Mimasaka, Okayama

Mimasaka 美作市
—  City  —
Flag
Location of Mimasaka in Okayama
Mimasaka
Coordinates: 35°0′31″N 134°8′55″E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku (Sanyo)
Prefecture	Okayama
Government
• Mayor	Yoshitaka Andō
Area
• Total	429.19 km2 (165.71 sq mi)
Population (November 1, 2011)
• Total	30,019
• Density	70/km2 (180/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree	Prunus mume
- Flower	Erythronium japonicum
Address	38-2　Sakaemachi, Mimasaka-shi, Okayama-ken 707-8501
Website	City of Mimasaka

Mimasaka city hall

Mimasaka (美作市, Mimasaka-shi) is a city located in Okayama, Japan.

As of 2004, the population was 34,338. The area is 429.19 km².

History

The 16th century village Miyamoto, considered the birthplace of Miyamoto Musashi, is part of present-day Mimasaka.

On March 31, 2005 the town of Katsuta from Katsuta District, the towns of Mimasaka, Aida, Ōhara and Sakutō, and the village Higashiawakura, all from Aida District, were merged to form the new city of Mimasaka.

Geography

• Mountains:Mount Ushiro (The highest mountain in Okayama Prefecture)
• Rivers:Yoshino River, Kajinami River

Adjoining municipalities

• Okayama Prefecture
  • Bizen
  • Wake
  • Misaki
  • Shōō
  • Nagi
  • Nishiawakura
• Hyōgo Prefecture
  • Shisō
  • Sayō
• Tottori Prefecture
  • Chizu

Transport

Railways

• West Japan Railway Company
  • Kishin Line
    • Mimasaka-Doi Station - Mimasaka-Emi Station - Narahara Station - Hayashino Station
• Chizu Express
  • Chizu Line
    • Miyamoto Musashi Station - Ōhara Station

Road

• Expressways:
  • Chūgoku Expressway
    • Sakutō Interchange - Narahara Parking Area - Mimasaka Interchange
• National highways:
  • Route 179
  • Route 373
  • Route 374
  • Route 429
• Main prefectural roads:
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 5 (Sakutō-Ōhara)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 7 (Chizu-Katsuta)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 46 (Wake-Sasame-Sakutō)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 51 (Mimasaka-Nagi)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 86 (Sakutō Interchange)
  • Okayama Prefectural Route 90 (Akō-Saeki)

Sister and Friendship cities

• Former Ōhara town
  • Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan - Friendship city agreement concluded in 1991
  • Echizen (Former Imadate town), Fukui, Japan - Sister city agreement concluded in 1990
• Former Sakutō town
  • Saint-Valentin, France - Sister city agreement concluded in April 6, 1988
  • Sankt Valentin, Austria - Sister city agreement concluded in October 25, 1994
  • Saint-Valentin, Canada - Sister city agreement concluded in October 24, 1997

Notable places and events

• Yunogo Onsen
• Okayama International Circuit
• Village of Miyamoto Musashi
• Ōhara-shuku (Shukuba)
• Valentine Park Sakutō
• Chōfukuji Temple
• Japan museum of contemporary toy & Hall of music box

• 

  Village of Miyamoto Musashi

• 

  Ōhara-shuku

• 

  Valentine Park Sakutō

• 

  Chōfukuji Temple

Notable people from Mimasaka

• Miyamoto Musashi
• Tomoji Abe
• Doshin So
• Atsuko Asano

External links

• Mimasaka official Homepage (Japanese)
• http://www.mimasaka.fr/ 美作国