazilians (3,042 males, 2,531 females), comprising 51.79% of the foreign population. Other significant foreign communities include Koreans (17.43%), Chinese (10.89%) and Filipinos (8.88%). There are very few Westerners in general (less than 3%), and the number of registered foreigners from countries where the majority of citizens are native English speakers is less than 200.

Language

While the local Mikawa dialect is considered to be generally indistinguishable from what is considered modern standard Japanese, there are very subtle and distinctive differences. Mikawa dialect has substantial differences when compared to the dialect of Nagoya and western areas of Aichi, where the Nagoya dialect (also known as Owari-ben, Owari being the traditional name for the Nagoya region) is the traditional dialect. Cognitively Mikawa-ben and modern contemporary Japanese are extremely close, in part due to the influence of the Tokugawa Shogunate and accidents of history. In recent decades the large number of people moving into Okazaki and the surrounding cities (particularly to work in the motor vehicle industry) and the influence of mass media has had an impact on the local dialect, with the result that more people are using standard Japanese only in day to day life.

Transportation

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen passes through Okazaki‘s city limits but does not stop. The nearest shinkansen stations are , and .

• JR Central
  Central Japan Railway Company
  The is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as . Its headquarters are located in the JR Central Towers in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.The company's operational hub is Nagoya Station...
  
   – Tōkaidō Main Line
  Tokaido Main Line
  The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...
  
  

}

• Meitetsu – Nagoya Line

• Aichi Loop Line Co Ltd
  Aichi Loop Line
  is a Japanese railway line between Okazaki Station, Okazaki and Kōzōji Station, Kasugai, operated by . The company or the line is abbreviated as . This is the only line the company operates...
  
   - Aichi Loop Line
  Aichi Loop Line
  is a Japanese railway line between Okazaki Station, Okazaki and Kōzōji Station, Kasugai, operated by . The company or the line is abbreviated as . This is the only line the company operates...
  
  

– – – – –

Highway

• Tōmei Expressway
  Tomei Expressway
  The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
  
  
• Japan National Route 1
• Japan National Route 248
• Japan National Route 304
• Japan National Route 473

Universities and colleges

• National Institutes of Natural Sciences
• National Institute for Basic Biology
  National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan
  The 　is a research institute and post graduate university in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. NIBB was founded in 1977 to promote biological research in Japan in cooperation with public and private universities, and research institutes.-Research:...
  
  
• Aichi Gakusen University
  Aichi Gakusen University
  is a private university with campuses in Okazaki, Aichi and Toyota, Aichi, Japan. The school was established in 1966 as a women's college. Later it became co-educational....
  
  
• Aichi Gakusen College
• Aichi Sangyo University
  Aichi Sangyo University
  is a private university in Okazaki, Aichi, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1948, and it was chartered as a university in 1992.-External links:*...
  
  
• University of Human Environments
  University of Human Environments
  is a private university in Okazaki, Aichi, Japan, established in 2000. It has an associated private Junior High School and High School.-External links:*...
  
  
• Okazaki Women's Junior College
  Okazaki Women's Junior College
  is a private women's junior college in the city of Okazaki in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1965.-External links:*...
  
  

Okazaki Castle

Okazaki Castle

Okazaki Castle

is a Japanese castle located in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Okazaki Castle was home to the Honda clan, daimyō of Okazaki Domain, but the castle is better known for its association with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Tokugawa clan...

 was originally built in 1455. Captured by the Matsudaira family in 1524 (and probably relocated from the other side of the river), the castle remains associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

, even though the latter transferred to Edo

Edo

, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...

 in 1590. During the Edo period it served as the seat of the Okazaki Domain

Okazaki Domain

was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in eastern Mikawa Province , Japan. It was centered on Okazaki Castle in what is now the city of Okazaki, Aichi...

 and dominated the city until the Meiji Restoration

Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...

.

Fireworks

Okazaki is famous for its fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...

. The Tokugawa Shogunate

Tokugawa shogunate

The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...

 restricted production of gunpowder outside of the immediate region of Okazaki (with few exceptions), and even today, more than 70% of Japan's fireworks are designed and manufactured here. A large fireworks festival, which people from all over Japan come to see, is held annually on the first Saturday in August in the area surrounding Okazaki Castle.

