Ōmachi (大町町, Ōmachi-chō) is a town located in Kishima District, Saga Prefecture, Japan.[1][2] As of 31 May 2024, the town had an estimated population of 5,960 in 2646 households, and a population density of 520 persons per km².[3] The total area of the town is 11.50 km2 (4.44 sq mi)

Ōmachi
大町町
View of Omachi and Rokkaku river
View of Omachi and Rokkaku river
Flag of Ōmachi
Official seal of Ōmachi
Map
Location of Ōmachi in Saga Prefecture
Location of Ōmachi
Ōmachi is located in Japan
Ōmachi
Ōmachi
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°12′50″N 130°6′58″E / 33.21389°N 130.11611°E / 33.21389; 130.11611
CountryJapan
RegionKyushu
PrefectureSaga
DistrictKishima
Government
 • MayorHiroshisei Takemura
Area
 • Total11.50 km2 (4.44 sq mi)
Population
 (May 31, 2023)
 • Total5,960
 • Density520/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address5017 Ōmachi, Ōmachi-chō, Kishima-gun, Saga-ken 849-2101
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
FlowerPansy
TreeSweet Osmanthus
Ōmachi town hall

Geography

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Ōmachi is located about 20 kilometers inland west of Saga City. Its total area is the smallest in Saga Prefecture.

  • Mountains: The northern part of town gradually becomes mountainous.
  • Rivers: Rokkaku River
  • Lakes: The northern, mountainous part of town is dotted with ponds.

Adjoining municipalities

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Saga Prefecture

Climate

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Ōmachi has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ōmachi is 16.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1864 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 27.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 6.2 °C.[4]

Demographics

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Per Japanese census data, the population of Ōmachi is as shown below. [5]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1940 20,938—    
1950 23,276+11.2%
1960 20,427−12.2%
1970 10,649−47.9%
1980 9,776−8.2%
1990 9,239−5.5%
2000 8,503−8.0%
2010 7,364−13.4%
2020 6,293−14.5%

History

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The area of Ōmachi is part of ancient Hizen Province. During the Edo period it was part of the holdings of Saga Domain until the Meiji restoration. The village of Ōmachi was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. Ōmachi was elevated to town status on January 1, 1936.

Government

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Ōmachi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of eight members. Ōmachi, together with the other municipalities in Kishima District contributes two members to the Saga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of the Saga 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

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The main industries are agriculture (rice, wheat, cucumbers, strawberries, etc.) and livestock (chicken farming). The town once prospered as a coal-producing area due to the Kishima coal mine, but it closed in the 1960s due to changes in the energy situation.

Education

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Ōmachi has one public combined elementary/junior high school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Saga Prefectural Board of Education.

Transportation

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Railway

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  JR Kyushu - Sasebo Line

JH Ōmachi

Highways

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Sister city relations

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References

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  1. ^ 官報 (in Japanese). 太政官文書局. 1883. p. 49.
  2. ^ "<さが食べある記>お菓子の古場の「野菜ケーキと巻ようかん」 保育園のおやつにも | 暮らし・文化 | さが食べある記". さがから by佐賀新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  3. ^ "Ōmachi Town official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  4. ^ Ōmachi climate: Average Temperature, weather by month
  5. ^ Saga Prefecture population by municipality
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