Oiso, Kanagawa
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Naka District
, Kanagawa Prefecture
, Japan
. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population
of 32,725 and a density
of 1,910 persons per km². The total area was 17.18 km².
of the Pacific Ocean
. The area is generally hilly, rising to 168-meter Mount Koma in the northwest of the center of town. The area has a temperate maritime climate with short, cool winters and hot, humid summers. The coastline of Ōiso is sandy, and is regarded as the western end of the Shōnan
area and remains a popular beach resort and vacation spot for residents of Tokyo.
. The exact location of the Nara period
provincial government of Sagami Province is unknown, but tradition and the place name "Kōzu" place its probable location to within the boundaries of present-day Ōiso.
As a minor coastal settlement, Ōiso was under the control of the late Hōjō clan
of Odawara
during the Sengoku period
. In the Edo period
, it was nominally part of Odawara Domain
, and developed as Ōiso-juku
, a post town
on the Tōkaidō
connecting Edo
with Kyoto
. After the Meiji Restoration
and with the establishment of the district system in 1878, it came under the control of . Ōiso became a town on April 1, 1889. Blessed with a temperate climate, and with convenient access to Tokyo
due to the Tōkaidō Main Line
railway, it was favored as a seaside health resort by politicians and literary figures during the Meiji period
after a glowing report on its location was written by noted physician Matsumoto Jun
. Prime Minister
Itō Hirobumi
, Yamagata Aritomo
, Saionji Kinmochi
and Ōkuma Shigenobu
, Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu
, writer Shimazaki Toson and zaibatsu
founder Yasuda Zenjirō
had summer residences in Ōiso. This popularity continued into the postwar era, and Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida
also had a residence in Ōiso to which he retired after leaving politics. The former Itō, Yoshida and Shimazaki residences have been preserved as memorial museums.
Ōiso merged with neighboring Kōzu Town on December 1, 1954.
, since September, 1968 - Yamaguchi, Nagano
, since April, 1973 - Racine, Wisconsin
, USA - Dayton, Ohio
, USA
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Naka District
Naka District, Kanagawa
is an administrative district of Japan located in central Kanagawa Prefecture. It currently consists of two towns, Ōiso, and Ninomiya.-History:Naka District was one of the four subdivisions of Sagami Province established by the late Hōjō clan of Odawara during the Sengoku period...
, Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, 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 2010, the town 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 32,725 and a 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 1,910 persons per km². The total area was 17.18 km².
Geography
Ōiso is located on the coastline of central Kanagawa Prefecture, facing Sagami BaySagami Bay
Sagami Bay , also known as the Sagami Gulf or Sagami Sea, lies south of Kanagawa Prefecture in Honshū, central Japan, contained within the scope of the Miura Peninsula, in Kanagawa, to the east, the Izu Peninsula, in Shizuoka Prefecture, to the west, and the Shōnan coastline to the north, while the...
of 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 area is generally hilly, rising to 168-meter Mount Koma in the northwest of the center of town. The area has a temperate maritime climate with short, cool winters and hot, humid summers. The coastline of Ōiso is sandy, and is regarded as the western end of the Shōnan
Shonan
is the name of a region along the coast of Sagami Bay in central Japan. Centered on Enoshima, an island about 50 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, the Shōnan region stretches from Ōiso in the west to Hayama in the east, including Chigasaki, Kamakura and Hiratsuka...
area and remains a popular beach resort and vacation spot for residents of Tokyo.
History
Ōiso is the ancient center of Sagami ProvinceSagami Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central and western Kanagawa prefecture. It was sometimes called . Sagami bordered on Izu, Musashi, Suruga provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Sagami Bay...
. The exact location of the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
provincial government of Sagami Province is unknown, but tradition and the place name "Kōzu" place its probable location to within the boundaries of present-day Ōiso.
As a minor coastal settlement, Ōiso was under the control of the late Hōjō clan
Late Hojo clan
The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...
of Odawara
Odawara, Kanagawa
is a city located in western Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 198,466 with a population density of 1,740 persons per km² . The total area was .-Geography:...
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...
. In 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....
, it was nominally part of Odawara Domain
Odawara Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in western Sagami Province. It was centered on Odawara Castle in what is now the city of Odawara.-History:...
