was a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

located in Maniwa District,

Okayama Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,826,059 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 7,114 Square kilometre, km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefecture ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. As of 2003, the town had an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 15,652 and a

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' (or ''d'') can also be u ...

of 105.81 persons per km². The total area was 147.92 km². On March 31, 2005, Ochiai, along with the town of Hokubō (from Jōbō District), and towns of Katsuyama, Kuse and Yubara, and the

villages A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village ...

Chūka Japanese Chinese cuisine, also known as ''chūka'', represents a unique fusion of Japanese and Chinese culinary traditions that have evolved over the late 19th century and more recent times. This style, served predominantly by Chinese rest ...

, Kawakami, Mikamo and Yatsuka (all from Maniwa District) were merged to create the

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

Maniwa file:Maniwa city office.jpg, 270px, Maniwa City Hall file:Kuse district Maniwa city Aerial photograph.1976.jpg, 270px, Aerial view of Kuse area of Maniwa is a Cities of Japan, city located in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated ...

Geography

River A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

s: Asahi River (The big-3 river through Okayama Prefecture), Bicchū River (Tributary of the Asahi River)

Adjoining municipalities

** Katsuyama ** Kuse ** Hokubō **

Takahashi is the third most common Japanese surname. Less common variants include , , , , , , , and . Notable people with the surname Takahashi * Aaron Takahashi, Japanese-American actor * , Japanese singer and actress * , Japanese kickboxer * , Jap ...

(Former Ukan town) **

Tsuyama is a city in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. In February 2023, the city had an estimated population of 97,507 in 45,653 households and a population density of 190 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Tsuyama is located in nort ...

(Former Kume town) **

Misaki Misaki (, "misaki") are a collective term for spirit-like existences in Japan like gods, demons and spirits, among other supernatural entities. Their name comes from a kannushi's vanguard. Summary Misaki are subordinate to the high-ranking di ...

(Former

Asahi Asahi (Japanese 朝日, 旭, or あさひ 'morning sun') may refer to: Places in Japan Cities * Asahi, Chiba (旭市; ''Asahi-shi'') Wards * Asahi-ku, Osaka (旭区; ''Asahi-ku'') * Asahi-ku, Yokohama (旭; ''Asahi-ku'') Towns * Asahi, Aichi ...

town) ** Kibichūō (Former Kamogawa town)

Education

*Amatsu Elementary School *Ueda Elementary School **Ueyama Branch School *Ochiai Elementary School *Kawahigashi Elementary School *Kiyama Elementary School **Hinoue Branch School *Kōchi Elementary School *Tsuda Elementary School *Bessho Elementary School *Mikawa Elementary School *Ochiai Junior High School *Okayama Prefectural Ochiai High School

Transportation

Railways

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

Kishin Line is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) between Himeji, Hyōgo and Niimi, Okayama, Japan. The name of the line comes from the first kanji of Himeji () and Niimi () which the line connects. Stations *S: Trains stop *s: ...

*** Mimasaka-Oiwake Station - Mimasaka-Ochiai Station - Komi Station

Road

Expressways Expressway may refer to: *Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic *Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road * ''Expressway'' (film), a 2016 Fi ...

: **

Chūgoku Expressway The (part of Asian Highway Network ) is an expressway in Japan, which extends from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in western Honshu, Japan's main island. Other major cities along the express ...

***Mimasaka-Oiwake Parking Area - Ochiai Junction - Ochiai Interchange - Maniwa Parking Area **

Yonago Expressway The is a national expressway in the Chūgoku region of Japan. It is owned and operated by West Nippon Expressway Company. Overview The expressway is officially referred to as the Chūgoku-Ōdan Expressway Okayama Yonago Route. The route conne ...

***Ochiai Junction *

National highways National Highways (NH), formerly Highways England and before that the Highways Agency, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in Eng ...

: ** Route 181 ** Route 313 * Prefectural roads: **Okayama Prefectural Route 30 (Ochiai- Takebe) **Okayama Prefectural Route 66 (Ochiai- Kamogawa) **Okayama Prefectural Route 84 ( Katsuyama-Kurihara) **Okayama Prefectural Route 204 ( Mimasaka-Ochiai Station) **Okayama Prefectural Route 329 (Nishibara- Kuse) **Okayama Prefectural Route 330 (Meki-Ōba) **Okayama Prefectural Route 332 (Kurihara- Ukan) **Okayama Prefectural Route 333 (Ueyama-Dando) **Okayama Prefectural Route 370 (Eyomi-Kamigōchi) **Okayama Prefectural Route 390 (Komi-

Tsukida Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Maniwa, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Lines Tsuboi Station is served by the Kishin Line, and is located 128.6 kilometers from the southern ter ...

) **Okayama Prefectural Route 411 (Tarumi-Oiwake) * Roadside Station **Daigo no Sato

Notable places and events

* **A 1000+ year old cherry tree, named after the former Emperor Daigo, who commented upon the impressiveness of the tree when passing by on his way to exile in the

Oki Islands The is an archipelago in the Sea of Japan, the islands of which are administratively part of Oki District, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. The islands have a total area of . Only four of the around 180 islands are permanently inhabited. Much of the ...

References

External links

Official website of Maniwa
in Japanese

in Japanese Dissolved municipalities of Okayama Prefecture Maniwa {{Okayama-geo-stub