Ōita (city)

Ōita city is located in east-central Ōita Prefecture, facing Beppu Bay on the Seto Inland Sea. The Ōno River flows from the south to the east, and the Ōita River flows from the west to the west, with the main urban center on the west side of the mouth of the Ōita River, with the Ōita Plain consisting of deltas and alluvial plains formed by the Ōita River and the Ōno River, and surrounding hills. The Takashima area in of the city is within the borders of the Seto Inland Sea National Park.

Ōita Prefecture

• Beppu to the northwest
• Bungo-Ōno to the south
• Taketa to the southwest
• Usuki to the southeast
• Yufu to the west

Ōita has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ōita is 15.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1663 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.1 °C.[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/oita/oita-4528/ Ōita climate: Average Temperature, weather by month]

{{Weather box

|collapsed = Y

|single line = Y

|metric first = Y

|location = Oita City Nagahama District、elevation 5 meters

|Jan record high C = 24.6

|Feb record high C = 25.5

|Mar record high C = 29.3

|Apr record high C = 31.2

|May record high C = 32.7

|Jun record high C = 35.4

|Jul record high C = 37.8

|Aug record high C = 37.6

|Sep record high C = 36.5

|Oct record high C = 33.1

|Nov record high C = 28.0

|Dec record high C = 25.0

|year record high C = 37.8

|Jan high C = 10.7

|Feb high C = 11.5

|Mar high C = 14.6

|Apr high C = 19.7

|May high C = 24.1

|Jun high C = 26.5

|Jul high C = 30.9

|Aug high C = 32.2

|Sep high C = 28.2

|Oct high C = 23.3

|Nov high C = 18.1

|Dec high C = 13.0

|year high C = 21.1

|Jan mean C = 6.5

|Feb mean C = 7.2

|Mar mean C = 10.2

|Apr mean C = 14.8

|May mean C = 19.3

|Jun mean C = 22.6

|Jul mean C = 26.8

|Aug mean C = 27.7

|Sep mean C = 24.2

|Oct mean C = 19.1

|Nov mean C = 13.8

|Dec mean C = 8.7

|year mean C = 16.8

|Jan low C = 2.6

|Feb low C = 3.0

|Mar low C = 5.9

|Apr low C = 10.3

|May low C = 15.0

|Jun low C = 19.3

|Jul low C = 23.5

|Aug low C = 24.3

|Sep low C = 20.9

|Oct low C = 15.2

|Nov low C = 9.5

|Dec low C = 4.6

|year low C = 12.8

|Jan record low C = -7.3

|Feb record low C = -7.8

|Mar record low C = -5.2

|Apr record low C = -2.1

|May record low C = 1.7

|Jun record low C = 7.2

|Jul record low C = 14.0

|Aug record low C = 14.1

|Sep record low C = 8.8

|Oct record low C = 2.0

|Nov record low C = -2.0

|Dec record low C = -6.1

|year record low C = -7.8

|Jan precipitation mm = 49.8

|Feb precipitation mm = 64.1

|Mar precipitation mm = 99.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 119.7

|May precipitation mm = 133.6

|Jun precipitation mm = 313.6

|Jul precipitation mm = 261.3

|Aug precipitation mm = 165.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 255.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 144.8

|Nov precipitation mm = 72.9

|Dec precipitation mm = 47.1

|year precipitation mm = 1727.0

|Jan snow cm = 0

|Feb snow cm = 0

|Mar snow cm = 0

|Apr snow cm = 0

|May snow cm = 0

|Jun snow cm = 0

|Jul snow cm = 0

|Aug snow cm = 0

|Sep snow cm = 0

|Oct snow cm = 0

|Nov snow cm = 0

|Dec snow cm = 0

|year snow cm = 1

|Jan humidity = 62

|Feb humidity = 63

|Mar humidity = 65

|Apr humidity = 65

|May humidity = 68

|Jun humidity = 77

|Jul humidity = 77

|Aug humidity = 75

|Sep humidity = 74

|Oct humidity = 70

|Nov humidity = 69

|Dec humidity = 64

|year humidity = 69

|unit precipitation days = 0.5 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 5.9

|Feb precipitation days = 7.7

|Mar precipitation days = 10.0

|Apr precipitation days = 10.0

|May precipitation days = 9.7

|Jun precipitation days = 14.0

|Jul precipitation days = 12.0

|Aug precipitation days = 10.6

|Sep precipitation days = 11.1

|Oct precipitation days = 7.7

|Nov precipitation days = 6.9

|Dec precipitation days = 5.5

|year precipitation days = 111.0

|Jan snow days = 6.4

|Feb snow days = 4.6

|Mar snow days = 1.5

|Apr snow days = 0.0

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.0

|Nov snow days = 0.1

|Dec snow days = 4.6

|year snow days = 17.3

|Jan sun = 149.4

|Feb sun = 149.1

|Mar sun = 175.0

|Apr sun = 190.1

|May sun = 194.6

|Jun sun = 135.7

|Jul sun = 180.8

|Aug sun = 202.8

|Sep sun = 151.5

|Oct sun = 164.2

|Nov sun = 148.2

|Dec sun = 151.2

|year sun = 1992.4

|source = Japan Meteorological Agency (Averages：1991-2020, Peaks：1887-present)

