Ōarai, Ibaraki

Ōarai 大洗町
—  Town  —
Location of Ōarai in Ibaraki
Ōarai
Coordinates: 36°19′N 140°34′E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Ibaraki
District	Higashiibaraki
Area
• Total	23.19 km2 (8.95 sq mi)
Population (2003)
• Total	19,606
• Density	850/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website	Town of Ōarai

Ōarai (大洗町, Ōarai-machi) is a town located in Higashiibaraki District, Ibaraki, Japan.

As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 19,606 and a density of 845.45 persons per km². The total area is 23.19 km².

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency operates a research center there with a number of nuclear research reactors.

Facts

• Area:　23.19 k㎡ (231.9 hectares／5,730acre)
• Population:　19,203 persons (6,981 households) 2005 national census
• Mayor:　Takaaki Kotani
• Assembly Chairman: 　Takashi Yamato
• Ōarai Town Office Location:

Telephone +81-29-267-5111(Ext.217) Facsimile+81-29-266-3084

E-mail: koushitsu@town.oarai.ibaraki.jp

Tourism

• Important tourism places
• Oarai Beach
• Oarai Aquarium
• Oarai Marine Tower
• Oarai Sea Museum

Ōarai attracts 3 million visitors a year. Tourist attractions include bathing beaches, yacht and cruiser marina, marine sports, camping site, fishing, aquarium, a famous golf course and Ōarai Isozaki Jinja (Shrine).

Major Places of Interest

• Port of Ōarai (A ferry company operates two ferries to Hokkaidō a day)
  • Two ferry wharves, and an “event” wharf
  • Fishery Wharves
• Ōarai and Sun Beach Bathing Beaches (First to introduce bathing beach of barrier free for disability in Japan)
• Ōarai Culture and Environment Hands-on Learning Program“Ōarai Umi-no-Daigaku”

Superlatives

• Chosen as one of 55 best bathing locations in Japan
• Chosen as one of 100 best beach in Japan
• Chosen as one of 100 best new tourist spots in Japan
• Chosen as one of 100 best nature in Japan

Chosen as one of 100 best wood bathing forest in Japan

Industries

• Fisheries
• Biggest inshore fishery port in Ibaraki Prefecture
• Main fishery products include whitebait, sardines, flounder and clams
• Marine Product Processing - Main products include salted and dried horse mackerel, smelt and sardines and boiled octopus

History and Culture

• The birth place of Famous Folk song “Isobushi”
• The biggest ancient tomb mound “Kurumazuka-kofun” and “Kagamizuka-kofun”

Agriculture

Main agricultural products include rice, sweet potatoes and Japanese radish

Transportation

From Tokyo

• Train: Jōban Line Super or Fresh Hitachi limited express from Ueno Station in Tokyo to Mito (65 minutes) and Kashima Rinkai Tetsudo Line “Ōarai Kashima Sen” from Mito to Oarai (20 minutes)
• Road: Jōban Expressway (70 minutes from Tokyo) exit Mito-Ōarai Interchange

From Narita International Airport

• Road: Higashi-Kantō Expressway (1 hour 30 minutes)

To Nikkō

• Road: 2 hours 30 minutes

To Hokkaidō

• 2 Ferries operate between Ōarai and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō everyday.

External links

Media related to Ōarai, Ibaraki at Wikimedia Commons

• Ōarai official website (Japanese)