Ōzu, Ehime

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title: "Ōzu, Ehime" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["ōzu,-ehime", "cities-in-ehime-prefecture", "populated-coastal-places-in-japan"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōzu,_Ehime" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Ōzu
native_name	大洲市
native_name_lang	ja
settlement_type	City
image_skyline	Ozu city-office.jpg
imagesize	250
image_caption	Ōzu city hall
image_flag	Flag of Ozu Ehime.svg
image_seal	Emblem of Ozu, Ehime.svg
seal_type	Emblem
image_map
image_map1	Ozu in Ehime Prefecture Ja.svg
map_caption	Location of Ōzu in Ehime Prefecture
pushpin_map	Japan
pushpin_map_caption	Location in Japan
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Japan
subdivision_type1	Region
subdivision_name1	Shikoku
subdivision_type2	Prefecture
subdivision_name2	Ehime
subdivision_type3	District
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Ninomiya Takahisa (since March 2018)
leader_title1	Vice Mayor
unit_pref	Metric
area_total_km2	432.22
population_total	40723
population_as_of	January 31, 2020
population_density_km2	auto
timezone1	JST
utc_offset1	+09:00
blank_name_sec1	City hall address
blank_info_sec1	690-1 Ōzu, Ōzu-shi, Ehime-ken
795-8601
blank_name_sec2	Climate
blank_info_sec2	Cfa
website
::

Ōzu is a Japanese city located in Nanyo, the region occupying the southern half of Ehime Prefecture. , the city had an estimated population of 40,723 in 19688 households and a population density of 94 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 432.22 sqkm.

Geography

Ōzu is located of the middle and lower reaches of the Hiji River, and in particular the basin at the confluence the Hiji River and the Yaochi River in the island Shikoku. It extends from a coastline on the Gulf of Iyo in the Seto Inland Sea to some points over 1000 meters above sea level at the headwaters of the Kawabe River, a tributary of the Hiji River.

Neighbouring municipalities

Ehime Prefecture

Climate

Ōzu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Ōzu is 15.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1644 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.1 °C, and lowest in January, at around 4.6 °C.

|width=auto |collapsed = Y |single line = Y |metric first = Y |location = Ōzu, Ehime (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1978−present) |Jan record high C = 21.4 |Feb record high C = 24.4 |Mar record high C = 28.1 |Apr record high C = 32.2 |May record high C = 34.5 |Jun record high C = 34.9 |Jul record high C = 38.2 |Aug record high C = 38.3 |Sep record high C = 37.4 |Oct record high C = 32.6 |Nov record high C = 28.4 |Dec record high C = 24.5 |Jan high C = 9.8 |Feb high C = 11.2 |Mar high C = 15.2 |Apr high C = 20.9 |May high C = 25.6 |Jun high C = 28.0 |Jul high C = 32.2 |Aug high C = 33.4 |Sep high C = 29.4 |Oct high C = 23.8 |Nov high C = 17.8 |Dec high C = 12.0 |Jan mean C = 5.1 |Feb mean C = 5.8 |Mar mean C = 9.2 |Apr mean C = 14.2 |May mean C = 18.9 |Jun mean C = 22.6 |Jul mean C = 26.7 |Aug mean C = 27.4 |Sep mean C = 23.7 |Oct mean C = 17.8 |Nov mean C = 12.1 |Dec mean C = 7.0 |Jan low C = 1.2 |Feb low C = 1.4 |Mar low C = 4.0 |Apr low C = 8.4 |May low C = 13.2 |Jun low C = 18.5 |Jul low C = 22.7 |Aug low C = 23.2 |Sep low C = 19.7 |Oct low C = 13.6 |Nov low C = 8.0 |Dec low C = 3.3 |Jan record low C = -5.0 |Feb record low C = -7.3 |Mar record low C = -4.2 |Apr record low C = -1.0 |May record low C = 3.7 |Jun record low C = 8.8 |Jul record low C = 14.0 |Aug record low C = 15.6 |Sep record low C = 8.3 |Oct record low C = 2.4 |Nov record low C = -0.4 |Dec record low C = -4.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 74.8 |Feb precipitation mm = 87.4 |Mar precipitation mm = 119.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 127.5 |May precipitation mm = 149.8 |Jun precipitation mm = 282.9 |Jul precipitation mm = 234.9 |Aug precipitation mm = 138.1 |Sep precipitation mm = 175.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 124.0 |Nov precipitation mm = 94.5 |Dec precipitation mm = 94.9 |year precipitation mm = 1700.8 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 10.6 |Feb precipitation days = 10.1 |Mar precipitation days = 11.6 |Apr precipitation days = 10.2 |May precipitation days = 9.3 |Jun precipitation days = 12.9 |Jul precipitation days = 10.5 |Aug precipitation days = 8.6 |Sep precipitation days = 10.1 |Oct precipitation days = 8.3 |Nov precipitation days = 9.3 |Dec precipitation days = 11.8 |Jan sun = 86.2 |Feb sun = 113.5 |Mar sun = 154.6 |Apr sun = 179.4 |May sun = 190.5 |Jun sun = 127.2 |Jul sun = 176.0 |Aug sun = 200.3 |Sep sun = 148.2 |Oct sun = 140.4 |Nov sun = 104.8 |Dec sun = 81.4 |year sun = 1708.4 |source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=73&block_no=0959&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = March 2, 2022}}{{cite web | url = https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=73&block_no=0959&year=&month=&day=&view=h0 |script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値） | publisher = JMA | access-date = March 2, 2022}}}}