{{cite web

| url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=83&block_no=47815&year=&month=&day=&view=

| title = 平年値ダウンロード

| accessdate = 16 December 2023

| publisher = Japan Meteorological Agency

| lang = ja}}

}}

Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture. Per Japanese census data, the population of Ōita is as shown below

{{Historical populations

| 1960 | 242001

| 1970 | 289951

| 1980 | 385635

| 1990 | 429927

| 2000 | 454424

| 2010 | 473955

| 2020 | 477393

|align = none

| footnote =

}}

The area of Ōita city was part of ancient Bungo Province, and the location of the Bungo Kokubun-ji and presumably the Bungo kokufu were located in this area. According to the Bungo no Kuni Fudoki, the name Ōita was given by Emperor Keiko when he visited this area in the late Kofun period; however, the main urban center was the port of {{nihongo|Funai|府内}} on the coast. During the Kamakura period, the Ōtomo clan was appointed shugo of the province, and made Funai their jōkamachi. By the Sengoku period, the Ōtomo has conquered most of Kyushu and had embraced Nanban culture, with Funai becoming a stronghold of the Kirishitan religion and western technology. However, the Ōtomo were destroyed by the Shimazu clan and after the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, their territories were divided, with Funai becoming the center of Funai Domain ruled by the Ogyū-Matsudaira clan.

The town of Ōita was established on 1 May 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system, and was raised to city status in 1911. On 1 April 1997, it was designated as a core city with greater local autonomy.

On 1 January 2005, the town of Notsuharu (from Ōita District) and the town of Saganoseki (from Kitaamabe District) were merged into Ōita.

Ōita has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 44 members. Ōita contributes 13 members to the Ōita Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Ōita 1st district and Ōita 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

{{Unreferencedsect|date=December 2023}}

During the 1960s and 1970s, an industrial region was formed along the Beppu Gulf coast. Among the plants in the region were flagship plants of Nippon Steel and Showa Denko.

In the 1970s, Toshiba and Canon built and expanded their plants in inland area. By then, the city emerged as a major production center of electronics products such as LSIs and digital cameras.

The downtown and shopping districts are located to the north of Oita Station. However, the area has been gradually declining because the main commercial areas have been dispersed due to the construction of big shopping malls in the suburbs.

• Oita University

• Oita Prefectural College of Arts and Culture
• Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences

• Beppu University – Oita Campus
• Nippon Bunri University
• Oita Junior College
• Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Ōita has 54 public elementary schools, 25 public junior high schools, and two combined elementary/junior high schools operated by the city government. The city has 14 public high schools and one combined middle/high school operated by the Ōita Prefectural Board of Education, six private high schools and three private combined middle/high schools. The city also operates four and the prefecture operates one special education schools for the handicapped.

• Oita Airport is located in neighbouring Kunisaki, and used to be accessible in 30 minutes via hovercraft. This service has been suspended since late 2009, but the hovercraft service is planned to resume as early as 2025.[https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20230903-134235/ "Hovercraft to Return to Oita, Ferrying Passengers to Airport"] The Japan News  3 September 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024. {{Cite web |date=2024-12-25 |title=大分ホーバークラフト、空港航路の年内開始を断念 |url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOJC254TN0V21C24A2000000/ |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=日本経済新聞 |language=ja}} Other ways of accessing the airport include by bus, taxi or private vehicle.

The luxury Aru Ressha train was designed by Eiji Mitooka. It runs between Ōita and Hita and is in service to also revive tourism and the local economy.{{cite news |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/08/national/luxury-dream-train-designed-over-100-years-ago-goes-into-service-in-kyushu/#.VeV_hn3Qgse |title=Luxury 'dream train' designed over 100 years ago goes into service in Kyushu |date=8 August 2015 |newspaper=The Japan Times |location=Tokyo |language=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929083551if_/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/08/national/luxury-dream-train-designed-over-100-years-ago-goes-into-service-in-kyushu/#.VgpNduj7SUk |archive-date=29 September 2015}}

{{ric|JR Kyushu|name=y}} - Nippō Main Line

• {{STN|Nishi-Ōita|x}} - {{STN|Ōita|x}} - {{STN|Maki|x|Ōita}} - {{STN|Takajō|x}} - {{STN|Tsurusaki|x}} - {{STN|Ōzai|x}} - {{STN|Sakanoichi|x}} - {{STN|Kōzaki|x|Ōita}}

