Ogata

The former name of a town (Ogatamachi) in Nakakubiki District, southwest of Niigata Prefecture. Currently, it is a district occupying the northwest of Joetsu City. In 1957 (Showa 32), it was incorporated as a town called Katamachi. On the same day, it was renamed Ogatamachi. In 2005 (Heisei 17), it was incorporated into Joetsu City along with Yasuzuka Town, Kakizaki Town, Yoshikawa Town, Itakura Town, Nadachi Town, Uragawara Village, Oshima Village, Maki Village, Kubiki Village, Nakago Village, Kiyosato Village, and Sanwa Village. The old town area is located on the Kubiki Sand Dunes on the Japan Coast, and is accessed by the JR Shinetsu Main Line, the Hokuetsu Express Hokuhoku Line, and National Route 8. In the early modern period, it was a semi-agricultural, semi-fishing village along the Hokkoku Kaido Highway, and was known for growing vegetables in the sand dune fields. However, around 1958, with the development of the Kubiki oil and gas fields by Teikoku Oil (now INPEX), the town suddenly became a bustling oil town. Crude oil production peaked in 1964, but has since declined, with only a few dozen oil drilling pits now visible along the coastline and inland. With the construction of Naoetsu Port, the development of the Joetsu coastal industrial area, and the development of the Hokuriku Expressway, the area has become a newly developed residential and industrial area. There are hot springs such as Unohama Onsen and a swimming beach.

[Hisao Yamazaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

新潟県南西部、中頸城郡(なかくびきぐん)にあった旧町名（大潟町(まち)）。現在は、上越(じょうえつ)市の北西部を占める一地区。1957年（昭和32）潟町(かたまち)町として町制施行。同日大潟町と改称。2005年（平成17）安塚(やすづか)町、柿崎(かきざき)町、吉川(よしかわ)町、板倉(いたくら)町、名立(なだち)町、浦川原(うらがわら)村、大島(おおしま)村、牧(まき)村、頸城(くびき)村、中郷(なかごう)村、清里(きよさと)村、三和(さんわ)村とともに上越市に編入。旧町域は、日本海岸の頸城砂丘上にあり、JR信越本線、北越急行ほくほく線、国道8号が通じる。近世は北国街道(ほっこくかいどう)に沿う半農半漁の浜漁村で砂丘畑の野菜作りで知られたが、1958年ごろから帝国石油（現、国際石油開発帝石）の頸城油・ガス田の開発で、一躍石油の町としてにぎわった。原油生産は1964年にピークを迎えたがその後生産量は減退し、海岸線や内陸部に採油装置が数十坑みられる程度となった。直江津(なおえつ)港の築港や、上越臨海工業地域の発展と北陸自動車道の開発で、新興住宅地や工場地に変わった。鵜ノ浜温泉(うのはまおんせん)や海水浴場などがある。

［山崎久雄］

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