Obama, Fukui facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Obama, Japan" redirects here. For the former town in Nagasaki, see Obama, Nagasaki.

Quick facts for kids

Obama

小浜市

City

Obama City Hall

Flag

Seal

Location of Obama in Fukui Prefecture

Obama

Location in Japan

Chūbu (Hokuriku)

Area

• Total

233.09 km² (90.00 sq mi)

Population

(August 1, 2018)

• Total

29,435

• Density

126.282/km² (327.068/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)

Phone number

0770-53-1111

Address

6-3 Ote-machi, Obama-shi, Fukui-ken 917-8585

Climate

Cfa


Symbols
Flower	Azalea
Tree	Maple

Obama (Japanese: 小浜市, Hepburn: Obama-shi) is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As of August 1, 2018, about 29,435 people lived there in 12,057 households. The city covers an area of about 233 square kilometers (90 square miles).

Obama became well-known around the world in 2008. This happened because it shares its name with Barack Obama. He was running for, and later became, the President of the United States.

What Does "Obama" Mean?

The name Obama means "small beach" in Japanese.

Where is Obama Located?

Obama is in the far southwest part of Fukui Prefecture. To the south, it borders Shiga Prefecture. To the north, it has a beautiful, curvy coastline along Obama Bay. This bay is part of the Sea of Japan.

Obama is directly north of Kyoto, a famous historical city. It takes about four to seven hours to reach Obama by train from Tokyo. Some parts of the city are inside the Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park. This is a special area protected for its natural beauty.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Fukui Prefecture
- Wakasa
- Ōi
Shiga Prefecture
- Takashima

Obama's Climate

Obama has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, wet summers. Winters are cold and often have heavy snowfall. The average temperature in Obama is about 14.8 degrees Celsius (58.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The city gets a lot of rain, about 2018.7 millimeters (79.5 inches) each year. September is usually the wettest month.

Temperatures are highest in August, averaging around 27.0 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit). January is the coldest month, with an average of about 3.8 degrees Celsius (38.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

How Many People Live in Obama?

Based on Japanese census data, the number of people living in Obama has slowly gone down. The population was highest in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with about 38,500 residents.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1940	38,554	—
1950	36,236	−6.0%
1960	33,702	−7.0%
1970	38,138	+13.2%
1980	34,049	−10.7%
1990	33,774	−0.8%
2000	33,295	−1.4%
2010	31,340	−5.9%
2020	28,991	−7.5%

A Brief History of Obama

Obama has been an important seaport for a very long time. It had connections to other parts of Asia even before written history began in Japan. Old Chinese artifacts have been found in ancient tombs here.

From the Asuka period and Nara period, Obama supplied salt and seafood to the emperor's family. It was also the capital of Wakasa Province. Many old temples and cultural sites from the Nara and Heian period can be found in Obama. The city even calls itself "Nara by the sea" to attract tourists.

Because of its location, Obama was a stop for travelers between China and Kyoto. This meant the area was influenced by Chinese culture for many years. You can still see buildings in the Sancho-machi area that show this Chinese influence.

During the Edo period, Obama was a castle town for the Obama Domain. It was ruled by the powerful Sakai clan. The town remained an important port for coastal trade. It was also the start of the Saba-kaidō, or "Mackerel highway." This road connected the Sea of Japan to Kyoto.

Obama became a modern town on April 1, 1889. It officially became a city on March 30, 1951, after joining with nearby towns. Sadly, Obama is also one of the places where Japanese citizens were taken by North Korean agents on July 7, 1978.

What is Obama's Economy Like?

Obama's economy is a mix of different activities. Agriculture (farming) and commercial fishing are very important. Tourism is also growing, especially during certain seasons. Local crafts are also a big part of the economy. These include Wakasa lacquered chopsticks and agate accessories.

Schools and Learning in Obama

Obama has 17 public elementary schools and two middle schools. These are run by the city government. There are also three public high schools, managed by the Fukui Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also has one special education school.

Fukui Prefectural University has a campus in Obama since 1992. Its Research Center for Marine Bioresources is known for its work. They study how to protect marine life, raise fish, prevent fish diseases, and understand tiny ocean plants. The university also has departments for Economics, Nursing, Arts and Sciences, and Biotechnology.

How to Get Around Obama

Railway

JR West – Obama Line
- Shin-Hirano, Higashi-Obama, Obama, Seihama, Kato

Highway

Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway
National Route 27
National Route 162

International Connections

Obama has connections with other cities around the world. These are called sister cities and friendship cities.

Sister cities

Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
Nara, Nara, Japan
Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

Friendship cities

Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, Japan
Pinghu, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China

Places to Visit in Obama

Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park: A beautiful national park.
Wakasahiko Shrine: An important historical shrine.
Wakasa Kokubun-ji: A provincial temple.
Mantoku-ji: A Buddhist temple with a famous Japanese garden.
Site of Obama Castle: Where an old castle once stood.
Site of Nochiseyama Castle: Another historic castle site.
Myōtsū-ji: A Buddhist temple.
Hosshinji: A working Zen monastery.
Wakasa Historical and Folk Museum: Learn about the area's history and culture.
Bukkokuji: Another working Zen monastery.

Festivals in Obama

The Omizu-okuri (Water Carrying) Festival is held every March 2. During this event, water is taken from the Onyu River. It is then offered to a special image at the temple. This tradition is over 1,200 years old!

Obama and Barack Obama

The city of Obama became very famous because it shares its name with former U.S. President Barack Obama. This story began in 2006. Senator Obama was interviewed by a Japanese TV network. He mentioned that a customs officer at Narita International Airport said he was from Obama.

The Obama City Hall heard about this interview. The mayor, Toshio Murakami, sent Senator Obama some gifts. These included the city's famous lacquer chopsticks, a DVD about the city, and a letter. He wished Senator Obama good luck.

As Senator Obama's presidential campaign grew, more local businesses joined in. They held parties and put up "Go Obama!" posters. They also sold "I love Obama" T-shirts. Some even made Japanese sweets called manjū with Senator Obama's face on them. A hula dance group started in the town. They did this to honor Senator Obama's home state of Hawaii. The group even visited Honolulu to perform at a festival.

President Obama later thanked the town for their gifts and support. He said he looked forward to continued friendship between the two nations. He also hoped for a better, freer world.

It's interesting that some Japanese people have the surname Obama. Even though the former American President has Kenyan heritage, some Japanese and East African names can sound similar.

After Barack Obama won the 2008 United States presidential election, the Mayor of Obama City made an announcement. He said he planned to have a statue of Barack Obama made. It would be placed in front of the city hall. This would be a reminder of the historic moment for the name Obama.

On January 20, 2009, the day Barack Obama became president, Obama city celebrated. Women danced the hula at the Hagaji Temple. On November 14, 2009, President Obama spoke in Tokyo. He specifically mentioned Obama city and its citizens. In 2013, Obama mayor Koji Matsuzaki gave a red lacquer pen to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This was meant for President Obama.