Hatchō Miso

Hatchō Miso is a dark miso

Miso

is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...

 paste made using a process of steaming soybeans (instead of boiling) followed by maturation in cedar barrels under the weight of 3 tons of carefully stacked river stones for at least 2 years. Located 8 chō (Hatchō, or approximately 900m) west of Okazaki Castle near the Yahagi river, the old tiled buildings are heritage listed and one company (Kaku) has been a family business for 18 generations. It is one of the most famous miso producers in Japan, supplying the Emperor by appointment, and popular as a health food. The 2006 NHK morning drama serial, Junjo Kirari (Sparkling Innocence) was largely filmed in and around the Hatchō Miso grounds. Tours are available every 30 minutes and free samples are provided. Hatchō Miso's health properties are so great that it was donated to Chernobyl

Chernobyl

Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....

's citizens following the disaster, to help prevent and treat radiation sickness

Radiation Sickness

Radiation Sickness is a VHS by the thrash metal band Nuclear Assault. The video is a recording of a concert at the Hammersmith Odeon, London in 1988. It was released in 1991...

.

Takisan

The temple of Takisanji (7th century) includes several Important Cultural Properties of Japan

Important Cultural Properties of Japan

The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....

. The main hall is from the Kamakura period

Kamakura period

The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....

 and is the location of a fire festival held each February on the closest Saturday to the lunar calendar New Year. The distinctive Sanmon

Sanmon

A , also called is the most important gate of a Japanese Zen Buddhist temple, and is part of the Zen shichidō garan, the group of buildings that forms the heart of a Zen Buddhist temple. It can be however often found in temples of other denominations too...

 gate and the main image are designated as important cultural properties. Adjoining the temple is Takisan Tosho-gu, a Shinto Shrine built in 1646 by Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...

.

Sister cities

Newport Beach, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Since November 1984 Uddevalla

Uddevalla

Uddevalla is a city and the seat of Uddevalla Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 30,513 inhabitants in 2005.It is located at the bay Byfjorden, of the south-eastern part of the sea known as Skagerrak...

, Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, since September 1968 Hohhot

Hohhot

Hohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....

, People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

, since August 1987

Noted people from Okazaki

• Yuki Fukaya – professional soccer player
• Naoko Fukazu – professional women’s table tennis player
• Sei Hiraizumi
  Sei Hiraizumi
  is a Japanese actor.Hiraizumi starred as Koichi Matsudo in L: Change the WorLd. and he also starred in Osaka Tough Guys.-External links:* http://info.movies.yahoo.co.jp/detail/typs/id119631/...
  
   – actor
• Kotaro Honda
  Kotaro Honda
  Kotaro Honda was a Japanese scientist and inventor. He invented KS steel , which is a type of magnetic resistant steel that is three times more resistant than tungsten steel. He later improved upon the steel, creating NKS steel...
  
   – scientist, metallurgist
• Yuko Kawai
  Yuko Kawai
  is a Japanese classical pianist. She gave the world premiere of Chopin Piano Concertos in E minor Op.11 and F minor Op.21 in the version for one piano as published in the National Edition.-Education:...
  
   – pianist
• Motoo Kimura
  Motoo Kimura
  was a Japanese biologist best known for introducing the neutral theory of molecular evolution in 1968. He became one of the most influential theoretical population geneticists. He is remembered in genetics for his innovative use of diffusion equations to calculate the probability of fixation of...
  
   - biologist
• Takashi Kondō
  Takashi Kondo
  is a Japanese voice actor represented by Vi-vo.-Anime roles:Lead roles are in bold.*Beyblade - Miguel*Bleach - Di Roy Linker, Findor Carias, Narunosuke*Captain Tsubasa - Pepe*Chocotto Sister - Awara in episode 3*Fairy Tail - Hibiki...
  
   – voice actor
• Takeshi Nagata
  Takeshi Nagata
  was a Japanese geophysicist. He studied geomagnetism.He won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1987....
  
   –geophysicist
• Immi
  Immi
  Mayu Nakazawa , currently known by the stage name immi, is a Japanese Electronica singer and songwriter. She is currently signed onto DefStar Records. While she writes and composes her own music, she is also regularly produced by N.A.i.D. and JETBIKINI.-History:Nakazawa has had experience with the...
  
