Ōma town hallMonument at the northernmost point of Honshū (Omazaki)
Ōma (大間町, Ōma-machi) is a town located in Aomori, Japan. As of 31 January 2023[update], the town had an estimated population of 4,868 in 2500 households, and a population density of 93 per square kilometre (240/sq mi).[1] The total area of the town is 52.10 square kilometres (20.12 sq mi).[2]
Geography
Ōma occupies the northwestern coastline of Shimokita Peninsula, facing the Tsugaru Strait. Cape Ōmazaki (大間崎) is the northernmost point on the island of Honshū. Much of the town is within the limits of the Shimokita Hanto Quasi-National Park. In 2002, the Ministry of the Environment classified some tidal flats of the Ōma shoreline as one of the 500 Important Wetlands in Japan particularly for its biodiversity of marine flora, especially several varieties of kelp.[3]
The town has a climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with strong winds (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The average annual temperature in Ōma is 10.2 °C (50.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,158.2 mm (45.60 in) with August as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 21.7 °C (71.1 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.0 °C (32.0 °F).[4]
Climate data for Ōma (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
According to Japanese census data,[6] the population of Ōma has declined since 1960.
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1920
4,077
—
1930
5,396
+32.4%
1940
6,054
+12.2%
1950
7,217
+19.2%
1960
7,983
+10.6%
1970
7,673
−3.9%
Year
Pop.
±%
1980
7,624
−0.6%
1990
7,125
−6.5%
2000
6,566
−7.8%
2010
6,340
−3.4%
2020
4,718
−25.6%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
History
The area around Ōma was inhabited by the Emishi people until the historical period. During the Edo period, it was controlled by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain. During the post-Meiji restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, Ōoku Village was proclaimed from the merger of Ōma hamlet with neighboring Okudo hamlet. It was renamed Ōma Town on 3 November 1942.
Ōma has been a popular location setting for movies and television dramas. It was the setting for the 1983 movie Gyōei no mure (魚影の群れ) starring Ken Ogata. In 2000, Ōma was the setting for an NHKtelevision seriesWatashi no Aoi Sora (私の青空) starring Tabata Tomoko. This was followed by another fictional series Maguro (マグロ) on TV Asahi starring Tetsuya Watari in 2007.
Government
Ōma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of ten members. Ōma is part of Shimokita District which, together with the city of Mutsu, contributes three members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aomori 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
From the Observation Deck of Seaside Cattle Park Oma (Municipal Tourist Ranch), Oma Town, Tsugaru Strait, and Hokkaido can be seen. The central school building is Oma High SchoolSeaside Cattle Park Oma (Town Management Ranch)Omazaki fishing port
The economy of Ōma was traditionally heavily dependent on commercial fishing. The town was famous for having the "black diamond" of tuna, which are caught in the traditional manner by hand in two-person boats, and sold under the "Ōma" registered brand. One Ōma tuna was sold at a record-high 333.6 million yen in January 2019.[7] Other seafood products include sea urchin roe, konbu and squid.[8]
Ōma has two public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.
^詳細データ 青森県大間町. 市町村の姿 グラフと統計でみる農林水産業 (in Japanese). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
^"500 Important Wetlands in Japan". No. 62 Nearshore Waters of Oma-zaki in Shimokita-hanto. The Ministry of the Environment, Japan. 2002. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^"International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. Archived from the original on 10 February 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
