Omaezaki, Shizuoka

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Omaezaki (御前崎市, Omaezaki-shi^?) is a city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Omaezaki is located at the tip of a peninsula on Japan's Pacific coast. The city has a history of farming and fishing. In recent years, tourism attracted by the city's sandy beaches, and water sports made possible by strong coastal winds have become as much a part of Omaezaki's identity as that of a rural town.

1 Demographics
2 Geography
3 History
4 Economy
5 Climate
6 Culture
7 Famous places
8 Transportation
9 Triva
10 External links

The symbol of the city: Omaezaki Lighthouse

As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 36,877 and the density of 560.61 persons per km². The total area is 65.78 km².

Omaezaki City lies approximately 80 miles south of Shizuoka City at the tip of a peninsula stretching east into the Pacific Ocean. The majority of the city is above sea level and is comprised of gentle hills and valleys with some steep cliffs on the peninsula's east coast. Like much of Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture is an earthquake prone zone, and it's widely believed that a large earthquake is likely to strike Shizuoka Prefecture within the next few decades. As such, Omaezaki's coastline is in an area at risk from tsunami.

The city was founded on April 1, 2004 by the merger of Omaezaki town(formerly part of Haibara District) and Hamaoka town(formerly of the now-defunct Ogasa District).

Sunset at Omaezaki Marine Park

Omaezaki has a long history of fishing and of green tea growth and these continue to play a central role in the local economy. More recently, the nuclear power station situated in the former town of Hamaoka has brought investment to the city. Water sports account for a large number of visitors daily to the city, and during the summer months, tourism attracted by Omaezaki's beaches is an important part of the economy.

Shizuoka Prefecture is known in Japan for its temperate climate. Due to its location, Omaezaki experiences strong coastal winds between October and April. The Japanese rainy season also effects Omaezaki, with typhoons liable to hit the city between July and September. During summer, the region is cooler than the majority of inland Shizuoka Prefecture.

As a result of the strong coastal winds, Omaezaki offers some of the best windsurfing in Japan. As well as being Japan's most famous windsurfing spot, Omaezaki is renowned as a popular surfing and bodyboarding destination. This is especially true during the summer months, although surfers and bodyboarders can be seen all year round at Omaezaki Long Beach (御前崎ロングビーチ Omaezaki Rongu Biichi) on the city's Pacific coast. The city also has a beach as part of Omaezaki Marine Park (御前崎マリーンパーク Omaezaki Mariin Pāku) which is a popular destination during the region's hot and humid summer months.

Some of Omaezaki City's many green tea fields

Omaezaki City has long been famed for its beaches, its lighthouse (御前崎灯台 Omaezaki tōdai), and its extensive green tea fields. In recent years the Hamaoka nuclear power station, the visitor centre of which also hosts an Omnimax Cinema, has become a well known local landmark. Due to the active seismic nature of the region, the Nuclear power station has been built to a high level of safety, ensuring it can withstand even a strong tremor.

The city has no train line. However, an extensive bus service connects the city to nearby major cities such as Shizuoka and Hamamatsu.