Oyama, Shizuoka

Oyama

小山町
Oyama 小山町
Town
	Fuji Speedway
	Flag Seal
	Location of Oyama in Shizuoka Prefecture
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu; Tōkai
Prefecture	Shizuoka Prefecture
District	Suntō
Area
• Total	136.13 km2 (52.56 sq mi)
Population (June 2012)
• Total	20,246
• Density	149/km2 (390/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Sakura
- Flower	Rapeseed
- Bird	Japanese Bush-warbler
Phone number	0550-76-1111
Website	Town of Oyama

Oyama (小山町, Oyama-chō) is a town located in Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 2012, the town has an estimated population of 20,246 and a population density of 149 persons per km². The total area is 136.13 km².

Geography

Oyama is located in the far northeastern corner of Shizuoka Prefecture, bordering on Yamanashi and Kanagawa Prefectures. Located in between the Tanzawa Mountains and the foothills of Mount Fuji, the town has an average altitude of 800 meters, and has a cool climate with heavy rainfall. Some 65% of the town is covered in forest. Fuji Speedway is also located in this town.

Surrounding municipalities

Shizuoka Prefecture
- Gotemba
- Fujinomiya
Kanagawa Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
- Fujiyoshida
- Yamanakako

History

A small post town existed in this area since the Heian period, as Oyama is located at the base of the Ashigara Pass on the main route connecting the ancient provinces of Sagami with Kai and Suruga Provinces. The area was mostly tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period. During the cadastral reform of the early Meiji period on April 1, 1889, the area was reorganized into the villages of Rokugo, Kannuma, Ashigara, Kitago and Subashiri within Suntō District, Shizuoka, two months after the opening of Suruga-Oyama Station on the Tōkaidō Main Line (now Gotemba Line).

The villages of Rokugo and Suganuma merged to form Oyama on August 1, 1912. Oyama annexed neighboring Ashigara on April 1, 1955, Kitago Village on August 1, 1956 and Subashiri on September 30, 1956. The Furusawa District of former Kitago transferred from Oyama to Gotemba on September 1, 1957.

Economy

Due to its proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area, Oyama has a mixed economy of agriculture and light industry. Rice is the principal agricultural crop.