Omitama (小美玉市, Omitama-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the city had an estimated population of 48,776 in 18,311 households and a population density of 337 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 30.0%.[1] The total area of the city is 144.74 square kilometres (55.88 sq mi).

Omitama
小美玉市
Omitama city hall
Omitama city hall
Flag of Omitama
Official seal of Omitama
Location of Omitama in Ibaraki Prefecture
Location of Omitama in Ibaraki Prefecture
Omitama is located in Japan
Omitama
Omitama
 
Coordinates: 36°14′21.4″N 140°21′9.2″E / 36.239278°N 140.352556°E / 36.239278; 140.352556
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureIbaraki
Area
 • Total144.74 km2 (55.88 sq mi)
Population
 (October 2020)
 • Total48,754
 • Density340/km2 (870/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeZelkova serrata
- FlowerCosmos
- BirdEgret
Phone number0299-48-1111
Address835 Katakura, Omitama-shi, Ibarak-ken 319-0192
WebsiteOfficial website
Lake Kasumigaura from Omitama

Geography

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Omitama is located in central Ibaraki Prefecture, in the low-lying flatlands north of Lake Kasumigaura.

Surrounding municipalities

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Ibaraki Prefecture

Climate

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Omitama has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Omitama is 13.7 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1357 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.6 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C.[2]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Omitama peaked around the year 2000 and has declined slightly since.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 25,143—    
1930 26,330+4.7%
1940 28,341+7.6%
1950 37,280+31.5%
1960 35,675−4.3%
1970 36,967+3.6%
1980 48,200+30.4%
1990 52,269+8.4%
2000 53,406+2.2%
2010 52,279−2.1%
2020 48,870−6.5%

History

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The city of Omitama was established on March 27, 2006, from the merger of the towns of Ogawa and Minori (both from Higashiibaraki District), and the village of Tamari (from Niihari District).[4] The new city took its name from portions of the three older town and village names from which it was formed, Ogawa, Minori, Tamari.

Government

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Omitama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Omitama contributes one member to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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Agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy, with cash crops including chives, strawberries, melons, rice and lotus roots.

Omitama is also the home of Ibaraki Airport, which opened in March 2010 after considerable public investment. Its original intention was to attract Low Cost Carriers to an operating centre North of Tokyo. To date it has had some success by attracting Skymark Airlines, Spring Airlines and TigerAir to offer limited domestic and international routes to Xian, Taipei and Shanghai.

Education

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Omitama has 11 public elementary schools and four public middle schools operated by the city government, and one public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Aerial view of Ibaraki Airport

Railway

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  JR EastJōban Line

Highway

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Airport

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Military facilities

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Sister cities

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Local attractions

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Noted people from Omitama

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References

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  1. ^ "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. ^ Omitama climate data
  3. ^ Omitama population statistics
  4. ^ 茨城県. "いばらきの市町村合併". 茨城県 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-02-09.
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