is an area located in Kami Town, Mikata District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 2012, the area has an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 2,200. The total area is 66.16 km². Ojiro is mostly a mountainous area and prides itself as the homeland of

Wagyu Wagyu ( ja, 和牛, Hepburn: ''wagyū'', ) is the collective name for the four principal Japanese breeds of beef cattle. All wagyū cattle derive from cross-breeding in the early twentieth century of native Japanese cattle with imported sto ...

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...

. Ojiro is designated as one of

The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan is a Japanese nonprofit organization of listing some of the most beautiful villages and towns in Japan. The association is active on enhancement and protection of Japanese rural heritage, cultural fairs & branding and promotion of regional, nat ...

, and is the birthplace of Tajiri-go, a

Tajima Cattle The Japanese Black ( ja, 黒毛和種, Kuroge Washu) is a breed of Japanese beef cattle. It is one of six native Japanese cattle breeds, and one of the four Japanese breeds known as wagyū, the others being the Japanese Brown, the Japanese Polle ...

who is the ancestor of more than 99.9% of Japanese Black wagyu. Ojiro lies entirely within the San'in Kaigan Global Geopark. The area of Ojiro was a town of Mikata. On April 1, 2005, town of Mikata, along with the town of

Kasumi Kasumi may refer to: Places * Kasumi, Hyōgo (香住), a former town in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan * Kasumigaseki (霞が関 "Gate of Mist"), a district in downtown Tokyo * Kasumi, Jajce, a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina Other uses * Kasumi (gi ...

, and the town of Muraoka, was merged to create the town of

Kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

. At that time the portion of Kami that was Mikata renamed as Ojiro-ku (小代区), or Ojiro Ward, because some residents requested to use the traditional place name "Ojiro".

geokamimap_English.pdf
San'in Kaigan Geopark The is a geopark in Japan. The area was declared a Japanese Geopark in 2008, and a UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, Global Geopark in 2010. The underlying themes of the geopark are "geological features, the natural environment, people's lives, and ...
Kami Town Geospot Map

Amagasaki 270px, Amagasaki Castle 270px, Aerial view of Amagasaki city center 270px, Amagasaki Station is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population de ...

City Mikata Highland Outdoor Learning Center * Ancient Times Experience Forest ( 小代古代体験の森) * Kusube Valley ( 久須部渓谷) ** Kaname no taki Falls ** Sandan no taki Falls * Mikata Snow Park ( ミカタスノーパーク) * Niiyahattandaki Falls * Ojiro Health Park (ground golf course) * Ojiro

Shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...

* Ojiro Ski Place ( おじろスキー場) * Ojiron Onsen and Spa ( おじろん) *

Rice Terraces In agriculture, a terrace is a piece of sloped plane that has been cut into a series of successively receding flat surfaces or platforms, which resemble steps, for the purposes of more effective farming. This type of landscaping is therefore ...

of Ueyama ( うへ山の棚田): 100 Best Rice Terraces of Japan * Yoshitaki

Camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more na ...

Park * Yoshitaki Waterfalls ( 吉滝)

Annual events

* February: Mikata Highland Snow Festival * May: Rhododendron Park Festival * May: Ojiro Valley Festival * June: Mikata ZANKOKU (Cruel) Marathon ( みかた残酷マラソン全国大会) * August: Furusato Ojiro Summer Festival * August: Bon dances in each settlements * September: Ojiro Sports Festival * October: Autumn festivals in each settlements * November: "The Most Beautiful Village in Japan" Ojiro Festival

Transportation

Bus

Akioka Line operated by Zentan Bus company from Yōka Station. It spends about 1 hour.

Major roads

* Route 482

References

External links

Ojiro Tourism Association official website

Ojiro (Kami Town, Hyogo), Snow Japan

Small is Wonderful: OJIRO, the homeland of Wagyu cattle (Facebook page)
{{coord, 35.455, 134.535, type:city_region:GB, display=title Tourist attractions in Hyōgo Prefecture Geography of Hyōgo Prefecture Places of Scenic Beauty Kami, Hyōgo (Mikata)