Okayama

This article is about the city in Japan. For the prefecture with the same name where this city is located, see Okayama Prefecture. For other uses, see Okayama (disambiguation).
Okayama
岡山市
Designated city
Okayama City
(From top, left to right : Okayama Castle • Okayama Kōraku-en Garden • Kibitsu Jinja • Kibidango • Omote-chō shopping arcade • Nishigawa Green Park)
(From top, left to right : Okayama Castle • Okayama Kōraku-en Garden • Kibitsu Jinja • Kibidango • Omote-chō shopping arcade • Nishigawa Green Park)
Flag of Okayama
Flag
Official seal of Okayama
Seal
Map
Location of Okayama in Okayama Prefecture
Okayama is located in Japan
Okayama
Okayama
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 34°39′N 133°55′E / 34.650°N 133.917°E / 34.650; 133.917
CountryJapan
RegionChūgoku (San'yō)
PrefectureOkayama
Government
 • MayorMasao Omori
Area
 • Total
789.95 km2 (305.00 sq mi)
Population
 (February 1, 2023)
 • Total
700,940
 • Density890/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address1-1-1 Daitomo, Kita-ku, Okayama-shi, Okayama-ken 700-8544
WebsiteOfficial website
Symbols
BirdRed-crowned crane
FlowerChrysanthemum
TreeIlex rotunda; Lagerstroemia indica
Okayama City Hall
View near Okayama Station

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.[1] As of February 2023, the city has an estimated population of 700,940 and a population density of 890 people per km2.[2] The total area is 789.95 square kilometres (305.00 square miles).

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.[3] The city is famous as the setting of the Japanese fable Momotarō.[4] Okayama joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016.

  1. ^ "Overview of Okayama City/Okayama city (Okayama-shi) is the capital of Okayama Prefecture". City.okayama.jp. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Official website of Okayama city" (in Japanese). Japan: Okayama City. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Castles / List of Japanese Castles". Japan-Guide.com. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  4. ^ ""Momotaro", a folk tale and Kibiji District". City.okayama.jp. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.