Oshima Town, Tokyo東京都大島町

Living in Oshima Town, Tokyo

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We have Summarized the livability of Oshima Town, Tokyo.

What kind of place is Oshima Town, Tokyo?

Oshima Town is located in the Izu Islands and is characterized by its beautiful natural environment and coastline.

大島町はIt is located in the Tokyo archipelago, at the northern end of the Izu Islands, about 120 km south of central Tokyo, and is the largest island in the Izu Islands, with an area of about 90.76 square kilometers.
It has a population of about 7,000 and 4,000 households. (As of July 2023)

Oshima-cho is a beautiful island that belongs to the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, and about 97% of the island is protected by the Natural Parks Act for its natural scenery and ecosystem.
Located in the center of Oshima-cho, Mt. Mihara is a central crater cone that sits within a caldera at an altitude of 758 meters. It is also known as a mountain that has had repeated violent eruptions since ancient times, and the islanders have long revered the pillars of fire and reflections that erupt from the mountain as “God Fire”.
There have been several eruptions since the Showa era, and the most recent eruption was in 1986, which caused a major disaster in which lava flooded the villages, forcing all 10,000 islanders to evacuate to the mainland and live in evacuation centers for about a month.
Volcanic activity has since subsided, and now there is a promenade leading from inside the caldera to Mt. Mihara, as well as an observation deck, making it a tourist attraction that is visited by many visitors every year.

The island is also famous as the Camellia Island, as there are about 3 million camellias growing wild on the island.
There is a vast, well-maintained camellia garden and a camellia museum, and camellias are also highly valued as raw materials for camellia oil and handicrafts.
The Anko style, which conveys the traditional island atmosphere, is still passed down as a symbol of Oshima. Originally used as a respectful title for older women, “Anko” is said to have been corrupted to “Onee-san” (older sister), and is now used as a nickname for the unique style of island women, which consists of a kasuri kimono with an apron and a tenugui on the head.
Oshima Park is a vast park in the Izumizu district, and the park includes a zoo, one of the world’s largest camellia gardens, and a camellia museum. It is also the site of the Camellia Festival, which is held every year from January to March, and many tourists visit the festival to see the camellia gardens in full bloom and the islanders dressed in Anko.

PR video of Oshima Town, Tokyo

Feel so Izu Oshima

Izu Oshima Promotion Mountain Edition

Izu Oshima Promotion: Sea Edition

How is the traffic situation in Oshima Town?

Oshima Town is a town where the main means of transportation is by sea, and access to the mainland requires ferries and air routes.

Oshima Town does not have any railway lines, expressways, or national highways.
However, Prefectural Route 208 circles the island and is used as both a residential road and a tourist road. In areas with residential areas, there are many roads that serve as residential roads, so short trips by car are also convenient.

There are boats and planes to connect the island to the mainland.
By plane, you can use the Shin Chuo Airlines service from Tokyo Oshima Camellia Airport to Chofu Airport-Oshima Airport, or the Toho Airlines service to Miyakejima Airport-Oshima Airport.
By boat, you can use the two ports on Oshima (Motomachi Port and Okada Port) to three ports in Shizuoka Prefecture (Ito Port, Atami Port, Inatori Port), one port in Tokyo (Takeshiba Pier, Tokyo Port), and two ports in Kanagawa Prefecture (Osanbashi Pier, Yokohama Port, Kurihama Port).
You can also use the route bus (Oshima Passenger Bus) to get around the island.

How are the rent and land prices in Oshima Town?

Oshima Town is an island town with a variety of housing options, from buying to renting, where you can live close to the natural environment.

The average price per tsubo of land is about 60,000 yen per tsubo.
Oshima Town also has an “empty house bank,” where the town actively encourages the purchase and rental of properties. If you purchase a second-hand property, you can find one for under 10 million yen, so it is recommended for anyone considering living in Oshima Town.

How is childcare and education in Oshima Town?

Oshima Town: A town with a wide range of educational facilities and a natural environment where you can raise your children

Oshima Town has five nurseries, three elementary schools, three junior high schools, and two high schools.
Child medical expense assistance is available through the “Infant and Compulsory Education Schoolchild Medical Expense Subsidy System” and the “High School Student Medical Expense Subsidy System.” Both outpatient and inpatient care is available to children up to 18 years of age (as of March 31st after they turn 18), and full subsidies are available. (Some exceptions apply)
Child allowances are provided: 15,000 yen for children under 3 years old, 10,000 yen for the first and second child aged 3 or older but not yet entering elementary school, 15,000 yen for the third child and onwards, and 10,000 yen for junior high school students. (Some income restrictions apply)
The “Special Measures to Support Pregnant Women” is a system that subsidizes some of the costs of hospitalization and other expenses when giving birth outside the island. Support is provided to pregnant women who are deemed unable to give birth in a hospital on the island, with assistance provided for hospitalization, transportation, accommodation, etc.

How about shopping in Oshima Town?

Oshima Town has limited commercial facilities, so you may need to go shopping on the mainland.

There are no large supermarkets or convenience stores on the island, but there are several small and medium-sized shops, so you can buy all the groceries and household goods you need.
However, there are no stores that are open 24 hours a day, and they close at the latest at 9 p.m., so you need to be careful about the time you shop.
Samukawa Shokuhinkan is located in the Motomachi district and is a rare shop on the island that is open all year round. The store sells groceries, side dishes, and household goods, and is popular with both islanders and tourists alike.
“Foods&liquor Sasaki” is a supermarket marked by its colorful orange and yellow building, and offers a wide variety of prepared foods, alcoholic beverages, and snacks.
“Oshima Store” is located in the Kitanoyama district and is the supermarket with the best selection on the island.
At Buratto House, a direct sales store run by local farmers, you can buy fresh vegetables harvested that day on the island, as well as flowers unique to the island.
There is also a cafe corner, which sells handmade sweets made with Oshima milk and agricultural products from the island, making it a popular shopping spot for islanders and tourists alike.

How about jobs and recruitment in Oshima Town?

Oshima Town is a town that relies on employment on the island, with certain industries being the main source of employment.

The average annual income in Oshima Town is 3.22 million yen.
The main industries on the island are tourism, agriculture, fishing, and livestock farming, but all of these industries are in decline due to a decrease in tourists and successors.
Even so, efforts are being made to create new industries that incorporate elements of agriculture and fishing into the tourism industry. At the “Buratto House” farm produce shop on the island, they are developing products for tourists that incorporate local agricultural products, such as selling specialty and processed goods.
In addition, the fishing industry has opened a “Sea Market” that sells fresh seafood and marine specialties, and is used by many tourists.

Oshima Town, Tokyo’s unique subsidy/subsidy system

Oshima Town, Tokyo’s unique housing assistance and subsidy system

Oshima Town, Tokyo’s unique childcare support system

Oshima Town, Tokyo’s unique system for further education and tuition assistance/subsidies