{{ric|JR Kyushu|name=y}} - Hōhi Main Line

• {{STN|Takenaka|x}} - {{STN|Naka-Handa|x}} - {{STN|Ōita-Daigaku-mae|x}} - {{STN|Shikido|x}} - {{STN|Takio|x}} - {{STN|Ōita|x}}

{{ric|JR Kyushu|name=y}} - Kyūdai Main Line

• {{STN|Bungo-Kokubu|x}} - {{STN|Kaku|x}} - {{STN|Minami-Ōita|x}} - {{STN|Furugō|x}} - {{STN|Ōita|x}}

File:Japan National Route 10 at Oita Oita.JPG

• File:JP Expressway E10.svg Higashikyushu Expressway
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|10}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|57}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|197}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|210}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|217}}
• {{jct|country=JPN|Route|442}}

• Port of Oita

• {{flagicon|USA}} Austin, Texas, United States, sister city since October 1990
• {{flagicon|Portugal}} Aveiro, Portugal, sister city since October 1978
• {{flagicon|China}} Guangzhou, China, exchange promotion city partnership since September 1997
• {{flagicon|China}} Wuhan, China, friendship city since September 1979

File:Marine Palace UmiTamago.jpg

File:Takasaki Mountain.JPG

• Resonac Dome Oita (originally the Ōita Stadium), also known as Big Eye, is situated along the city expressway. It is the home field of the J.League football club Ōita Trinita and is used for large local events.
• {{Nihongo|Takasaki Mountain|高崎山}} that borders Beppu is famous for wild monkeys, specifically the Japanese macaque. Facing the entrance to the Takasaki-yama park is the "Oita Marine Palace Aquarium", also known as "Umi-Tamago", or "Sea Egg".{{Cite web | url = http://umitamago.jp/ | title=大分マリーンパレス水族館「うみたまご」公式サイト | access-date=10 January 2019}}

• The Ōita Tanabata Festival (大分七夕まつり, Ōita Tanabata Matsuri) is annually held on the first weekend of August. On the first night of the festival, an event called Funai Pacchin (府内戦紙) in which Matsuri floats depicting warriors are paraded through the central streets of the city is held.{{Cite web |title=Funai Pacchin Festival :: Discover Oita {{!}} Oita, Japan {{!}} Tourism Information |url=https://www.discover-oita.com/en/destinations/oita-city/funai-pacchin-festival/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=www.discover-oita.com}} File:Funai-Pacchin_-_01.jpg

Annual sporting events include:

• Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, which traces a path between Ōita and its neighbouring city of Beppu. The competition has been held every year since 1952 and is classed as an IAAF Silver Label road race.[https://www.arrs.run/HP_BpOMa.htm Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon]. ARRS (2009-12-24). Retrieved on 2010-02-08.
• The Kyūshū Ekiden, beginning in Nagasaki and ending in Fukuoka, the world's longest relay race

Sporting events held in Oita include:

• 1966 National Sports Festival of Japan
• 2001 Kirin Cup
• 2002 FIFA World Cup
• 2003, 2006, 2007 Kirin Challenge Cup
• 2005 J. League All-Star Soccer
• 2019 Rugby World Cup

• Mao Abe, singer-songwriter
• Takamasa Anai, judo wrestler
• Yuya Ando, baseball player
• Misa Etō, former Nogizaka46
• Eri Fukatsu, actress
• Sōsuke Genda, baseball player
• Arata Isozaki, architect
• Yūko Kotegawa, actress
• Atsuhiro Miura, football player
• Daisuke Miyazaki, handball player
• Tomiichi Murayama, 81st Prime Minister of Japan
• Shigeichi Nagano, photographer
• Chiyotaikai Ryūji, sumo wrestler
• Yūsuke Santamaria, tarento
• Rino Sashihara, HKT48, former AKB48
• Kenichi Shinoda, yakuza, sixth chairman of the Yamaguchi-gumi
• Skull Reaper A-ji, professional wrestler, mahjong player and politician
• Seiichi Uchikawa, baseball player
• Naomi Zaizen, actress

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Oita}}

{{Commons category|Oita, Oita}}

• [http://www.city.oita.oita.jp Ōita City official website] {{in lang|ja}}
• [http://www.city.oita.oita.jp/en/index.html Ōita City official website] {{in lang|en}}

{{Oita}}

{{Metropolitan cities of Japan}}

{{Most populous cities in Japan}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oita, Oita}}

Category:Cities in Ōita Prefecture

Category:Port settlements in Japan

Category:Populated coastal places in Japan