The villages of Nakano, Takashima and Nagae were created within Ōra District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration.

However, on September 30, 1956 the former Nakae village was transferred from Chiyoda to Nakajima, and Nakajma was renamed Ōra on January 1, 1957.

Ōra has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members.

In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Tōbu Railway –Tōbu Koizumi Line Media related to Ōra, Gunma at Wikimedia Commons