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Ōtsuchi, Iwate

Ōtsuchi
大槌町
Town
New Ōtsuchi Town Hall, June 2013
New Ōtsuchi Town Hall, June 2013
Flag of Ōtsuchi
Flag
Official seal of Ōtsuchi
Seal
Location of Ōtsuchi in Iwate Prefecture
Location of Ōtsuchi in Iwate Prefecture
Ōtsuchi is located in Japan
Ōtsuchi
Ōtsuchi
 
Coordinates: 39°21′35″N 141°54′23″E / 39.35972°N 141.90639°E / 39.35972; 141.90639Coordinates: 39°21′35″N 141°54′23″E / 39.35972°N 141.90639°E / 39.35972; 141.90639
Country Japan
Region Tōhoku
Prefecture Iwate
District Kamihei
Area
 • Total 200.59 km2 (77.45 sq mi)
Population (February 2014)
 • Total 11,833
 • Density 59/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols  
- Tree Zelkova serrata
- Flower Rhododendron
- Bird Common gull
- Fish Chum salmon
Phone number 0193-42-2111
Address 1-3 Uemachi Ōtsuchi-chō, Kamihei-gun, Iwate 028-1192
Website Official website

Ōtsuchi (大槌町 Ōtsuchi-chō?) is a town located in Kamihei District, Iwate, Japan. As of February 2014, the town had an estimated population of 11,833 and a population density of 59 persons per km2. The total area was 200.59  km2.

Since 1973, the University of Tokyo has maintained a marine research laboratory in Ōtsuchi. It is now called the International Coastal Research Center (ICRC) and is managed by the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute.

Ōtsuchi is a coastal mountainous community situated on the Sanriku Coast along the Pacific Ocean.

The area of present-day Ōtsuchi was part of ancient Mutsu Province, dominated by the Nambu clan during the Edo period, who ruled Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. The town of Ōtsuchi was created within Kamihei District with the establishment of the municipality system on April 1, 1889. The town expanded by annexation of the neighboring village of Kanazawa on April 1, 1955..

On March 11, 2011, the town was devastated by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. The tsunami obliterated the harbor and low-lying areas, while higher parts of the town were spared, though they did suffer damage from the earthquake and the many aftershocks. About half the city was inundated by the tsunami. The tsunami destroyed all but 30 of 650 fishing boats and completely wiped-out the town's sea farm industry.


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