This article is about the city in Japan. For the prefecture with the same name where this city is located, see Okayama Prefecture. For other uses, see Okayama (disambiguation).
Okayama
Prefecture capital and Designated city
Native name岡山市
Coordinates34°39′N 133°55′E
CountryJapan
RegionChūgoku (San'yō)
PrefectureOkayama
MayorMasao Omori
Unit prefMetric
Area total789.95 km²
Population total700940
Population as ofFebruary 1, 2023
Time zoneJST (UTC+09:00)
City hall address1-1-1 Daitomo, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken 700-8544
WebsiteOfficial website
Okayama
TreeIlex rotunda; Lagerstroemia indica
FlowerChrysanthemum
BirdRed-crowned crane

Okayama (岡山市, Okayama-shi) is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889.[1] As of February 2023, the city has an estimated population of 700,940 and a population density of 890 people per km2.[2] The total area is 789.95 square kilometres (305.00 square miles).

The city is the site of Kōraku-en, known as one of the top three traditional gardens in Japan, and Okayama Castle, which is ranked among the best 100 Japanese castles.[3] The city is famous as the setting of the Japanese fable Momotarō.[4] Okayama joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016.

History

Sengoku to Edo period

In the late 16th century, during the Sengoku period (also called the Warring states period), Ukita Naoie consolidated a stronghold at Ishiyama beside the Asahi River. His successor, Ukita Hideie, shifted the main enclosure to the hill called "Okayama" and completed Okayama Castle, traditionally dated to 1597; hydrological works redirected river channels to serve as moats, and a castle town was laid out on a north–south axis.[5] After the Battle of Sekigahara, Kobayakawa Hideaki became the lord of the Okayama Domain and reconfigured the outer defenses, including the Hatsuka-bori (an outer moat reputedly finished in twenty days) and gates that defined the city's perimeter.[6] Ikeda Tadatugu, who was the feudal lord of Himeji Domain, became the next lord of Okayama. The Ikeda clan subsequently ruled Okayama and expanded the castle town.[5]

Meiji period to World War II

On August 29, 1871, the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan replaced the traditional feudal domain system with centralized government authority. Okayama became the capital of Okayama Prefecture. In 1889, Okayama City was founded with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. In the Meiji period, a San'yo Main Line railroad and other local lines greatly enhanced the development of the city. The Sixth Higher Middle School (第六高等学校, Dairoku Kōtōgakkō) and Okayama Medical College (岡山医科大学, Okayama Ika-daigaku) were established in Okayama City.

With modern state formation, the city developed as a regional hub for transport and education in western Japan.[7]

When World War II began, Okayama city was a garrison city for the Imperial Japanese Army.[citation needed] During the war, the city was bombed by the American forces. On 29 June 1945, air raids burned much of the urban core; the castle keep was lost.[5][6] More than 1700 people were killed.[citation needed]

After the war

Postwar rebuilding reestablished the central districts on the former castle-town grid. Landmarks of the modern center include the Yanagawa rotary (1959) and large-scale redevelopment in Nakasange continuing into the 21st century.[6] Okayama Castle's keep was reconstructed in 1966, restoring the “Ujō” (“Crow Castle”) silhouette above the Asahi River.[5]

During Japan's economic boom of the 1960s, Okayama developed rapidly as one of the most important cities in the Chūgoku and Shikoku regions. In 1972, the San'yō Shinkansen began service between and stations. Two years later, Shinkansen service was extended to . In 1988, the Seto-Ōhashi Bridge was opened, and connected Okayama with Shikoku directly by rail and road.

The city became a core city in 1996 and a designated city on April 1, 2009, with increased local autonomy.[8]

On March 22, 2005, the town of Mitsu (from Mitsu District), and the town of Nadasaki (from Kojima District) were merged into Okayama. This was followed on January 22, 2007, when the town of Takebe (from Mitsu District), and the town of Seto (from Akaiwa District) were merged into Okayama. Kojima, Mitsu, and Akaiwa Districts have all since been dissolved as a result of these mergers.

Geography

The city of Okayama is located in the southern part of Okayama Prefecture, which is located in western part of the island of Honshū. The northern part of the city forms a corner of Kibi Plateau, which is a series of gentle hills, and includes the Asahikawa Dam, Okayama Airport, and a suburban residential area. The central urban area is located on the Okayama Plain in the south, which was formed by the transportation and sedimentation of two first-class rivers, the Asahi River and Yoshii River, which flow into the Seto Inland Sea. To the south of the main urban area is Kojima Bay, which forms the scenic Kojima Peninsula overlooking the Seto Inland Sea.

