 After the Meiji Restoration, Ōtawara Town was established with the creation of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889.On December 1, 1954, the town of Ōtawara and the villages of Chikasono and Kaneda combined to form the city of Ōtawara.On December 31, 1954, part of Nozaki Town was annexed by the city.