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'Ōarai' (大洗町; -machi) is a town located in Higashiibaraki District, Ibaraki, Japan.
As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 19,606 and a density of 845.45 persons per km². The total area is 23.19 km².
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency operates a research center there with a number of nuclear Research reactors.

Contents

Facts

Tourism

Major Places of Interest

Superlatives

Industries

History and Culture

Agriculture

Transportation

External links

Facts

★ Area:　23.19 k㎡ (231.9 hectares／5,730acre)

★ Population:　19,203persons (6,981households) 2005 national census

★ Mayor:　Takaaki Kotani

★ Assembly Chairman: 　Takashi Yamato

★ Oarai Town Office Location:
:: Telephone +81-29-267-5111(Ext.217) Facsimile+81-29-266-3084
:: E-mail: koushitsu@town.oarai.ibaraki.jp

Tourism

★ 'Important tourism places'

★ Oarai Beach

★ Oarai Aquarium

★ Oarai Marine Tower

★ Oarai Sea Museum
Oarai attracts 3 million visitors a year. Tourist attractions include bathing beaches, yacht and cruiser marina, marine sports, camping site, fishing, aquarium, a famous golf course and Oarai Isozaki Jinja (Shrine).

Major Places of Interest

★ Port of Oarai (A ferry company operates two ferries to Hokkaidō a day)

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★ Two ferry wharves, and an “event” wharf

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★ Fishery Wharves

★ Oarai and Sun Beach Bathing Beaches (First to introduce bathing beach of barrier free for disability in Japan)

★ Oarai Culture and Environment Hands-on Learning Program“Oarai Umi-no-Daigaku”

Superlatives

★ Chosen as one of 55 best bathing locations in Japan

★ Chosen as one of 100 best beach in Japan

★ Chosen as one of 100 best new tourist spots in Japan

★ Chosen as one of 100 best nature in Japan
Chosen as one of 100 best wood bathing forest in Japan

Industries

★ Fisheries

★ Biggest inshore fishery port in Ibaraki Prefecture

★ Main fishery products include whitebait, sardines, flounder and clams

★ Marine Product Processing - Main products include salted and dried horse mackerel, smelt and sardines and boiled octopus

History and Culture

★ The birth place of Famous Folk song “Isobushi”

★ The biggest ancient tomb mound “Kurumazuka-kofun” and “Kagamizuka-kofun”

Agriculture

Main agricultural products include rice, sweet potatoes and Japanese radish

Transportation

From Tokyo

★ Train: Joban Line Super or fresh Hitachi Limited Express from Tokyo to Mito (65 minutes) and Kashima Rinkai Tetsudo Line “Oarai Kashima Sen” from Mito to Oarai (20 minutes)

★ Road: Joban Expressway (70 minutes from Tokyo) Exit “Mito-Oarai Inter Change”
From Narita International Airport

★ Road: Higashi Kanto Jidoshado Expressway (1 hour 30 minutes)
To Nikkō

★ Road: 2 hours 30 minutes
Sea

★ 2 Ferries operate between Oarai and Tomakomai in Hokkaidō everyday.

External links

★ Oarai official website in Japanese