Ōnojō

Ōnojō 大野城おおのじょう市し
City
Ōnojō City Hall
Flag Emblem
Location of Ōnojō in Fukuoka Prefecture
Ōnojō Location in Japan
Coordinates: 33°32′11″N 130°28′43″E
Country	Japan
Region	Kyushu
Prefecture	Fukuoka
Government
• Mayor	Muneji Imoto
Area
• Total	26.89 km2 (10.38 sq mi)
Population  (March 31, 2024)
• Total	102,818
• Density	3,800/km2 (9,900/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	2-2-1, Akebonomachi, Ōnojō-shi, Fukuoka-ken 816-8510
Website	Official website
Symbols
Flower	Chinese bellflower
Tree	Round leaf holly

ruins of Ōno Castle

Ōnojō (大野城おおのじょう市し, Ōnojō-shi) is an area located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2024, the city had an estimated population of 102,818 in 46689 households, and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is 26.89 km² (10.38 sq mi).

Geography

Ōnojō is located in west-central Fukuoka Prefecture. The city area is long and narrow in the shape of a gourd, and the width of the city center is only about 1 km. It is located to the southeast of Fukuoka City and is a commuter town for the city. The northern and southern parts of the city have mountainous terrain, but are home to new and old residential areas. The Ushikubi River originates from the Ushikubi Dam on Mt. Ushikubiyama in the southern part of the city, and curves through the city limits until it joins the Mikasa River, which runs beside the Shimo-Ori housing complex.Ducks, turtles, koi, egrets, herons and Japanese wagtails can be seen in or around the river, depending on the season.

Neighboring municipalities

Fukuoka Prefecture

• Chikushino
• Dazaifu
• Fukuoka
• Kasuga
• Nakagawa
• Umi

Climate

Ōnojō has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ōnojō is 14.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1766 mm with September as the wettest month.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ōnojō is as shown below

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1940	5,710	—
1950	10,192	+78.5%
1960	15,707	+54.1%
1970	33,818	+115.3%
1980	64,109	+89.6%
1990	75,214	+17.3%
2000	89,414	+18.9%
2010	95,101	+6.4%
2020	102,085	+7.3%

History

The area of Ōnojō is located in former Chikuzen Province and has had strong ties with Hakata and Dazaifu since ancient times. The city takes its name from Ōno Castlem which was built in the Asuka Period to protect Daizaifu against possible invasion by Silla and Tang China. Nearby Mizuki Castle also served the same purpose. The city area also has many other ruins, including the Ushikubi Sue Ware Kiln Site, from a time when this area was a major producer of Sue ware pottery. During the Edo Period, it was largely under the control of Fukuoka Domain.

After the Meiji restoration, the village of Ōno was established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on October 10, 1951 and changed its name to Ōnojō on being raised to city status on April 1, 1972.

Government

Ōnojō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members. Ōnojō contributes two members to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 5th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Ōnojō is largely a commuter town for Fukuoka City, with almost half the full-time residents of the city commuting to work or school within Fukuoka City, daily. The city also is a commercial center and has light manufacturing. At the beginning of the 21st century the area has seen continued real estate development partly due to good infrastructure, unlike more rural parts of the prefecture. The retailers Seiyu Group and Aeon have stores in the area, as do several conbini chains. Central Ōnojō is on the flight path to Fukuoka airport, so noise pollution can be a problem.

Education

Ōnojō has ten public elementary schools and five public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high schools operated by the Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education. There is also one private high school. Kyushu University's Gratduate School is located in the city.

Transportation

Railways

JR Kyushu - Kagoshima Main Line

JA Ōnojō - Mizuki

Nishitetsu Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line

• Shirakibaru - Shimoōri

Highways

• Kyushu Expressway
• National Route 3

Local attractions

The Ōnojō Cocoro-no-furusato-kan City Museum

• Ōno Castle ruins, Special National Historic Site
• Mizuki Castle ruins, Special National Historic Site
• Ushikubi Sue Ware Kiln Site, National Historic Site
• The Ōnojō Cocoro-no-furusato-kan City Museum (大野城おおのじょう心しんのふるさと館かん) opened on July 21, 2018. Exhibiting materials relating to the city's natural history, archaeology, and history, it is successor of the Ōnojō Museum of History (大野城おおのじょう市し歴史れきし資料しりょう展示てんじ室しつ), which opened in 1990.
• In Kamiori there is an aviary with an extensive collection of owl themed art.
• There is a Daimonji festival in September.

Notable people from Ōnojō

• Aska, musician
• Yuichi Honda, baseball player

External links

• Ōnojō City official website (in Japanese)