Okuike, Ashiya

Okuike （おくいけ） is a small lake, with adjoining reservoir lake "Okuyama Chosuichi" and surrounding high-class residential area located in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. It is close to the major cities of Kobe and Osaka and is part of the Kansai region of Japan. Okuike is located on a height of about 500–600 meters above sea level on the Southern aspect, and towards the Eastern part of Mount Rokkō. The "village" of Okuike has around 730 properties and is often referred to as the "Beverly Hills of Japan", Okuike has an excellent natural landscape in residential areas due to regulations such as Japan's only "Mansion Ordinance" and the Natural Parks Act and the fact that building can only be constructed on existing plots of land and no subdivision can occur. The altitude of Okuike means there are far reaching views, sometimes of 100 km or more, across Osaka Bay towards Nara prefecture, Wakayama prefecture, Awajishima, Shikoku, Kansai International Airport, Osaka & Kobe, Akashi Kaikyō Bridge and the Seto Inland Sea National Park. Access is by the toll road. ()