ÅŒtaki, Nagano
| ÅŒtaki 王æ»æ‘ | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
|
ÅŒtaki village hall | |
 Location of ÅŒtaki in Nagano Prefecture | |
  ÅŒtaki Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 35°49′N 137°33′E / 35.817°N 137.550°ECoordinates: 35°49′N 137°33′E / 35.817°N 137.550°E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region |
ChÅ«bu KÅshin'etsu |
| Prefecture | Nagano Prefecture |
| District | Kiso |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hiroshi Seto |
| Symbols | |
| • Tree | Hinoki cypress |
| Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) |
| City Hall Address |
3623 Kamijo, ÅŒtaki-mura, Kiso-gun, Nagano-ken 397-0201 |
| Website |
www |
ÅŒtaki (王æ»æ‘ ÅŒtaki-mura) is a village located in Kiso District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
History
- 1504: There remains a record of ÅŒtaki being established at this time as part of the Chikuma Region of Shinano
- 1868: Takigoshi Village (æ»è¶Šæ‘)is incorporated as part of ÅŒtaki.
- 1871: With the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, ÅŒtaki becomes part of Nagoya Prefecture, but is amalgamated, along with other prefectures, in November of that year to become part of Chikuma Prefecture.
- 1876: The section of Chikuma Prefecture where ÅŒtaki is located becomes part of Nagano Prefecture, thus becoming ÅŒtaki Village, Chikuma District, Nagano Prefecture.
- -1917: Construction begins on the ÅŒtaki forest railroad (çŽ‹æ» æ£®æž—é‰„é“)
- June 30, 1975: The ÅŒtaki forest railroad is decommissioned with the last run of the "Yamabato" train.
- May 1, 1968: The Chikuma District has its name changed to its current "Kiso District".
- 1979: Mt. Ontake erupts.
- September 14, 1984: Nagano Western Earthquake causes a section of Mt. Ontake to crumble and flow into the ÅŒtaki Valley. 29 people are reported dead or missing and 87 homes are destroyed.
Present-day ÅŒtaki
 ÅŒtaki Land-use |
At present ÅŒtaki's land area is 310.86 km2 of which 295.85 km2 (95%) is forestland; 86% of which is designated national forest. This is a pattern that has developed over time starting in the 16th century when a large majority of forestland in the Kiso Valley was claimed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in part to build his castle at Inuyama.
Demographically, Ōtaki is undergoing drastic changes. The population structure of Ōtaki is similar to that found in rural areas across Japan; a rising elderly population coupled with a decline in overall population. Ōtaki’s population currently stands at 995, down from 1,768 in 1980. During this same period the rate of elderly residents has risen to 32.4%. Though tourism remains the primary industry in Ōtaki, tourist numbers (including skiers and worshipers) have declined in recent years. After tourism, manufacturing jobs are the most prevalent, followed finally by agriculture. On the ground, this pattern takes the form of elderly residents engaging in agricultural work, while younger family members (if any remain in the village) work outside of the home.
Ōtaki is struggling economically, due in large part to public debt accrued through the building and management of Ontake 2240 ski hill. For 2008 roughly 3/4 of Ōtaki’s annual budget is slated for administrative and financial operations, with almost a quarter of this being used to pay back public debt. This leaves only a fraction of funds for use in providing basic services such as sanitation, health, and education. Major cuts have been made to the salaries of village employees and to money spent social, cultural, and educational activities.
External links
Media related to ÅŒtaki, Nagano at Wikimedia Commons- ÅŒtaki official website (Japanese)
- In The Pines blog about ÅŒtaki (English)
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