Happy TravellerWelcome to Ōta, a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. With a population of over 224,000 people, Ōta is a bustling city with a rich history and a vibrant culture. Situated in the northern Kantō Plains, Ōta is bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the east and Saitama Prefecture to the south. The city is located 80 kilometers northwest of Tokyo between the Tone and Watarase rivers, making it an ideal destination for those looking to explore the natural beauty of Japan.
One of the most striking features of Ōta is its geography. The city is located in the extreme southeastern portion of Gunma Prefecture, and its elevation ranges from 30–40 meters in lowland in the south, southwest, northeast, and east, to 40–70 meters in the northwest. The surrounding municipalities include Isesaki, Kiryū, Midori, Ōizumi, Ōra, Ashikaga, Kumagaya, and Fukaya.
Ōta has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ōta is 14.4 °C, and the average annual rainfall is 1260 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.7 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.5 °C.
Per Japanese census data, the population of Ōta has increased steadily over the past 60 years. The city has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 30 members. Ōta contributes five members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Gunma 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
During the years before World War II, airplane production by Nakajima Aircraft Company was the industrial mainstay of Ōta. After the war, much of the skills and technology used in the production of aircraft was redirected into the production of automobiles. Ōta leads the prefecture in manufacturing revenue, which exceeds ¥1.3 trillion annually. It is the home of the car manufacturer Subaru, a subsidiary of Subaru Corporation, formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. (富士重工業株式会社, Fuji Jūkōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha, FHI) and Hino Motors. Subaru-chō is where the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 is built, having been re-purposed from kei car production, Yajima Plant is where all current Subaru cars are built, Otakita Plant is where commercial kei trucks are built (originally the location of Nakajima Aircraft), and Oizumi Plant is where engines and transmissions are built.
Ōta is also a major transportation hub in the Tomo (Eastern Gunma) region and the home of the Panasonic Wild Knights rugby team. The city has a number of local attractions, including Daikoin Temple, Kanayama Castle ruins, Mt. Kanayama, Tenjinyama Kofun, Yabuzuka Onsen, and the Snake Center. Ōta is also home to a number of educational institutions, including Kanto Gakuen University, 26 public elementary schools, 17 public middle schools, seven public high schools, one private high school, and the Gunma Kokusai Academy, a private combined elementary/middle/high school which offers a curriculum in the English language.
Ōta has a rich history that dates back to the Edo period. During this time, the area of present-day Ōta contained two post towns on the Nikkō Reiheishi Kaidō, a subroute to Nikkō Kaidō which connected the Nakasendō directly with Nikkō, bypassing Edo, the Ōta-shuku (太田宿), (from which the city takes its name) and Kizaki-shuku (木崎宿). Ōta Town was created within Nitta District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. On April 1, 1940, Ōta merged with the villages of Kuai and Sawano from Nitta District, and with the village of Niragawa from Yamada District. On November 1, 1943, Ōta absorbed the village of Shimanogō, also from Nitta District. Ōta was elevated to city status on May 3, 1948. The city expanded on April 1, 1957, by annexing the village of Kyodo (from Nitta District), and the village of Kyūhaku (from Yamada District), and by annexing parts of the village of Yabakawa (Yamada District) on July 1, 1960. On April 1, 1963, Ōta absorbed the village of Hosen (Nitta District), followed by the village of Kesatoda (Yamada District) on December 1, 1963. On March 28, 2005, the old city of Ōta absorbed the towns of Nitta, Ojima, and Yabuzukahon (all from Nitta District), and the area became the new city of Ōta. The former city of Ōta had a population of 152,000, with a total area of 97.96 km2; after the merger the total area became 176.49 km2, and the population went to 217,000 people. On April 1, 2007, Ōta was designated special city (tokureishi) with expanded local autonomy.
Ōta has sister-city relations with Burbank, California, United States; Lafayette, West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States; Imabari, Ehime, Japan; Yingkou, Liaoning, China; Guilin, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; and Hirosaki city, Aomori Prefecture. Whether you’re interested in exploring the city’s rich history, sampling its delicious local cuisine, or simply taking in the natural beauty of the surrounding area, Ōta has something to offer everyone. Come and discover this hidden gem for yourself!
