Suō-Ōshima (周防大島町) is a town and an island located in Ōshima District, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. Suō-Ōshima was formed on October 1, 2004 from the merger of the former towns of Ōshima, Kuka, Tachibana and Tōwa, all from towns of Ōshima District. As of April 1, 2017, the town has an estimated population of 13,774. The total area is 138.17 km2. Suo-Oshima has established a sister island relationship with the County of Kauai, Hawaii in 1963. A 50th Anniversary commemoration was held on Kauai in October 2013. Current Mayors Takumi Shiiki (Suo-Oshima) and Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. (Kauai) signed a Reaffirmation of Friendship agreement.

Geography

Climate

Suō-Ōshima has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is much higher in summer than in winter. The average annual temperature in Suō-Ōshima is 16.0 C. The average annual rainfall is 1736.1 mm with June as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 C, and lowest in January, at around 6.0 C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Suō-Ōshima was 35.7 C on 20 August 2023; the coldest temperature ever recorded was -6.8 C on 27 February 1981.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Suō-Ōshima in 2020 is 14,798 people. Suō-Ōshima has been conducting censuses since 1920.

Education

Schools in Suo-Oshima: Oshima Shosen, Suo-Oshima High School Junior High Schools: Towa JHS, Kuka JHS, Agenosho JHS, Oshima JHS Elementary Schools: Yuda ES, Morino ES, Joyama ES, Kuka ES, Agenosho ES, Shimanaka ES, Meishin ES, Migama ES, Okiura ES

Transportation

Highway