Neighboring municipalities

Okayama Prefecture

Climate

Okayama has a mild climate in comparison to most of Japan. It has the most rain-free days (less than 1mm of precipitation) of any city in Japan. It is ranked as the second driest and the fourth sunniest city in the Chūgoku region.[9] The climate is classified under the Köppen climate classification as humid subtropical (Cfa).[10]

The local climate is warm enough throughout the year to support olive trees. Okayama is often called "Land of Sunshine" because of its low number of rainy days per year.[11]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[12] the population of Okayama is as follows:

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1960432,177—
1970500,599+15.8%
1980590,424+17.9%
1990640,406+8.5%
2000674,375+5.3%
2010709,622+5.2%
2020724,691+2.1%

Government

Okayama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 46 members. The city contributes 19 members to the Okayama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between of the Okayama 1st District, Okayama 2nd District and Okayama 3rd District of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Local administration

Since Okayama became a designated city in 2009, the city has been divided into four wards (ku).

WardPopulationArea (km2)Density
(per km2)		Map
Kita-ku (northern ward)302,685451.03671
Naka-ku (central ward)142,23751.242,776
Higashi-ku (eastern ward)96,948160.28605
Minami-ku (southern ward)167,714127.361,317
Population as of October 1, 2010

Economy

Agriculture

The city is located in the Okayama Plain, where rice, eggplant, and white Chinese chives are notable products.[13] White peaches and grapes are cultivated in the mountainous, northern part of the city.

Industry

In 2005, the city's gross domestic product was 800 billion yen,[14] nearly 10% of the GDP of Okayama Prefecture.

Greater Okayama, Okayama Metropolitan Employment Area, has a GDP of US$63.1 billion as of 2010.[15][16] The main industries are machine tools, chemicals, foodstuffs and printing. Kōnan, a district in the southern part of the city, is the most developed industrial zone.

Commerce

Okayama is the core of the Okayama metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Kurashiki and Sōja. The main commercial district is Omotechō, near Okayama Castle and Kōraku-en, and the area surrounding Okayama Station. Omotechō has many covered shopping arcades.

The headquarters of Aeon Corporation, a private English language school with more than 3,000 employees, is located in Okayama.[17]

Education

Okayama University, founded as a medical school in 1870 and established in 1949 as a national university,[18] is in the city. Today, Okayama University is Okayama's largest university, with 8 faculties and seven graduate schools.[19]

There are seven private universities, three junior colleges, 24 high schools (16 public, eight private), seven combined junior high/high schools (two public, five private), 38 junior high schools (37 municipal, one national) and 93 elementary schools (91 municipal, two private) in the city.[citation needed]

Universities

Transportation

Airports

  • Okayama Airport, located in the northern part of the city, provides both domestic and limited international services
  • Kōnan Airport, located to the south, has been a general aviation airport since the opening of Okayama Airport in 1988.

Railway

JR West's Okayama Station is a major interchange, with trains from Shikoku, Sanin and San'yo connecting to the San'yō Shinkansen. Local rail lines serving Okayama Station include:

JR West – San'yō Shinkansen

JR West – San'yō Main Line

  • – – – – – – Okayama – –

JR West – Akō Line

  • – – Higashi-Okayama

JR West – Uno Line

  • Okayama – – – – – (Hayashima Town - Kurashiki City) – – –

JR West – Seto-Ōhashi Line

JR West – Tsuyama Line

  • Okayama – – – – – – – –

JR West – Kibi Line

  • Okayama – – – – – –

Tramway

Okayama has kept an operational tram system since the Meiji period. It is managed by Okayama Electric Tramway and offers two lines: the Higashiyama Main Line and the Seikibashi Line.

Bus

Seven bus companies provide service within the city limits: Bihoku Bus (備北バス), Chūtetsu Bus (中鉄バス), Okaden Bus (岡電バス), Ryōbi Bus (両備バス), Shimoden Bus (下電バス), Tōbi Bus (東備バス), and Uno Bus (宇野バス).

Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Okayama is twinned with:[20]

Media

The Sanyo Shimbun is the local newspaper serving the greater Okayama area. There are six television stations serving the Okayama area and part of Kagawa Prefecture. Three FM and three AM radio stations also serve the region.