   – musician
• Kotomitsuki Keiji
  Kotomitsuki Keiji
  Kotomitsuki Keiji is a former sumo wrestler from Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. A former amateur champion, he turned professional in 1999. He reached the top makuuchi division in November 2000 and won one yusho or tournament championship, in September 2001...
  
   – sumo wrestler
• Ryo Miyaichi
  Ryo Miyaichi
  is a Japanese footballer who plays as an attacker for Arsenal.-Early life:He comes from a sporting family, with father Tatsuya being a former baseball player who played for and later managed the Toyota Motors baseball club, and brother Tsuyoshi also being a football player. Miyaichi started playing...
  
   – professional soccer player
• Daisuke Nakajima
  Daisuke Nakajima
  is a Japanese racing driver; the son of Satoru Nakajima and the younger brother of Kazuki Nakajima, both of whom have driven in Formula One.-Career:...
  
   – race car driver
• Satoru Nakajima
  Satoru Nakajima
  Satoru Nakajima is a former racing driver from Japan.-Career:Nakajima was born into a farming family living just outside Okazaki, Japan. He began driving cars in his early teens in the family's garden with his older brother giving him tips, careful that they were not caught by their father...
  
   – race car driver
• Kazuki Nakajima
  Kazuki Nakajima
  is a Formula One driver from Japan who drove for the Williams-Toyota team from to . Prior to that he had been their test driver, as well as a competitor in the GP2 Series for the DAMS team....
  
   – race car driver
• Masamitsu Naito
  Masamitsu Naito
  is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Okazaki, Aichi, he graduated from the University of Tokyo and received master's degrees from it and Columbia University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first...
  
   – politician
• Hitoshi Ogawa
  Hitoshi Ogawa
  was a Japanese racing car driver.-Career:During the 1980s, he competed in several Fuji Grand Champion Series races. Ogawa won the 1989 All Japan Formula 3000 Championship and finished 2nd in the same championship in 1990. In the same year, teaming up with Masanori Sekiya, he won the JAF Grand Prix...
  
   – race car driver
• Takahiro Sakurai
  Takahiro Sakurai
  is a voice actor who was born in Aichi. He is a member of 81 Produce; his height is .Many of his roles are handsome men. However, he has also voiced reluctant heroes as well as the occasional villain...
  
   – voice actor
• Yasuo Segawa
  Yasuo Segawa
  Segawa Yasuo is a Japanese illustrator for children's books, born in Okazaki, Aichi.As an illustrator of children's books he published more than 100 books....
  
   - illustrator
• Shiga Shigetaka
  Shiga Shigetaka
  was the editor of the magazine Nihonjin during the Meiji period, in which he argued against extreme Westernization.-External links:* Shiga Shigetaka, The forgotten Enlightener...
  
   - geographer
• Seiken Sugiura
  Seiken Sugiura
  Seiken Sugiura is a Japanese politician. He was named Minister of Justice on October 31, 2005 and served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Being a Buddhist, he imposed a moratorium on executions during his time as Justice Minister...
  
   – politician
• Nozomi Takeuchi
  Nozomi Takeuchi
  is a Japanese gravure idol, and a female talent. She is from Okazaki, Aichi, belonged to the show-business production Yume Kikaku. Her nickname is 'Kojocho' , derives from her handle name of the official blog...
  
   – gravure idol
• Yumiko Tsuzuki
  Yumiko Tsuzuki
  Yumiko Tsuzuki is a Japanese volleyball player who plays for Toyota Auto Body Queenseis.She served as captain of the team between 2007 and 2009.-Profiles:...
  
   – professional women’s volleyball player
• Hiromasa Yamamoto – professional soccer player

External links

• Okazaki official website in Japanese (with link to English pages)
• Okazaki International Association website
• Okazaki City Guide website (English and German)
• Miss Okazaki - story of Japanese Friendship Doll sent to America by Okazaki in 1927
• National Institutes of Natural Sciences
• Aichi Gakusen University (Japanese)
• Aichi Gakusen College (Japanese)
• Aichi Sangyo University (Japanese)
• University of Human Environments
• Okazaki Women's Junior College (Japanese)