Article

12443 ／おんじゆくまち

Chiba Prefecture 夷隅郡

Onjuku Town

A white tower above the rescue beach.

Japan-Spain-Mexico Monument

Photo by Mytho88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Tsuki no Sabaku statue

Kato Masao moved in 1976to the town of the memorial statue.

Tsuki no Sabaku statue in Onjuku Town — Photo by くろふね (CC BY-SA 4.0)

According to the pamphlet of the town's museum honoring Kato Masao, lyricist of "Tsuki no Sabaku" (The Moonlit Desert), the memorial statue was set up on Onjuku's dunes in July 1969. Kato wrote the school song of Iwawada Elementary School in 1974 and moved to Onjuku in 1976.

Memorial statue erected July 1969
School song of Iwawada Elementary School, 1974
Moved to Onjuku in 1976

02 ／ Don Rodrigo landing site

Iwawada, a village of about 300 people,rescued over 300 of the crew.

In 1609 villagers rescued the crew of a wrecked ship and shared clothes and food, the town says. The prefectural board of education records that the lord of Otaki Castle, Honda Tadatomo, had the party stay at Daiguji Temple. The landing site is about 1 km from the monument.

Prefecturally designated historic site (designated 2 December 1966)
317 of 373 aboard were rescued
Iwawada then had about 300 people, per the town

03 ／ Origin of the name

Onjuku's name is said to come fromHojo Tokiyori's stay at Saimyoji Temple.

The town explains that the name Onjuku arose when Hojo Tokiyori lodged at Saimyoji Temple in Suka in the Kamakura period. It says there are several theories but this tradition is widely held. The grounds hold a pair of ginkgo trees designated by the town, and the town presents the porch carvings as the work of Nami no Ihachi.

First described in a 1762 text
Several theories on the name
The paired ginkgos are town-designated

Onjuku Town from the sky

Now and 1974–78. Tap a photo to zoom in.

Now1974–78

Wide (about 6 km across)

Close (about 1.5 km across)

Now (shot July–August 2024)Shot 1974–78

Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) GSI Tiles（全国最新写真（シームレス）／国土画像情報（第一期：1974〜1978年撮影））

Open in GSI Maps (now)Open in GSI Maps (1974–78)

Living here

80 minutes from Tokyo Station by Limited Express Wakashio.

about 7,000 people
90 min to a city centre
Rural district town

Onjuku Station, the town's only station, is on the Sotobo Line. The fastest daily train is the Limited Express Wakashio, 80 minutes from Tokyo Station (October 2026 timetable). The town gives about 1 hour 20 minutes from Tokyo Station.

People living here: 6,874people
Area: 24.85km²
Households: 3,092households
Rent (average for rentals): —
Healthcare: 0 hospitals ／ 5 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —1 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Onjuku Town in Japan35.191°N 140.349°E

to TokyoLtd. exp. Wakashio80min

Travel times follow JR東日本『駅の時刻表』（データは『JR時刻表』2026年10月号に基づく。ページの運行日カレンダーは2026年9月18日〜12月31日）。御宿駅（駅コード0407）の下り（安房鴨川方面）の平日・土曜休日の両方の時刻表に載る列車ページ（列車ごとの停車駅と時刻）を、docs/handoff/tools/jr_count.py を『毎日』だけに絞って写した版で数えた（東京の『発』→御宿の『着』）。 (checked 2026-10-22). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 2 municipalities.

Territory of Onjuku Town

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (Administrative Area Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari.Lakes: National Land Numerical Information (Lake Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari. Prepared with the approval of the Director-General of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, using its Digital Map 25000 (Spatial Data Framework) and Digital Map 25000 (Place Names and Public Facilities). (承認番号平27情使、第585号)

North to south

5.6km

Isumi City, Katsuura City

Onjuku Town isthis kind of town.

01On a hill in Iwawada stands a white monument built in 1928. Called the Nichi-Sei-Boku Sangoku Kotsu Hassho Kinen no Hi, it commemorates the rescue of a ship's crew in 1609
02The town's museum presents the work of Kato Masao, lyricist of "Tsuki no Sabaku", who moved to Onjuku in 1976, after the memorial statue was set up
03Onjuku's name is said to come from Hojo Tokiyori's stay at Saimyoji Temple; the town says this tradition is widely held among several theories

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Onjuku Town official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes