Ōhara, Okayama

Ōhara
Ōhara ; 大原町
	Former municipality
	Former Ōhara town hall
	Ōhara Location in Japan
	Coordinates: 35°7′14.45″N 134°19′33.9″E / 35.1206806°N 134.326083°ECoordinates: 35°7′14.45″N 134°19′33.9″E / 35.1206806°N 134.326083°E
Country	Japan
Region	Chūgoku
Prefecture	Okayama Prefecture
District	Aida
Merged	March 31, 2005; (now part of Mimasaka)
Area
• Total	54.48 km2 (21.03 sq mi)
Population (2003)
• Total	4,630
• Density	84.99/km2 (220.1/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
	Symbols
Flower	Lilium japonicum
Tree	Zelkova serrata

Ōhara (大原町, Ōhara-chō) was a town located in Aida District, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Central Ōhara

As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 4,630 and a density of 84.99 persons per km². The total area was 54.48 km².

On March 31, 2005, Ōhara, along with the towns of Mimasaka, Aida and Sakutō, the village of Higashiawakura (all from Aida District), and the town of Katsuta (from Katsuta District), was merged to create the city of Mimasaka.

GeographyEdit

Adjoining municipalitiesEdit

EducationEdit

Ōhara Elementary School
Ōhara Junior High School
Okayama Prefectural Ōhara High School (Closure in 2006)

TransportationEdit

RailwaysEdit

Chizu Express
- Chizu Line
  - Miyamoto Musashi Station - Ōhara Station

RoadEdit

National highways:
- Route 373
- Route 429
Prefectural roads:
- Okayama Prefectural Route 5 (Sakutō-Ōhara)
- Okayama Prefectural Route 240 (Shimoshō-Sayō)
- Okayama Prefectural Route 357 (Kajinami-Tateishi)

Notable places and eventsEdit

Village of Miyamoto Musashi
Main stone of Miyamoto Musashi Temple
Miyamoto Musashi's grave next to that of his parents
Ōhara-shuku (Shukuba)

Village of Miyamoto Musashi
Main stone of Miyamoto Musashi Temple
Miyamoto Musashi's grave in Ōhara-chō
Statue of Miyamoto Musashi
Ōhara-shuku

International RelationsEdit

Sister-CityEdit

Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu Memorial

Gleizé, France

Since March 4, 1999, the village of Ōhara located in the Japanese province of Mimasaka cradle of Miyamoto Musashi is twinned with the inhabitants of Gleizé in the presence of Sensei Tadashi Chihara tenth descendant of Miyamoto Musashi under the mandate of Ōhara Mayor Yuki Hiroshi, as well as the mayor of Gleizé Mrs. Élisabeth Lamure.^[1] This event was extended by the official invitation of Japan for May 20, 2000 in Ōhara. With the new mayor Fukuda Yoshiaki, and the arrival of the mayor of Gleizé, the inauguration of the Budokan Miyamoto Musashi ^[2] took place with several Japanese authorities. The Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu Memorial in Gleizé guarantees the memory of these relations as well as the regions and countries that officially joined him ; successively Japan, France, Cambodia, ASEAN, Russia and at the same time, the province of Mimasaka, the Rhône-Alpes region, the Center region and the Burgundy region.

hyouhou niten ichiryū musashi seitannochi. musou jikiden eishinryu iai. jisso enman no hyouhou nitenichiryū. the 10 th. Tadashi Chihara.
Gleizé is twinned with Ōhara since March 4, 1999. Document signed by the Mayor of Ōhara and Chihara Tadashi Sensei, tenth descendant of Miyamoto Musashi.
Official publication of Gleizé City Hall - May, 1999. Sensei Tadashi Chihara tenth descendant of Miyamoto Musashi, Élisabeth Lamure, Ghislain de Longevialle.
Tadashi Chihara Sensei and Élisabeth Lamure during the transmission of the name of the school, the Miyamoto Musashi dojo of Gleizé represents the Miyamoto Musashi School in Japan.
On May 20, 2000, the inaugural speech of the Budokan Miyamoto Musashi by Elisabeth Lamure wearing the Japanese cockade.
hyouhou niten ichiryū musashi seitannochi. musou jikiden eishinryu iai. jisso enman no hyouhou nitenichiryū. the 10 th. Tadashi Chihara.