OMIYA

city, Saitama ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, north of Tokyo. It is the site of the Shinto Hikawa Shrine, said to have been established in the 5th century BC. During the Tokugawa period (16031867) Omiya was a post town. Its growth since 1891 has been as a major railway junction. The city contains a large workshop of the Japanese National Railways and a vast switchyard. Its park is known for its cherry blossoms. Pop. (1988 est.) 390,765.