Ōno, Fukui Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Ōno is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The town is encircled by a ring of mountains and the only way in or out is via tunnels or mountain roads.

Geography Ōno is located in mountainous north-eastern Fukui Prefecture, bordered by Ishikawa Prefecture to the north and Gifu Prefecture to the east and south. The city is geographically the largest municipality in Fukui Prefecture, occupying one fifth of the prefecture's territory. The Kuzuryū River flows through the city. Parts of the city are within the borders of Hakusan National Park.

Neighbouring municipalities • Fukui Prefecture ◦ Katsuyama ◦ Fukui ◦ Ikeda • Ishikawa Prefecture ◦ Hakusan • Gifu Prefecture ◦ Takayama ◦ Gujō ◦ Seki ◦ Motosu ◦ Ibigawa.

History Ōno is part of ancient Echizen Province. During the Edo period, Ōno developed as the castle town of Ōno Domain. Following the Meiji restoration, it was organised into part of Ōno District in Fukui Prefecture. Much of the old town of Ōno was destroyed in a fire on April 8, 1888. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. the town of Ōno was established. Ōno merged with the villages of Shimosho, Kamisho, Goka, Sakadani, Tomida, Inuigawa and Oyama and was raised to city status on July 1, 1954. Ōno annexed the neighbouring village of Nishitani on July 1, 1970. On November 7, 2005, the village of Izumi was merged into Ōno. Ōno and the surroundings were the setting for the 2011 non-fiction book For Fukui's Sake, written by a British author who resided there for two years.

Government Ōno has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.

Economy The economy of Ōno is mixed, with agriculture, forestry and seasonal tourism playing prominent roles.

Railway • JR West - Etsumi-Hoku Line ◦ Ushigahara - Kita-Ōno - Echizen-Ōno - Echizen-Tano - Echizen-Tomida - Shimoyuino - Kakigashima - Kadohara - Echizen-Shimoyama - Kuzuryūko

Highway • E67 Chubu-Jukan Expressway • National Route 157 • National Route 158 • National Route 364 • National Route 418 • National Route 476.