Oirase (おいらせ町,Oirase-chō) is atown located inAomori Prefecture,Japan. As of 31 January 2023^[update], the town had an estimatedpopulation of 25,225 in 10789 households, and apopulation density of 350 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the town is 71.96 square kilometres (27.78 sq mi).

Oirase おいらせ町
Town
Oirase Town Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Oirase in Aomori Prefecture
Oirase
Coordinates:40°35′57″N141°23′51.8″E / 40.59917°N 141.397722°E /40.59917; 141.397722
Country	Japan
Region	Tōhoku
Prefecture	Aomori
District	Kamikita
Area
• Total	71.96 km2 (27.78 sq mi)
Population  (January 31, 2023)
• Total	25,225
• Density	350/km2 (910/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	0178-56-2111
Address	Naka-Shimoda 135-2, Oirase-machi, Kitakami-gun, Aomori-ken 039-2192
Website	Official website
Symbols
Bird	Swan
Flower	Sakura
Mascot	Oira-kun
Tree	Ginkgo biloba

Oirase is located on the eastern coastline of Aomori Prefecture, facing thePacific Ocean. The land is mostly flat or slightly hilly. TheOirase River, which is the origin of the town's name, flows from west to east, withLake Towada as its source.

Aomori Prefecture

• Gonohe
• Hachinohe
• Misawa
• Rokunohe

The town has a coldmaritime climate characterized by cool short summers and long cold winters with heavy snowfall (Köppen climate classificationCfa). The average annual temperature in Oirase is 10.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1158 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -1.6 °C.^[2]

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Oirase has steadily increased over the past 40 years.

During theEdo period, the area around Oirase was controlled by theNambu clan ofMorioka Domain, becoming part of the territories ofShichinohe Domain in the latter half of the Edo period. In the post-Meiji Restoration establishment of the modern municipalities system on 1 April 1889, the villages of Momoishi and Shimoda were created. Monoishi was elevated to town status on April 20, 1929 and Shimoda on August 1, 1969. The town of Oirase was established by themerger of the former towns ofMomoishi andShimoda, on March 1, 2006. The town was named after the Oirase River.

Oirase has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral town council of 16 members. Oirase is part ofKamikita District which contributes four members to the Aomori Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part ofAomori 2nd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.

The economy of Oirase is heavily dependent on agriculture, with main crops includingrice,strawberries,Japanese yam andcarrots. The town has become commercially more vibrant with the construction ofAEON Group,JuscoShopping center in 1995 and the spin-off retailing this has attracted. The major local industry isMomokawa Brewing, Inc, a nationally-knownsake brewer. Oirase also serves as abedroom community for the nearby cities of Misawa and Hachinohe.

Oirase has five public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the town government. The town has one public high school operated by the Aomori Prefectural Board of Education.

 Aoimori Railway Company -Aoimori Railway Line

• Shimoda -Mukaiyama

•  Momoishi Road
•  Second Michinoku Toll Road
•  National Route 45
•  National Route 338

• Akōbō Kofun Cluster, aKofun period National Historic Site^[4]

• Shingo Mimura, politician

  Media related toOirase, Aomori at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Website(in Japanese)