Wearing old Japanese court clothes is Ohira's PR Ambassador, Hiramaro!
|
At a Glance Ohira is one of the last villages in Miyagi prefecture, it is situated in the center of Miyagi next to Taiwa, and thirty-five minutes north of Sendai. Ohira village is one of the richest villages both financially and historically in all of Japan. Ohira has been an occupied area since the Jomon period due to its fertile land. It had been an area of contention since the Sengoku period (1467-1615) with many samurai fighting for this area before it eventually came under the control of the Date clan. After the Meiji Restoration of 1889, Ohira became an official village and the host of many of the historical sites from these past periods.
Despite being a small village, Ohira has a diverse population from all over the world. This is due to the multiple car factories in the area that bring in foreign workers from all over the world, and the army base which hosts annual events with foreign militaries. The area is a hot spot for businesses and home development, with people moving in from all over Miyagi. Ohira has one elementary school and one junior high school, so for the ALT working here you will be traveling between the two schools. Ohira is a small, but beautiful village with many wonderful sites to visit, I hope you can see it one day. |
Restaurants
|
Gourmet Chaya - ぐるめ茶屋
A teishoku (Japanese set meals) restaurant that offers very cheap but delicious meals. |
South Asian Cuisine
|
Shah Jee - シャハジー
A very small Indian-Pakistani restaurant which is easy to miss when driving by on National Route 4. Very good authentic Pakistani food, maybe best of all of Miyagi! The family speaks some English and are very friendly! |
|
Lapras PokeLid - Frillish and Luvdisc
Did you know that Miyagi's Support Pokemon is Lapras? There are 35 decorative Lapras Manhole Covers all over Miyagi! You can see this one at Manyo Create Park! Ohira is known for it's beautiful Murahana Bellflowers and it's abundance of wild life. |
Castle Site
|
Site of Ohira Castle
When you come to Ohira you can visit the beautiful Ohira Castle, or rather the place where it once stood, that looks out over the surrounding valley. At the top of a small mountain, there is a large white building. That is the Ohira Youth Comunnity Center. This is the site where the castle once stood. The Community Center has a museum inside detailing the history of Ohira Castle. It is off the the National Route 4 so it's hard to miss. The area is a nice place to view cherry blossoms in the spring. |
Shrines
|
Ohira Hachiman Shrine - 大衡八幡神社
Off of National Route 4, there is a shrine guarded by two stone lion-dog guardians. Climb up the long flight of stairs and you'll be treated to Ohira's Hachiman Shrine. It may be small but it is still a site worth visiting. |
Parks
|
Manyo Create Park 万葉クリエートパーク
An expansive park right in the heart of Ohira! This park has it all. There is a very small obstacle course, a large hill covered in a tarp what you can slide down, and a farmer's market! You will need a sled for the hill or it will be very bumpy. The park is also known for its lotus lake and white tiger lillies. During the summer the park is a great place to go camping! |
Museums
|
Ohiramura Furusato Museum 大衡村 ふるさと美術館
The Ohira Furusato Museum showcases relics from the Jomon period, and the artwork of the famous Zao painter Ren Kanno. |
