Ōma

Ōma

大間町
Ōma 大間町
Town
	Sunrise in Ōma
	Flag Seal
	Location of Ōma in Aomori Prefecture]
	Ōma
	Coordinates: 41°31′36.3″N 140°54′26.4″E / 41.526750°N 140.907333°E
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Aomori
District	Shimokita
Area
• Total	52.10 km2 (20.12 sq mi)
Population (January 31, 2023)
• Total	4,868
• Density	93/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0175-37-2111
Address	104 Ōma, Ōma-machi, Shimokita-gun, Aomori-ken 039-4692
Climate	Cfb
Website	Official website
Symbols
Bird	Common gull
Flower	Rosa rugosa
Tree	Japanese black pine

Ōma (大間町, Ōma-machi) is a town located in Aomori, Japan. As of 31 January 2023^[update], the town had an estimated population of 4,868 in 2500 households, and a population density of 93 per square kilometre (240/sq mi).^[1] The total area of the town is 52.10 square kilometres (20.12 sq mi).^[2]

Geography

Ōma occupies the northwestern coastline of Shimokita Peninsula, facing the Tsugaru Strait. Cape Ōmazaki (大間崎) is the northernmost point on the island of Honshū. Much of the town is within the limits of the Shimokita Hanto Quasi-National Park. In 2002, the Ministry of the Environment classified some tidal flats of the Ōma shoreline as one of the 500 Important Wetlands in Japan particularly for its biodiversity of marine flora, especially several varieties of kelp.^[3]

Neighbouring municipalities

Aomori Prefecture

Climate

The town has a climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with strong winds (Köppen climate classification Cfb). The average annual temperature in Ōma is 10.2 °C (50.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,158.2 mm (45.60 in) with August as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 21.7 °C (71.1 °F), and lowest in January, at around 0.0 °C (32.0 °F).^[4]

Climate data for Ōma (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	12.0 (53.6)	14.9 (58.8)	17.3 (63.1)	21.1 (70.0)	25.8 (78.4)	26.8 (80.2)	32.5 (90.5)	32.9 (91.2)	32.6 (90.7)	25.2 (77.4)	22.0 (71.6)	15.6 (60.1)	32.6 (90.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	2.2 (36.0)	2.7 (36.9)	6.2 (43.2)	11.0 (51.8)	15.0 (59.0)	18.4 (65.1)	22.3 (72.1)	24.8 (76.6)	22.8 (73.0)	17.4 (63.3)	11.0 (51.8)	4.8 (40.6)	13.2 (55.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.0 (32.0)	0.2 (32.4)	3.1 (37.6)	7.6 (45.7)	11.5 (52.7)	15.1 (59.2)	19.3 (66.7)	21.7 (71.1)	19.5 (67.1)	14.0 (57.2)	8.0 (46.4)	2.2 (36.0)	10.2 (50.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−2.4 (27.7)	−2.3 (27.9)	0.0 (32.0)	4.1 (39.4)	8.5 (47.3)	12.4 (54.3)	16.9 (62.4)	19.1 (66.4)	16.0 (60.8)	10.3 (50.5)	4.8 (40.6)	−0.3 (31.5)	7.3 (45.1)
Record low °C (°F)	−10.2 (13.6)	−10.7 (12.7)	−8.2 (17.2)	−5.3 (22.5)	0.0 (32.0)	3.6 (38.5)	8.5 (47.3)	10.0 (50.0)	6.7 (44.1)	0.4 (32.7)	−5.4 (22.3)	−10.0 (14.0)	−10.7 (12.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	60.1 (2.37)	52.6 (2.07)	62.3 (2.45)	74.1 (2.92)	89.3 (3.52)	80.6 (3.17)	128.7 (5.07)	173.8 (6.84)	149.0 (5.87)	111.2 (4.38)	96.7 (3.81)	79.8 (3.14)	1,158.2 (45.60)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	65 (26)	76 (30)	36 (14)	1 (0.4)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.4)	29 (11)	208 (82)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm)	11.1	9.8	10.6	10.0	10.1	8.6	10.1	9.9	11.0	11.8	13.2	12.6	128.8
Average snowy days (≥ 3 cm)	9.2	10.1	4.8	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.1	4.2	28.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours	71.7	100.2	165.6	203.8	202.5	175.9	155.0	168.8	179.2	166.1	100.2	69.9	1,758.8
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency^[4]^[5]

Demographics

According to Japanese census data,^[6] the population of Ōma has declined since 1960.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1920	4,077	—
1930	5,396	+32.4%
1940	6,054	+12.2%
1950	7,217	+19.2%
1960	7,983	+10.6%
1970	7,673	−3.9%

Year	Pop.	±%
1980	7,624	−0.6%
1990	7,125	−6.5%
2000	6,566	−7.8%
2010	6,340	−3.4%
2020	4,718	−25.6%

History

The area around Ōma was inhabited by the Emishi people until the historical period. During the Edo period, it was controlled by the Nambu clan of Morioka Domain. During the post-Meiji restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, Ōoku Village was proclaimed from the merger of Ōma hamlet with neighboring Okudo hamlet. It was renamed Ōma Town on 3 November 1942.

Ōma has been a popular location setting for movies and television dramas. It was the setting for the 1983 movie Gyōei no mure (魚影の群れ) starring Ken Ogata. In 2000, Ōma was the setting for an NHK television series Watashi no Aoi Sora (私の青空) starring Tabata Tomoko. This was followed by another fictional series Maguro (マグロ) on TV Asahi starring Tetsuya Watari in 2007.

Government

Ōma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of ten members. Ōma is part of Shimokita District which, together with the city of Mutsu, contributes three members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Aomori 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

From the Observation Deck of Seaside Cattle Park Oma (Municipal Tourist Ranch), Oma Town, Tsugaru Strait, and Hokkaido can be seen. The central school building is Oma High School

Seaside Cattle Park Oma (Town Management Ranch)

The economy of Ōma was traditionally heavily dependent on commercial fishing. The town was famous for having the "black diamond" of tuna, which are caught in the traditional manner by hand in two-person boats, and sold under the "Ōma" registered brand. One Ōma tuna was sold at a record-high 333.6 million yen in January 2019.^[7] Other seafood products include sea urchin roe, konbu and squid.^[8]

The town is the site of a nuclear power plant, the Ōma Nuclear Power Plant, which will be unique in its use of MOX fuel when it comes on line.^[9]

Education

Ōma has two public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.