TV stations
Channel IDNameNetworkEstablished yearCall sign
1NHK General TV OkayamaNHK General TV1957JOKK-DTV
2NHK Educational TV OkayamaNHK Educational TV1963JOKB-DTV
4Nishinippon Broadcasting Co., Ltd.(RNC)NNN1958JOKF-DTV
5Setonaikai Broadcasting Co., Ltd.(KSB)ANN1969JOVH-DTV
6Sanyo Broadcasting Co., Ltd.(RSK)JNN1958JOYR-DTV
7TV Setouchi Broadcasting Co., Ltd.(TSC)TXN1985JOPH-DTV
8Okayama Broadcasting Co., Ltd.(OHK)FNN1969JOOH-DTV
Radio stations
ChannelNameNetworkEstablished yearCall sign
AM 603 kHzNHK Radio Daiichi OkayamaNHK Radio Daiichi1931JOKK
AM 1386 kHzNHK Radio Daini OkayamaNHK Radio Daini1946JOKB
AM 1494 kHzSanyo Broadcasting Co, Ltd.Radio (RSK)JRN, NRN1958JOYR
FM 88.7 MHzNHK FM OkayamaNHK FM1964JOKK-FM
FM 76.8 MHzFM OkayamaJFN1999JOVV-FM
FM 79.0 MHzRadio MOMO (Okayama City FM)J-WAVE1997JOZZ8AD-FM

Sports

Okayama has many sports teams. In recent years, volleyball team Okayama Seagulls and football club Fagiano Okayama have been established. In 2009, Fagiano Okayama gained promotion to the J.League, the highest football league in Japan. Okayama General and Cultural Gymnasium (岡山市総合文化体育館, Okayama-shi Sōgō Bunka Taiikukan), or Culture Park (カルチャーパーク), is an indoor sporting arena located in Okayama. The capacity of the arena is 8,000 people and was opened in 1982. It hosted some of the group games for the 2003 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup.

ClubSportLeagueVenueEstablished
Fagiano OkayamaFootballJ1 LeagueCity Light Stadium (Okayama Prefectural Multipurpose Athletic Stadium)2004
Okayama SeagullsVolleyballV.LeagueMomotaro Arena (Okayama Prefectural Multipurpose Grounds Gym)1999
Okayama Standing BearsAmerican footballX-LeagueKanko Stadium (Okayama Prefectural Multipurpose Athletic Stadium)?
Citylight Okayama Baseball TeamBaseballSemi-professional baseball2008

Local attractions

National Historic Sites

Festivals

Every August since 1994, Okayama has seen the Momotarō Matsuri (Festival), which is an amalgam of three different festivals, including the Uraja 'ogre' festival, which is a kind of Yosakoi dance.

Music

Cuisine

Okayama has several traditional dishes. Barazushi, a dish made with sushi rice, contains fresh fish from the Seto Inland Sea. Kibi dango (Okayama) (吉備団子) gel-like balls made from a powder of millet and rice, are well known sweets from the area.

Notable people

Premodern

Arts

Politics

Literature

Entertainment

Sports

Inventors

References

  1. ^ "Overview of Okayama City/Okayama city (Okayama-shi) is the capital of Okayama Prefecture". City.okayama.jp. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Official website of Okayama city" (in Japanese). Japan: Okayama City. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Castles / List of Japanese Castles". Japan-Guide.com. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  4. ^ ""Momotaro", a folk tale and Kibiji District". City.okayama.jp. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Learn the history of Okayama Castle". Okayama Castle. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  6. ^ "History of Nakasange (English)". History of Nakasange. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Okayama (Japan) — eHRAF World Cultures". Yale eHRAF World Cultures. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  8. ^ [1] Archived August 7, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Outline of Okayama". Pref.okayama.jp. Archived from the original on 2013-01-02. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  10. ^ "World Maps of Köppen-Geiger climate classification". Koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  11. ^ "ja:大好き「晴れの国おかやま」 １ 岡山県のアウトライン（県の概況、シンボルなど） - 岡山県ホームページ". Pref.okayama.jp. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  12. ^ Okayama population statistics
  13. ^ [2] Archived August 28, 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "??" (in Japanese). City.okayama.jp. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  15. ^ Yoshitsugu Kanemoto. "Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data". Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo. Archived from the original on 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  16. ^ Conversion rates - Exchange rates - OECD Data
  17. ^ [3] Archived February 20, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "History - Okayama University"
  19. ^ "Organization Chart - Okayama University"
  20. ^ "The History of Okayama". city.okayama.jp. Okayama. Archived from the original on 2020-02-23. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  21. ^ "Northern and Central California Sister Cities in Japan". Archived October 26, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  22. ^ "姉妹（友好）提携情報". 自治体国際化協会. Archived October 27, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 1, 2016.