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`Profile of Okutama Town` |
| @The whole area of Okutama Town at the northwestern end of Metropolitan
Tokyo locates in Chichibu-Tama National Park, which is familiarized as
garden spots of Tokyo. It has a vast 225.63 square kilometer area, one
ninth of the whole Metropolitan Tokyo, where the great part of the Town
is separated by a series of mountains and Tama River runs through the center
of the Town from West to East. In the 30th year of Showa, Kori Village, Hikawa Town and Ogochi Village were incorporated to be Okutama Town. @Okutama originated when "Okutama Valley", a beautiful spot in the upper portion of the Tama River was recommended as one of the 100 sceneries in Japan at the beginning of Showa era. Okutama Town cherishes water and green, and is a pleasant city where human harmonizes with Nature. Culture, traditions and living styles of mountain villages are still reserved. Therefore it is called as treasure-house of local performing arts. |
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Insignia of the Town (Established in April 1 of the 35th year of Showa, 1960) The insignia is designed from Chinese character of Oku, (back). The top triangle symbolizes mountains. The inner circle embraces Okutama Lake to show the town people's spirit of reconciliation. The bottom part symbolizes the town people's intention of building up the Town in cooperation with each other. |
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| Town Flower^Azalea | Town Tree^Japanese cedar | Town Bird^Copper pheasant |
History of Okutama Town
| April, 1955 | Kori Village, Hikawa Town, and Ogochi Village were incorporated as Town of Okutama. |
| November, 1957 | Ogochi reservoir completed, named as "Okutama Lake" |
| October, 1959 | Okutama-Koya completed at Mt. Kumotori. |
| November | The 14th National Sports Festival, Autumnal Meet, Mountaineering Division held. |
| October, 1960 | The 10th commemorative ceremony of the designation of Chichibu-Tama National
Park held in the presence of Her Imperial Highness Princess Chichibu. (At the lakeside of Okutama Lake) |
| October, 1961 | Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress's visit to Okutama Lake |
| December, 1962 | Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Transportation, Tamagawa 3rd Power Dam (Shiromaru) completed. |
| March, 1964 | "The Declaration of Traffic Safety Town" decided at the Town Council. |
| September, 1966 | Heliport completed at Mt. Kumotori. |
| April, 1967 | Olympic Commemorative Tree Planting in the presence of Mr. Azuma, Governor of Tokyo. (Kawnoridani) |
| October, 1968 | The Commemoration of 100th year of Meiji Period. "The First Town Sports Meet" held. |
| November | The Commemoration of 100th year of Meiji Period.uThe First Cultural Festivalvheld. |
| February, 1971 | Changed the station name from Hikawa to Okutama. |
| April, 1973 | Okutama Toll Road opened. (Okutama Shuyu Doro) |
| May | Welfare Hall completed. |
| April, 1974 | Okutama Fire Department inaugurated. |
| January, 1980 | Received the Outstanding Award from National Association of Town and Village Mayors. |
| October | The 30th commemorative ceremony of the designation of the National Park held in the presence of Their Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and Princess. (At the Dam side of Okutama Lake) |
| July, 1982 | The Performance Award for Conservation of Water Resource received from Director-General of the National Land Agency. |
| April, 1983 | The Third Sector, "Okutama Sogo Kaihatsu Co., Ltd." inaugurated. |
| April, 1984 | Declared "Town for Forest Bathing" as Midori-to-Mizu-no-Fureai-no-Sato, (Home like place with bountiful greenery and water). |
| May | New City Hall completed and public service started. |
| November, 1985 | Town Charter established as one of the activities of 30th year anniversary in commemoration of the enforcement of the Town organization. |
| November, 1987 | Received the Award for superior administrative management from Ministry of Home Affairs at the ceremony of the 40th year anniversary of the enforcement of Autonomic law and the 100th year anniversary of the publication of Autonomic law. |
| February, 1990 | Japanese cypress of Kurasawa chosen as one of a new version of the 100 best trees. |
| May | Okutama Town Green Events ("Kyoboku-no-Sato (Home with Gigantic Trees)" symposium and "Forest Bathing" healthy walk) held. |
| February, 1992 | His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince climbed Mt. Sobatsubu. |
| August, October | Sent junior-high school students and wife wives to Australia. |
| November | 5,142th asteroid named as "Okutama". |
| April, 1993 | Enforced the ordinance of cash contribution for childbirth in Okutama Town. Tokehara General Athletic Park opened. |
| July | Okutama Tomin-no-Mori opened. |
| August, 1994 | World wide famous musician, "Kitaro's concert" held. |
| October | Okutama Shinrin-Kan opened. |
| February, 1995 | Started "Letters to Mayor". |
| April | Silver Work Plaza opened. |
| May | The First Okutama Cup Canoe Competition held. |
| August | Okutama Bunka Kaikan (Culture Center) opened. Forest around Mt. Kawanori chosen as one of "the 100 Forests of Water Source". |
| November | Their Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and Crown Princess climbed Mt. Kumotori. |
| April, 1996 | Okutama Ohashi (bridge) completed. Okutama Health and Welfare Center opened. |
| July, 1997 | Nippara Furusato (Home town) Museum opened. |
| October | The First Okutama Town Commemorative Tree Planting held. |
| December | Achieved 6,000 days without death toll caused by fire. |
| January, 1998 | Okutama Station chosen as one of the best 100 stations in Kanto District. |
| April | Established amicable relations with Chunjan Prefecture, Zhejiang Province
of People's Republic of China. Service Center for Senior Citizens' Housing and Home Care Service Station opened. |
| July | Public sewerage around Okutama Lake became available. Okutama Hot Spring, "Moegi-no-Yu Hot Sping" opened. |
| August | Freight trains for limestone abolished. The First Seminar on the Sea held. |
| October | Furusato (Home town) post card publicized. |
| November | "Okutama Mizu-to-Midori-no-Fureai-Kan" opened. |
| December | "Okutama bland, "Okutama Yamane fish" born. |
| April, 1999 | "Place for Buckwheat noodle kneading experience" opened. |
| October | Okutama Town Home Care Support Center opened. |
| March, 2000 | Telephone services by cable broadcasting terminated. |
| April | Radio station opened for disaster prevention management. |
| August | Okutama Hot Spring, "Moegi-no-Yu" attained 300,000 visitors. |
| September | Achieved 7,000 days without death toll caused by fire. |
| October | The 50th commemorative ceremony of the designation of Chichibu-Tama National Park held. |
| March, 2001 | Okutama branch school of Tokyo Metropolitan Government-run Tama High School closed. |
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