# Oirase > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Oirase > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Oirase.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oirase > Source revision: 1346486542 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Oirase** (おいらせ町, *Oirase-chō*) is a [town](/source/List_of_towns_in_Japan) located in [Aomori Prefecture](/source/Aomori_Prefecture), [Japan](/source/Japan). As of 31 December 2025, the town had an estimated population of 25,026 in 11218 households, and a [population density](/source/Population_density) of 348 persons per km2.[1] The total area of the town is 71.96 square kilometres (27.78 sq mi). ## Geography Oirase is located on the eastern coastline of Aomori Prefecture, facing the [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean). The land is mostly flat or slightly hilly. The [Oirase River](/source/Oirase_River), which is the origin of the town's name, flows from west to east, with [Lake Towada](/source/Lake_Towada) as its source. ### Neighbouring municipalities Aomori Prefecture - [Gonohe](/source/Gonohe,_Aomori) - [Hachinohe](/source/Hachinohe,_Aomori) - [Misawa](/source/Misawa,_Aomori) - [Rokunohe](/source/Rokunohe,_Aomori) ### Climate The town has a cold [maritime climate](/source/Maritime_climate) characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall ([Köppen climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification) *Cfa*). The average annual temperature in Oirase is 10.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1158 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.6 °C.[2] ## Demographics Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Oirase has steadily increased over the past 40 years. Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1950 15,958 — 1960 17,709 +11.0% 1970 17,036 −3.8% 1980 17,637 +3.5% 1990 19,120 +8.4% 2000 23,220 +21.4% 2010 24,188 +4.2% 2020 24,273 +0.4% ## History During the [Edo period](/source/Edo_period), the area around Oirase was controlled by the [Nambu clan](/source/Nambu_clan) of [Morioka Domain](/source/Morioka_Domain), becoming part of the territories of [Shichinohe Domain](/source/Shichinohe_Domain) in the latter half of the Edo period. In the post-[Meiji Restoration](/source/Meiji_Restoration) establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, the villages of Momoishi and Shimoda were created. Monoishi was elevated to town status on April 20, 1929, and Shimoda on August 1, 1969. The town of Oirase was established by the [merger](/source/Municipal_mergers_and_dissolutions_in_Japan) of the former towns of [Momoishi](/source/Momoishi,_Aomori) and [Shimoda](/source/Shimoda,_Aomori), on March 1, 2006. The town was named after the Oirase River. ## Government Oirase has a [mayor-council](/source/Mayor-council) form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [unicameral](/source/Unicameral) town council of 16 members. Oirase is part of [Kamikita District](/source/Kamikita_District,_Aomori) which contributes four members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of [Aomori 2nd district](/source/Aomori_2nd_district) of the [lower house](/source/House_of_Representatives_of_Japan) of the [Diet of Japan](/source/Diet_of_Japan).[4] ## Economy The economy of Oirase is heavily dependent on agriculture, with main crops including [rice](/source/Rice), [strawberries](/source/Strawberries), [Japanese yam](/source/Dioscorea) and [carrots](/source/Carrots). The town has become commercially more vibrant with the construction of [AEON Group](/source/AEON_Group), [Jusco](/source/Jusco) [Shopping center](/source/Shopping_center) in 1995 and the spin-off retailing this has attracted. The major local industry is [Momokawa Brewing, Inc](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A1%83%E5%B7%9D), a nationally known *[sake](/source/Sake)* brewer. Oirase also serves as a [bedroom community](/source/Bedroom_community) for the nearby cities of Misawa and Hachinohe. ## Education Oirase has five public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.[5] ## Transportation ### Railway [Aoimori Railway Company](/source/Aoimori_Railway_Company) - [Aoimori Railway Line](/source/Aoimori_Railway_Line) - - ### Highway - [Momoishi Road](/source/Hachinohe_Expressway#Momoishi_Road_Extension) - [Second Michinoku Toll Road](/source/Second_Michinoku_Toll_Road) ## Local attractions - [Akōbō Kofun Cluster](/source/Ak%C5%8Db%C5%8D_Kofun_Cluster), a [Kofun period](/source/Kofun_period) National Historic Site[6] ## Noted people from Oirase - [Shingo Mimura](/source/Shingo_Mimura), politician ## References 1. ["Oirase town official statistics"](https://www.town.oirase.aomori.jp) (in Japanese) 1. [Oirase climate data](http://en.climate-data.org/location/50722/) 1. [Oirase population statistics](https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-aomori.php) 1. ["Oirase Town Assembly home page"](https://www.town.oirase.aomori.jp/site/gikai/) 1. ["Oirase Town Board of Education"](https://www.town.oirase.aomori.jp/soshiki/2210/gakkouichirann.html) 1. [Akōbō Kofun Cluster](https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/401/00003536). [Agency for Cultural Affairs](/source/Agency_for_Cultural_Affairs) (in Japanese) ## External links - [Official Website](http://www.town.oirase.aomori.jp/) (in Japanese) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Oirase](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oirase) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oirase?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.