Osaka, Gifu

Not to be confused with Ōsaka.

Map of Osaka, Gifu

Osaka (小坂町, Osaka-chō^?) was a town located in Mashita District, Gifu Prefecture. It had an area of 247.50 km²^[1]. On March 1, 2004, the five towns and villages of Mashita District merged and became the city of Gero. Following this merger, Osaka became a district of the city of Gero.

Geography

Osaka located in the south-eastern region of Hida Province in a mountainous area at the base of Mount Ontake. Due to the steep slopes of Mount Ontake, the town resides at the bottom of a ravine formed by Hida River, Osaka River and their tributaries.

97% of the land is made up of forests, which contains a number of Tenpō-growth, such as the Hinoki cypress. More than 60% of these are nationally protected.

There are also many waterfalls, including Neo Waterfall. The town established a waterfall survey committee and, as a result of their investigation, it was determined that there were more than two hundred waterfalls with a height of more than 5 m (16 ft). As a result, Osaka became known as the town with the most waterfalls within Japan.

The vicinity around Mount Ontake is designated as Mount Ontake Prefectural Nature Park.

• Mountains: Mount Ontake
• Rivers: Hida River, Osaka River

Former neighboring municipalities

• Mashita District: Hagiwara, Gero
• Ōno District: Kuguno, Asahi
• Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture: Kaida, Mitake, Ōtaki

History

• March 7, 1875: Eleven villages merged becoming the village of Osaka^[1], Chikuma Prefecture
• August 21, 1876: With the ablation of Chikuma prefecture, the three districts (Ōno, Yoshiki, and Mashita) became part of Gifu Prefecture
• July 1, 1889: Creation of the village of Osaka within Mashita District
• March 2, 1898: Becomes the town of Osaka^[1]
• March 1, 2004: The town of Gero absorbed the towns of Hagiwara, Kanayama and Osaka, and the village of Maze, all from Mashita District, becoming the new city of Gero.

Sister cities

Domestic

• Hōdatsushimizu, Ishikawa Prefecture

International

• Salesópolis (Brazil)

Sightseeing

Tourist spots

• Mount Ontake
• Neo Waterfall
• Galaxy Spa Ski Resort
• Hida Osaka cycling road
• Dandate Ravine
• Osaka Museum

Onsen

• Nigorigo Onsen
• Yuya Onsen
• Shitajima Onsen

Transportation

Train lines

• JR Central
  • Takayama Main Line: Hida-Osaka Station

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} "下呂市の概要 > 合併前の旧町村沿革 > 旧小坂町" (in Japanese). Gero City official homepage. http://www.city.gero.lg.jp/gyousei/view.rbz?cd=143. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 

External links

• Gero official website (Japanese)