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is a ward of Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Greater Tokyo Area and about 25 kilometre north of central Tokyo. Ōmiya-ku is surrounded by Nishi-ku (to the west), Kita-ku (north), Minuma-ku (east), Urawa-ku (southeast), Chūō-ku (south), and Sakura-ku (southwest) of Saitama city.
Ōmiya-ku is the most active commercial and business centre in Saitama Prefecture thanks to its transport infrastructure, especially railways connected at Ōmiya Station.

Contents

The old Ōmiya city (1940 - 2001) and the new Ōmiya ward

History

Origin and pre-modern history

Modern Ōmiya

Saitama City era

External links

The old Ōmiya city (1940 - 2001) and the new Ōmiya ward

Until May 1, 2001 it was a city of Saitama Prefecture. The area of the original Ōmiya city now comprises the Kita-ku (north), Minuma-ku (east), Nishi-ku (west), and Ōmiya-ku (south) of Saitama.
The bonsai nurseries in the neighbouring Kita-ku is usually referred to as the "Ōmiya Bonsai Village" because it was in the area of former Ōmiya city. The place is a must-see for bonsai enthusiasts travelling to Japan.

History

Origin and pre-modern history

Ōmiya is an indigenous Japanese language word which can be decomposed to ''Ō'' (大, kun'yomi (Japanese reading) おお: large, great) and ''miya'' (宮, kun'yomi み-や: noble or holy - house; palace or shrine) after the Hikawa Shrine.
The town was on the Nakasendō, a main national road in the feudal Edo period and the predecessor to a part of National Highway Route 17, and the Takasaki Line. Its name was derived from the famous shrine.

Modern Ōmiya

The town of Ōmiya as a modern municipality was founded in 1899.
After the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake bonsai nurseries relocated from Tokyo and formed the bonsai village in the area of Kita-ku.
In 1940, the town merged with several surrounding villages to form the city of Ōmiya.

Saitama City era

On May 1, 2001 it merged with Urawa and Yono to form Saitama city.
On April 1, 2003, when Saitama became a designated city, the former area of Ōmiya city was sectored into Kita-ku, Minuma-ku, Nishi-ku, and Ōmiya-ku.

External links

★ Bonsai in Japan - Omiya Bonsai Village