Okayama
Okayama (岡山市, Okayama-shi, Japanese: [okaꜜjama]) is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The Okayama metropolitan area, centered around the city, has the largest urban employment zone in the Chugoku region of western Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1889. As of February 2023, the city has an estimated population of 700,940 and a population density of 890 persons per km2. The total area is 789.95 square kilometres (305.00 square miles).
Okayama
岡山市 | |
|---|---|
| Okayama City | |
(From top, left to right : Okayama Castle • Okayama Kōraku-en Garden • Kibitsu Jinja • Kibidango • Omote-chō shopping arcade • Nishigawa Green Park) | |
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Flag Seal | |
Location of Okayama in Okayama Prefecture | |
Okayama Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 34°39′N 133°55′E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Chūgoku (San'yō) |
| Prefecture | Okayama |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masao Omori |
| Area | |
| • Total | 789.95 km2 (305.00 sq mi) |
| Population (February 1, 2023) | |
| • Total | 700,940 |
| • Density | 890/km2 (2,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 1-1-1 Daitomo, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken 700-8544 |
| Website | Official website |
| Symbols | |
| Bird | Red-crowned crane |
| Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Tree | Ilex rotunda; Lagerstroemia indica |
The city is the site of Kōraku-en, known as one of the top three traditional gardens in Japan, and Okayama Castle, which is ranked among the best 100 Japanese castles. The city is famous as the setting of the Japanese fable Momotarō. Okayama joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016.