Ushiku, Ibaraki

Ushiku 牛久市
City
Ushiku city hall Ushiku city hall
Flag of Ushiku Flag Official seal of Ushiku Seal
Location of Ushiku in Ibaraki Prefecture Location of Ushiku in Ibaraki Prefecture
Ushiku
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Ibaraki Prefecture
Area
• Total	58.92 km2 (22.75 sq mi)
Population (September 2015)
• Total	84,285
• Density	1,430/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Osmanthus fragrans
- Flower	Chrysanthemum
- Bird	Japanese bush warbler
Phone number	029-873-2111
Address	3-15-1 Chuo, Ushiku-shi, Ibaraki-ken 300-1292
Website	Official website

Ushiku (牛久市, Ushiku-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. As of September 2015, the city had an estimated population of 84,285 and a population density of 1,430 persons per km². Its total area was 58.92 square kilometres (22.75 sq mi).

Geography

Ushiku is located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, in the low-lying marshy flatlands south of Lake Kasumigaura. It is about 50 kilometers from central Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities

• Ibaraki Prefecture
  • Tsuchiura
  • Tsukuba
  • Ryūgasaki
  • Inashiki
  • Ami

History

The area of Ushuku developed as a castle town around Ushiku Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period.

The village of Ushiku was created with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On January 1, 1954 it was elevated to town status and to city status on June 1, 1986.

Economy

Ushiku is a local commercial center and has a small industrial park, however, the local economy remains based on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation .

Education

Ushiku has eight elementary schools, six middle schools, and four high schools.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East – Jōban Line
  • Ushiku - Hitachino-Ushiku

Highway

• Ken-Ō Expressway
• Japan National Route 6
• Japan National Route 408

Sister city relations

• Hitachiōta, Ibaraki, Japan (1986)
• Shikama, Miyagi, Japan (1988)
• Greve in Chianti, Italy (2013)
• Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada (1985)
• Orange, New South Wales, Australia (1986)

Local attractions

• Ushiku Daibutsu, one of the world's tallest statues
• Chateau Kamiya, a wine chateau started in 1901
• Ushikunuma, a scenic lake that is said to be the birthplace of the mythical Kappa (folklore) beast.

Noted people from Ushiku

• Kiyomi Niwata, Olympic triathelete
• Takumi Kobe, professional baseball player
• Shigeki Osawa, mixed martial artist

External links

• Official website (Japanese)