, and developed as Ōiso-juku
Oiso-juku
was the eighth of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. It is located in the present-day town of Ōiso, located in Naka District, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
, a post town
Shukuba
were post stations during the Edo period in Japan, generally located on one of the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. They were also called shukueki . These post stations were places where travelers could rest on their journey around the nation...
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:...
. After 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...
and with the establishment of the district system in 1878, it came under the control of . Ōiso became a town on April 1, 1889. Blessed with a temperate climate, and with convenient access to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
due to the 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...
railway, it was favored as a seaside health resort by politicians and literary figures during the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
after a glowing report on its location was written by noted physician Matsumoto Jun
Matsumoto Jun (physician)
' was a Japanese physician who served as the personal physician to the last Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. He also studied photography with J. L. C...
. Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
, Yamagata Aritomo
Yamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, Saionji Kinmochi
Saionji Kinmochi
Prince was a Japanese politician, statesman and twice Prime Minister of Japan. His title does not signify the son of an emperor, but the highest rank of Japanese hereditary nobility; he was elevated from marquis to prince in 1920...
and Ōkuma Shigenobu
Okuma Shigenobu
Marquis ; was a statesman in the Empire of Japan and the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan...
, Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu
Mutsu Munemitsu
Count was a statesman and diplomat in Meiji period Japan.-Early life:Mutsu Munemitsu was born in Wakayama domain, Kii Province as the sixth son of Date Munehiro, a samurai retainer of the Kii Tokugawa clan...
, writer Shimazaki Toson and zaibatsu
Zaibatsu
is a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed for control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.-Terminology:...
founder Yasuda Zenjirō
Yasuda Zenjiro
was a Japanese entrepreneur from Toyama, Etchu Province who founded the Yasuda zaibatsu . He donated the to the University of Tokyo. He was the great-grandfather of Yoko Ono.-Biography:...
had summer residences in Ōiso. This popularity continued into the postwar era, and Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida
Shigeru Yoshida
, KCVO was a Japanese diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1946 to 1947 and from 1948 to 1954.-Early life:...
also had a residence in Ōiso to which he retired after leaving politics. The former Itō, Yoshida and Shimazaki residences have been preserved as memorial museums.
Ōiso merged with neighboring Kōzu Town on December 1, 1954.
Highway
- National Route 1Route 1 (Japan)National Route 1 is a major highway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It connects Chūō, Tokyo in the Kantō region with the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region, passing through the Chūbu region en route. It follows the old Tōkaidō westward from Tokyo to Kyoto, and the old Kyo Kaidō...
- Japan National Route 134Japan National Route 134National Route 134 is a national highway connecting the city of Yokosuka and the town of Ōiso in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan....
- Odawara-Atsugi RoadOdawara-Atsugi RoadThe is a 4-laned toll road in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is owned and managed by Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Overview:Officially the road is designated as National Route 271...
- Seishō BypassSeisho BypassThe is a toll road in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is owned and managed by Central Nippon Expressway Company.-Overview:Officially the road is designated as a bypass for National Route 1...
Sister city relations
- Komoro, NaganoKomoro, Nagano
is a city located in Nagano, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 44,270. The total area is 98.66 km².-Municipal Timeline:*February 1, 1954-Komoro absorbed the villages of Kawanabe, Kitaoi, and Osato from Kitasaku District....
, since September, 1968 - Yamaguchi, Nagano
Yamaguchi, Nagano
was a village located in Kiso District, Nagano, Japan.On February 13, 2005 Yamaguchi, along the towns of Fukuoka, Sakashita and Tsukechi, the villages of Hirukawa, Kashimo and Kawaue, all from Ena District, Gifu, was merged into the expanded city of Nakatsugawa in Gifu Prefecture and no longer...
, since April, 1973 - Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, USA - Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, USA
Noted people from Ōiso
- Tatsuo SatōTatsuo Sato (director)' is a Japanese anime director most famous for Martian Successor Nadesico.- Works :* Martian Successor Nadesico* Cat Soup* Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars* Stellvia* Ninja Scroll: The Series* Tokyo Tribe 2...
- Director - Eijiro OzakiEijiro OzakiEijiro Ozaki is a Japanese actor. To English-speaking audiences he is known for playing characters, such as Lieutenant Okubo in Letters from Iwo Jima and Young Kaito Nakamura in Heroes Season 2.-1990s:...
- actor
External links
- Official website in Japanese (some content in English)