Oyama, Shizuoka

For other uses, see Oyama (disambiguation).

Oyama 小山町
—  Town  —
Location of Oyama in Shizuoka
Oyama
Coordinates: 35°22′N 138°59′E / 35.367°N 138.983°E / 35.367; 138.983Coordinates: 35°22′N 138°59′E / 35.367°N 138.983°E / 35.367; 138.983
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Shizuoka
District	Suntō
Area
- Total	136.13 km2 (52.6 sq mi)
Population (February 2009)
- Total	20,968
- Density	154/km2 (398.9/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Symbols
- Tree	Sakura
- Flower	Rapeseed
- Bird	Japanese Bush-warbler
Phone number	0550-76-1111
Website	Town of Oyama

Oyama (小山町, Oyama-chō^?) is a town located in Suntō District, Shizuoka, Japan. As of February 2008, the town has an estimated population of 20,968 and a density of 154 persons per km². The total area is 136.13 km².

Geography

Oyama is located in the far northeastern corner of Shizuoka Prefecture, bordering on Yamanashi and Kanagawa Prefectures. Located in between the Tanzawa Mountains and the foothills of Mount Fuji, the town has an average altitude of 800 meters, and has a cool climate with heavy rainfall. Some 65% of the town is covered in forest. Fuji Speedway is also located in this town.

Surrounding municipalities

Shizuoka Prefecture

• Gotemba
• Fujinomiya

Kanagawa Prefecture

• Hakone
• Yamakita
• Minamiashigara

Yamanashi Prefecture

• Fujiyoshida
• Yamanakako

History

A small post town existed in this area since the Heian period, as Oyama is located at the base of the Ashigara Pass on the main route connecting the ancient provinces of Sagami with Kai and Suruga Provinces. The area was mostly tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. During the cadastral reform of the early Meiji period on April 1, 1889, the area was reorganized into the villages of Rokugo, Kannuma, Ashigara, Kitago and Subashiri within Suntō District, Shizuoka, two months after the opening of Suruga-Oyama Station on the Tōkaidō Main Line (now Gotemba Line).

The villages of Rokugo and Suganuma merged to form Oyama on August 1, 1912. Oyama annexed neighboring Ashigara on April 1, 1955, Kitago Village on August 1, 1956 and Subashiri on September 30, 1956. The Furusawa District of former Kitago transferred from Oyama to Gotemba on September 1, 1957.

Economy

Due to its proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area, Oyama has a mixed economy of agriculture and light industry. Rice is the principal agricultural crop.

Transportation

Highway

• Tōmei Expressway - Gotemba Interchange
• Japan National Route 138
• Japan National Route 246

Rail

• East Japan Railway Company - Gotemba Line
  • Suruga-Oyama Station, Ashigara Station

Sister city relations

• - Shōō, Okayama, Japan from November 24, 1973
• - Ōe, Kyoto, Japan from May 29, 1982
• - Mission, British Columbia, Canada, from October 7, 1996

Noted people from Oyama

• Sachiko Sugiyama - professional volleyball player

External links

Media related to Oyama, Shizuoka at Wikimedia Commons

• Oyama official website (Japanese)
• Mount Fuji Subashiri Trail