Onomichi (尾道市, Onomichi-shi) is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, facing the Inland Sea. The city was founded on April 1, 1898.
As of April 30, 2016, the city has an estimated population of 141,811 and a population density of 497.8 persons per km². The total area is 284.85 km².
1168: The city's port opened and for the next 500 years served as a rice shipment center and port for all trades with foreign countries. Its commercial significance somewhat wavered during the Tokugawa era.
1898: Onomichi Town in Mitsugi District becomes the second city in Hiroshima Prefecture.
1935: The RMS Adriatic was scrapped in Onomichi.
1937: The town of Kurihara and the village of Yoshiwa, both in Mitsugi District incorporated.
1939: The village of Sanba from Numakuma District incorporated.
1951: The village of Fukada from Mitsugi District incorporated.
1954: Three villages from Mitsugi District incorporated.
1955: Three villages from Numakuma District incorporated.
1957: The village of Urasaki from Numakuma District incorporated.
1970: The town of Mukaihigashi from Mitsugi District incorporated.
March 28, 2005: The towns of Mitsugi and Mukaishima (both from Mitsugi District) were merged into Onomichi.
January 10, 2006: The towns of Innoshima and Setoda (both from Toyota District) were merged into Onomichi.
The city is known for its many temples such as the Buddhist Senkō-ji Temple (founded in the 9th century), has a shipbuilding yard and a motor factory. It offers a steamship service to ports of northern Shikoku and islands in the Inland Sea.
Senkō-ji – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage No. 10
Kōmyō-ji
Tennei-ji
Jōdo-ji – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage No. 9
Saigō-ji
Saikoku-ji – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage
Kongō-ji
Kōsan-ji in Setoda, Hiroshima
Kōjō-ji in Setoda – Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage No.11
Jikō-ji
Kaifuku-ji
Jōsen-ji
Syōjyu-in
Jikan-ji
Myōsen-ji
Taisan-ji
Misode-tenman-gū
Ushitora Shrine – the oldest shrine in Onomichi
Kubohachiman Shrine
Innoshima Suigun Castle
Onomichi Castle
Fukuyama Domain Bansho Ato
Parks and gardens
Senkoji Park on Mt. Senkoji – connected by Senkōji Ropeway from Onomichi Station
Senkoji Park Green Land (1965–2007)
Bingo Regional Sports Park
Onomichi Shimanami Baseball Stadium – NPB game held twice a year as Hiroshima Carp home game.
Mukaishima Orchid Center
Innoshima Flower Center
Citrus Park Setoda
Innoshima Ohashi Memorial Park
Mt. Takami National Park
Tachibana Nature Village
The Island's Blooms – The Pyrethrum
Hyakka Park
Souraiken Garden
Mitsugi Greenland
Marine Youth Center
Mitsugi Softball Ballpark
Chojabara Sports Center
Mukaishima Sports Park
Innoshima Sports Park
Innoshima Amenity Pool
Kaibutsu-en Ato (The remains of Kaibutsu-en) – The garden of the House of Tomishima (Tenmaya)
Onomichi City Museum of Art
Ikuo Hirayama Museum of Art – by named after Ikuo Hirayama
Musee Nakata
Onomichi Literature Museum
Entsuba Katsuzo Sculpture Museum
Honinbo Shusaku Igo Memorial Museum – by named after Honinbo Shusaku
Museum of Setoda History and Folklore
Onomichi Historical Museum
Innoshima History Museum
Island-Wide Art Museum
Onomichi Motion Picture Museum
Shimanami Beach
Ohamasaki Camp Site
Setoda Sunset Beach
Setoda B & G Marine Center
Tachibana Beach
Iwashijima Beach on Iwashijima Island
Natural Spa Onomichi Fureai no Sato
Mitsugi Yu Yu-Kan
Harada-cho Yujin Hot spring
Yoro onsen
Literature Path
Nishiseto Expressway – "Shimanami Expressway" connects Onomichi and Imabari, Ehime
Innoshima Suigun Skyline
Kaneyoshi Bus Stop
Statue of Fumiko Hayashi
Onomichi City Library
Tsureshio Stone Monuments
Shimanami Koryu-kan – "Teatro Shell-rune"
Bel Canto Hall
Crossroad Mitsugi
Onomichi Minato Matsuri – the Port Festival – April
Onomichi Sumiyoshi Hanabi Matsuri – Fireworks – the last Sunday of July
Innoshima Suigun Matsuri – at Suigun Castle – August
Onomichi Betcha Matsuri – November 1–3
Naikai Shipbuilding
Mukaishima Dock
Onomichi Dockyard
Universal Shipbuilding Onomichi dock
Hitachi Zosen Corporation Onomichi dock
JFE Shoji Trade Shipbuilding
Press Kogyo
Union Plate Onomichi plant
Nitto Denko Onomichi plant
Yokohama Rubber Company Onomichi plant
Mikan, Grape, Juncus effusus, Scallion
Kamaboko, Stockfish, Tsukudani
Onomichi FM
Onomichi Cable Television
Keibunsha
Crime and safety
The Kyodo-kai yakuza syndicate is based in Onomichi. The Kyodo-kai is the second largest yakuza group in the Chugoku region after the Hiroshima-based Kyosei-kai.
The city is featured in the classic Japanese film Tokyo Story. It is the setting for the fantasy 2005 anime series Kamichu! which faithfully depicts many of the city's features and landmarks. Events of the Blue Drop series also happen in this city. It is also the setting of the romantic manga Pastel by Toshihiko Kobayashi.
A Dark Night's Passing (1921) by Naoya Shiga
Horoki (1930) by Fumiko Hayashi
Akumyo (1961) by Toko Kon
Tokyo Story by Yasujirō Ozu (1953)
Films by Kaneto Shindō
Kanashimi wa onna dakeni (1958)
The Naked Island (1960)
Akumyo series by Tokuzo Tanaka, Kazuo Mori, Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Masahiro Makino, Yasuzo Masumura, Seiji Izumi (1961–2001)
Nikui an-chikushô by Koreyoshi Kurahara (1962)
Boy by Nagisa Oshima (1969)
Films by Nobuhiko Obayashi
Exchange Students (1982)
The Little Girl Who Conquered Time (1983)
Lonely Heart (1985)
Chizuko's Younger Sister (1991)
Goodbye for Tomorrow (1995)
One Summer's Day (1999)
His Motorbike, Her Island (1986)
Bound for the Fields, the Mountains, and the Seacoast (1986)
The Stupid Teacher (1998)
Yamato by Junya Sato (2005)
Teppan (2010)
Hikaru no Go (1998–2003)
Parallel (2000–2002)
Pastel (2002–)
Kamichu! (2005–2007)
Blue Drop (2007)
Yakuza 6 (2016)
Masami Shiratama
Porno Graffitti
Dogen Handa
Mona Yamamoto
Hideto Tanihara
Mariko Yoshida
Kiyotaka Haimura
Ikuo Hirayama
Kaiji Kawaguchi
Nobuhiko Obayashi
Genichiro Takahashi
Onomichi has Sister City relationships with:
Imabari, Ehime, Japan
Higashiizumo, Shimane, Japan
Chongqing, China
Honfleur, France
Glen Rock, New Jersey, United States