Omaezaki, Shizuoka
Encyclopedia
is a city
in Shizuoka Prefecture
, Japan
. Omaezaki is located at the tip of a peninsula on Japan's Pacific
coast. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population
of 34,614 and the density
of 530 persons per km². The total area was 65.86 km².
at the tip of a peninsula of the same name, stretching east into the Pacific Ocean
. The majority of the city consists of gentle hills and valleys with some steep cliffs on the peninsula's east coast. Like much of Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture is an earthquake
zone, and small tremors frequently occur in the area. Omaezaki is also in an area at risk from tsunami
. Due to its location, Omaezaki experiences strong coastal winds between October and April. The Japanese rainy season
also affects Omaezaki, with typhoons liable to hit the city between July and September. During summer, the region is cooler than the majority of inland Shizuoka Prefecture.
) and the town of Hamaoka
(formerly of the now-defunct Ogasa District
).
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup
, the England national team
was based in former Hamaoka Town.
and of green tea
cultivation and these continue to play a central role in the local economy. More recently, the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant
situated in the former town of Hamaoka has brought investment to the city. Water sports account for a large number of visitors daily to the city, and during the summer months, tourism attracted by Omaezaki's beaches is an important part of the economy, and water sports made possible by strong coastal winds have become as much a part of Omaezaki's identity as that of a rural town.
via Japan National Route 150 with extensive bus services. Omaezaki Port is a major port for eastern Shizuoka prefecture, including the industrial zone centered around Hamamatsu.
and its extensive green tea
fields. In recent years the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, the visitor centre of which also hosts an Omnimax Cinema
, has become a well-known local landmark. Due to the active seismic
nature of the region, the nuclear power station has been built to a high level of safety, and its operator, Chubu Electric Power, claims that it can withstand strong tremors.
As a result of the strong coastal winds, Omaezaki offers some of the best windsurfing
in Japan. As well as being Japan's most famous windsurfing spot, Omaezaki is renowned as a popular surfing
and bodyboarding
destination. This is especially true during the summer months, although surfers and bodyboarders can be seen all year round at . The city also has a beach as part of which is a popular destination during the region's hot and humid
summer months.
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...
in Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, 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...
. Omaezaki is located at the tip of a peninsula on Japan's Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast. As of 2010, 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 34,614 and the 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 530 persons per km². The total area was 65.86 km².
Geography
Omaezaki City lies approximately 80 miles (128.7 km) south of Shizuoka CityShizuoka, Shizuoka
is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
at the tip of a peninsula of the same name, stretching east into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The majority of the city consists of gentle hills and valleys with some steep cliffs on the peninsula's east coast. Like much of Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture is an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
zone, and small tremors frequently occur in the area. Omaezaki is also in an area at risk from tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
. Due to its location, Omaezaki experiences strong coastal winds between October and April. The Japanese rainy season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
also affects Omaezaki, with typhoons liable to hit the city between July and September. During summer, the region is cooler than the majority of inland Shizuoka Prefecture.
Surrounding municipalities
- MakinoharaMakinohara, Shizuokais a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 48,745 and a density of 436 persons per km². The total area was 111.68 km².-Geography:...
- KikugawaKikugawa, Shizuokais a city located in the western portion of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is known for production of green tea. The city's slogan is "Green for the Next Generation". As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 47,196 and a density of 501 persons per km². The total area was 94.24...
- KakegawaKakegawa, Shizuokais a city in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 117,858 and a population density of 444 persons per km². The total area was 265.63 km².-Geography:...
History
The city of Omaezaki was founded on April 1, 2004 by the merger of the former town of Omaezaki (formerly part of Haibara DistrictHaibara District, Shizuoka
Haibara is a district located in Shizuoka, Japan.As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 95,091 and a density of 126.88 persons per km²...
) and the town of Hamaoka
Hamaoka, Shizuoka
was a town located in Ogasa District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.Hamaoka was founded as a town in 1955 through the merger of Ikeshinden Town with Sakura, Kitaki, Asahina and Niino Villages.On April 1, 2004 Hamaoka was merged into the city of Omaezaki....
(formerly of the now-defunct Ogasa District
Ogasa District, Shizuoka
was a rural district located in western Shizuoka, Japan.As of the end of 2003 , the district had an estimated population of 82,248 and a population density of 472.47 persons per km². Its total area was 174.08 km².-History:Ogasa District was on April 1, 1896 through the merger of former and...
).
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, the England national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
was based in former Hamaoka Town.
Economy
Omaezaki has a long history of commercial fishingCommercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
and of green tea
Green tea
Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...
cultivation and these continue to play a central role in the local economy. More recently, the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant
Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant
The is a nuclear power plant located in Omaezaki city, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Japan's east coast, 200 km south-west of Tokyo. It is managed by the Chubu Electric Power Company. There are five units contained at a single site with a net area of 1.6 km2 . A sixth unit began construction...
situated in the former town of Hamaoka has brought investment to the city. Water sports account for a large number of visitors daily to the city, and during the summer months, tourism attracted by Omaezaki's beaches is an important part of the economy, and water sports made possible by strong coastal winds have become as much a part of Omaezaki's identity as that of a rural town.
Transportation
Omaezaki is not served by rail. However, it is connected with nearby major cities such as Shizuoka and HamamatsuHamamatsu, Shizuoka
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with 11 surrounding cities and towns. It became a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2007.- History :...
via Japan National Route 150 with extensive bus services. Omaezaki Port is a major port for eastern Shizuoka prefecture, including the industrial zone centered around Hamamatsu.
Local attractions
Omaezaki City has long been famed for its Omaezaki LighthouseOmaezaki Lighthouse
is a lighthouse located on a hill at the outermost extremity of Cape Omaezaki south of Omaezaki port, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.A lighthouse had been built at Cape Omaezaki as early as 1635, when the Tokugawa Shogunate recognized the frequency of marine accidents on the rocks off the coast of...
and its extensive green tea
Green tea
Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...
fields. In recent years the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, the visitor centre of which also hosts an Omnimax Cinema
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
, has become a well-known local landmark. Due to the active seismic
Seismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
nature of the region, the nuclear power station has been built to a high level of safety, and its operator, Chubu Electric Power, claims that it can withstand strong tremors.
Culture
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
in Japan. As well as being Japan's most famous windsurfing spot, Omaezaki is renowned as a popular surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
and bodyboarding
Bodyboarding
Bodyboarding is a surface water sport . The average board consists of a small, rectangular piece of hydrodynamic foam, sometimes containing a ridged spine called a 'stringer'...
destination. This is especially true during the summer months, although surfers and bodyboarders can be seen all year round at . The city also has a beach as part of which is a popular destination during the region's hot and humid
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
summer months.
External links
- Omaezaki official website in Japanese