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Ōzu has decreased steadily since the 1960s.

| 1920 | 4,848 | 1930 | 5,170 | 1940 | 4,975 | 1950 | 7,293 | 1960 | 72,480 | 1970 | 58,755 | 1980 | 57,014 | 1990 | 55,766 | 2000 | 52,762 | 2010 | 47,157 | 2020 | 40,575 |align = none | footnote =

History

The area of Ōzu was part of ancient Iyo Province. During the Sengoku period, it was part of the holdings of Tōdō Takatora, who constructed Ōzu Castle on top of a previous fortification dating to the Kamakura period. In 1608, he was transferred and replaced by the Wakizaka clan, followed in 1617 by the Katō clan, who ruled the 66,000 koku Ōzu Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. Ōzu developed in the Edo period as a castle town. The town of Ōzu was established within Kita District, Ehime with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on December 15, 1889. During the Meiji and Taishō periods (late 19th century, early 20th century), Ōzu saw great economic expansion due to thriving silk and Japanese wax candle (和蠟燭, warōsoku) industries. A robust timber trade also occurred during this time, with Hiji River serving as a transportation artery. However, transformations brought by the arrival of railways and motorways disrupted the balance of the local economic cycle.

On September 1, 1954, town of Ōzu merged with the villages of Hirano (平野村), Awazu (粟津村), Miyoshi (三善村), Kamisukai (上須戒村), Minamikume (南久米村), Sugeta (菅田村), Niiya (新谷村), Yanagisawa (柳沢村) and Ōkawa (大川村) to form the city of Ōzu . On January 11, 2005 Ōzu annexed neighboring Nagahama, Hijikawa, and Kawabe municipalities.

Government

Ōzu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 21 members. Ōzu, together with the town of Uchiko contributes two members to the Ehime Prefectural Assembly.

In terms of national politics, Ōzu is part of Ehime 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan. Prior to 2022, the city was part of Ehime 4th district.

Economy

Ōzu was once noted for its production of electronics; however, its factory by Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics closed in 2010 due to rapid deterioration in business performance. The economy is now centered on Agriculture (vegetables, livestock, citrus fruits) and forestry, with manufacturing of toothbrushes an important local product.

Education

Ōzu has 20 public elementary schools and nine public middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Ehime Prefectural Board of Education. The city also has one private middle school and two private high schools.

Transportation

Railway

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/JR_logo_(shikoku).svg" caption="22 px]] [[Shikoku Railway Company]] – [[Yosan Line"] ::

– – – – – – – – –
–
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/JR_logo_(shikoku).svg" caption="22 px]] [[Shikoku Railway Company]] – [[Uchiko Line"] ::
–

Highways

[[File:JP Expressway E56.svg|25px|link=|alt=]] Matsuyama Expressway

Local attractions

Ōzu's flourishing silk and wax industries brought great wealth and prosperity, particularly at the turn of 20th century. Refinement and cultural discernment followed suit. This resulted in a thriving urban environment of various historical layers, remnants of which are still standing:

-Garyū Sansō (臥龍山荘) Set of three tea pavilions within a lavish roji (路地) -tea ceremony garden- overhanging the Hiji River. Built by silk and tea trade champion Torajiro (河内寅次郎, Kōuchi Torajiro) as a personal retreat. It doubled as a Noh Theatre stage and was berth of the local ** (懸け造り) architecture style. Completed between 1901 and 1907. (Important Cultural Property from 2016)

-Nagahama Great Bridge (長浜大橋, Nagahama Ōhashi) completed in 1935, Inscribed as Important Cultural Property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2014, it is the oldest bascule-bridge in Japan still in operation. Traces of US forces' gunfire still punctuate parts of the structure.

-Nyohō Temple (如法寺, Nyohō-ji) Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect founded in 1669 by monk Bankei (盤珪永琢 Bankei Yōtaku) together with Katō Yasuoki, second daimyo of the Katō clan. (Important Cultural Property since 1992). Its Zen meditation hall displays a Siddhattha Gotama (釈迦如来像, Shakanyorai-zō) sculpture, flanked by elevated tatami, a rather unusual setting in zazen (座禅) dedicated spaces .

-Ōzu Akarenga-kan (おおず赤煉瓦館) or Red Brick Wall. Main branch of former Ōzu Commercial Bank (大洲産業銀行, Ōzu Sangyō Ginkō) built in 1901, evoking Western architecture. Municipal Important Asset.

-Ōzu Castle (大洲城, Ōzu-jō) (four of its turrets were declared Important Cultural Property in 1957)

Gallery

File:Ozu castle from west.JPG|Ōzu Castle File:Ozu rice paddies.jpg|Rice paddies in Ōzu File:Ōzu from atop Tomisuyama.jpg|Downtown Ōzu as seen from atop Mount Tomisuyama File:Nagahama Drawbridge in Ōzu.jpg|Nagahama's famous drawbridge

References

"Ōzu city official statistics".
[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/ehime-prefecture/ozu-5151/ Ōzu climate data]
[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-Ehime.php Ōzu population statistics]
(2024-10-23). "愛媛県における衆議院議員の選挙区及び定数 - 愛媛県庁公式ホームページ".

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