Oyama (小山市, Oyama-shi) is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 August 2020^[update], the city had an estimated population of 167,647 in 70,928 households,^[1] and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is 171.76 square kilometres (66.32 sq mi). In 2006, Oyama became the second most populous city in Tochigi Prefecture, with the capital Utsunomiya retaining the number one spot.

Quick Facts 小山市, Country ...

Oyama 小山市
City
upper:Omoigawa River, upper middle: Oyama Yuen, Oyamamachi Station lower middle: Shirahige Jinja, Oyama City Archives lower:Aeon Oyama shopping center
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Location of Oyama in Tochigi Prefecture
Oyama
Coordinates: 36°18′52.6″N 139°48′0.6″E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tochigi
First official recorded	1st century BC (official)[citation needed]
Town settled	April 1, 1889
City settled	March 31, 1954
Government
• Mayor	Masatomi Asano (since July 2020)
Area
• Total	171.76 km2 (66.32 sq mi)
Population  (August 2020)
• Total	167,647
• Density	980/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0285-23-1111
Address	1-1-1 Chūō-chō, Oyama-shi, Tochigi-ken 323-8686
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website
Symbols
Bird	Japanese wagtail
Flower	Omoigawazakura (Prunus × subhirtella)
Tree	Quercus myrsinaefolia

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Oyama is located in the far southeastern corner Tochigi Prefecture, bordered by Ibaraki Prefecture to the south and east. The terrain is almost flat, and the city is in the north-central part of the Kanto plain. The Omoigawa, a branch of the Watarase River flows through the center of the city. The Ubagawa River is on the western end of the city, Tagawa is on the eastern end of the city, and Kinugawa River is on the eastern end. Oyama is approximately 60 kilometers north of the Tokyo metropolis and approximately 30 kilometers south of the prefecture capital of Utsunomiya.

Oyama-shuku was a post station on the Nikkō Kaidō connecting Edo with the shrines at Nikkō, and was controlled by Utsunomiya Domain during the Edo period. Oyama town was established within Shimotsuga District, Tochigi with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Oyama merged with the neighboring village of Otani on March 31, 1954 and was elevated to city status. On April 18, 1963, Oyama annexed the town of Mamada and village of Mita, both from Shimotsuga District. This was followed by the town of Kuwakinu on September 30, 1965.

Oyama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 40 members. Oyama, together with the town of Nogi collectively contributes five members to the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Tochigi 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Oyama is a regional commercial center with a mixed economy. In agriculture, cultivation of rice, kanpyō and sericulture are important. The yuru-chara for Oyama is Kapyomaru (かぴょ丸, an anthropomorphized calabash of the type used for kanpyō.^[5] One of the major employers in the city is Komatsu making iron castings, diesel engines, fork lift trucks and other hydraulic equipment.

• Hakuoh University

• Otomefudōhara Tile Kiln ruins, National Historic Site
• Deranohigashi ruins, National Historic Site
• Washi Castle, Gion Castle and Nakakuki Castle ruins, collectively a National Historic Site
• Biwazuka Kofun, National Historic Site
• Marishitenzuka Kofun, National Historic Site

• - Mission City, British Columbia, Canada, sister-city since October 7, 1996 ^[6][7]
• - Cairns, Australia, sister-city since March 15, 2006 ^[8]
• - Lübz, Germany, since January 2, 2003 ^[9]
• – Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China, friendship-city since October 22, 2010 ^[10]
• – Benxi, Liaoning, China, friendship-city since October 26, 2014^[9]

• Yasushi Iihara, professional baseball player ^[11]
• Masashi Ebinuma, Olympic judoka
• Hiromichi Kataura, scientist
• Hiroaki Takaya, professional baseball player^[12]
• Kosuke Hagino, Olympic gold medallist swimmer