Ojiya, Niigata

Cracked roadway caused by 2004 Chūetsu earthquake

Ojiya (小千谷市, Ojiya-shi) is a city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

As of July 16, 2003, the city has an estimated population of 40,342 and a population density of 260.07 persons per km². The total area is 155.12 km².

Adjoining communities

The following municipalities surrounding Ojiya:

• Nagaoka
• Uonuma
• Tokamachi

Events

• Katakai fireworks festival, held in early September

• Ojiya Festival: Held in August

Festivals have played a significant role in forming and celebrating the culture of Ojiya. The festival brings together skills handed down through the generations and celebrates the joy of everyday living. You can feel the collective energy of the community while seeing the impressive parade floats, hearing the traditional music, watching fireworks, and eating festival foods. The Karakuri Mando (Lantern) Festival and the Minyo Nagashi (Festival Folk Dance) preserve the simplicity and spontaneity of the culture's origins.

• Bullfights

This is a competition where bulls weighing nearly a ton collide in a test of strength. This event is a tradition so old that it was described in Bakin Takizawa's Nansou Satomi Hakkenden. It stems from a Shinto ritual and in former times, women and bereaved persons were not allowed to enter the bull fighting arena. The bull fights are unique in Honshu and have been designated as an important intangible national cultural asset. (Held seven times yearly from May to November)

• Hot Air Balloon Festival: Held at the end of February

History

• The city was founded on March 10, 1954.
• On October 23, 2004, the Chūetsu Earthquake struck Ojiya, causing shaking measured at Intensity 6+ on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale and causing fatalities. Electricity was cut off for three days after the earthquake.
• Yatsuo Yasui became the new mayor of Ojiya on November 29, 2006.

Notable people from Ojiya

• Junzaburō Nishiwaki, poet

Ojiya city

External links

• Ojiya City official website Template:Ja icon