Chikusei, Ibaraki

Chikusei 筑西市
City
Chikusei city hall
Flag Seal
Location of Chikusei in Ibaraki Prefecture
Chikusei
Coordinates: 36°18′25.5″N 139°58′59.3″E / 36.307083°N 139.983139°ECoordinates: 36°18′25.5″N 139°58′59.3″E / 36.307083°N 139.983139°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Ibaraki Prefecture
Area
• Total	205.30 km^2 (79.27 sq mi)
Population (September 2015)
• Total	104,136
• Density	507/km^2 (1,310/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Sakura
- Flower	Japanese pear and cosmos
- Bird	Barn swallow
Phone number	0296-24-2111
Address	732-1 Shimonakayama, Chikusei-shi, Ibaraki-ken 308-8616
Website	Official website

Chikusei (筑西市 Chikusei-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 104,136 and a population density of 507 persons per km². Its total area was 205.30  km².

Geography

Located in southwestern Ibaraki Prefecture, Chikusei is located on the west side of Mount Tsukuba and is bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the north. The Kinugawa River and the Kokaigawa River flow through the city. The city is located about 70 kilometers north of downtown Tokyo.

Noted products of Chikusei include koshihikari (rice), nashi (pears), small watermelons, cucumbers, strawberries, and tomatoes.

Surrounding municipalities

• Ibaraki Prefecture
  • Yūki
  • Shimotsuma
  • Tsukuba
  • Sakuragawa
  • Yashiyo
• Tochigi Prefecture
  • Oyama
  • Mooka

History

During the Edo period, parts of the modern city of Chikusei were administered by Shimodate Domain, one of the feudal domains of the Tokugawa shogunate. With the creation of the municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration on April 1, 1889, the town of Shimodate,was established within Makabe District, Ibaraki). Shimodate was raised to city status on March 15, 1954

The modern city of Chikusei was established on March 28, 2005, from the merger of the city of Shimodate, and towns of Akeno, Kyōwa and Sekijō (all from Makabe District)

Education

Chikusei has 20 elementary schools, 7 middle schools and 4 high schools.

Transportation

Train

• JR East – Mito Line
  • Kawashima - Tamado - Shimodate - Niihari
• Kanto Railway – Jōsō Line
  • Kurogo - Ōtagō - Shimodate
• Mooka Railway
  • Shimodate - Shimodate-Nikōmae - Orimoto - Higuchi

Highway

• Kita-Kantō Expressway (nearest interchange is Moka IC in neighboring Mooka)]
• Japan National Route 50
• Japan National Route 294
• Japan National Route 408

Local attractions

• site of Seki Castle (national historic landmark)
• site of Isa Castle
• Funatama kofun
• site of Kogeta Castle
• site of Shimodate Castle
• Shimodate Gion Festival

Noted people from Chikusei

• Hazan Itaya, ceramist
• Norihiko Akagi, politician
• Shingo Katayama, golfer
• Yōko Teppōzuka, voice actress

External links

Media related to Chikusei, Ibaraki at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (Japanese)
• Chikusei City area guide (Japanese)