Sodegaura

Sodegaura 袖ヶ浦市
City
Flag of Sodegaura Flag Official seal of Sodegaura Seal
Location of Sodegaura in Chiba Prefecture Location of Sodegaura in Chiba Prefecture
Sodegaura
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba Prefecture
Government
• - Mayor	Kiyoshi Deguchi (since November 2007)
Area
• Total	94.92 km2 (36.65 sq mi)
Population (April 2012)
• Total	60,391
• Density	636/km2 (1,650/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Symbols
• Tree	Castanopsis
• Flower	Lilium auratum
• Bird	Japanese bush-warbler
Phone number	0438-62-2111
Address	1-1 Sakato Ichiba, Sodegaura-shi, Chiba-ken 299-0292
Website	www.city.sodegaura.chiba.jp

File:Sodegaura-City-Hall.JPG

Sodegaura City Office

Sodegaura (袖ヶ浦市, Sodegaura-shi) is a city located in the west-center Bōsō Peninsula of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, bordered by Tokyo Bay to the west.

As of April 2012, the city has an estimated population of 60,391 and a population density of 636 persons per km². The total area is 94.92 km².

Surrounding municipalities

• Ichihara, Chiba
• Kisarazu, Chiba

History

Sodegaura is mentioned in the Nara period chronicle Kojiki in connection with the Yamatotakeru mythology, and at that time applied to the entire western coastline of the Boso Peninsula. Modern Sodegaura was part of Kimitsu District from the Meiji period. Sodegaura Town was formed on March 31, 1955 from the merger of the town of Shōwa with the neighboring village of Nagaura and a portion of the village of Negata. It expanded through merger with the town of Hirakawa on November 3, 1971. On April 1, 1991 it was elevated to city status.

Economy

Sodegaura is an important part of the Keiyō Industrial Zone. The industrial Port of Chiba ranges from Funabashi in the north to Sodegaura in the south. Heavy industry, especially oil refineries and chemical processing, is located on reclaimed land in the city.

Transportation

Railway

• Jr East – Uchibō Line
  • Nagaura - Sodegaura

• Jr East – Kururi Line
  • Yokota - Higashi-Yokota

Highway

• Tateyama Expressway
• Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
• Japan National Route 16
• Japan National Route 409
• Japan National Route 410

Sister city relations

• Itajaí, Brazil, from January 31, 1979

Notable people from Sodegaura

• Nozomi Hiroyama – professional soccer player

External links

• Sodegaura City official website (Japanese)