# Sakura, Chiba

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**Sakura** (佐倉市, *Sakura-shi*, saꜜ.kɯ.ɾa, sa.kɯ.ɾaꜜ.ɕi[1][a]) is a [city](/source/Cities_of_Japan) located in [Chiba Prefecture](/source/Chiba_Prefecture), [Japan](/source/Japan). As of 01 November 2020, the city had an estimated population of 173,740 in 78,483 households and a [population density](/source/Population_density) of 1700 people per km2 (4300 per sq. mi.).[2] The total area of the city is 103.59 square kilometres (40.00 sq mi).

## Geography

Sakura is located in northeastern Chiba Prefecture on the [Shimōsa Plateau](/source/Shim%C5%8Dsa_Plateau).[3] It is situated approximately 40 kilometers (25 mi.) northeast of [Tokyo](/source/Tokyo) and 15 kilometers (10 mi.) from [Narita International Airport](/source/Narita_International_Airport). [Chiba City](/source/Chiba_City), the prefectural capital, lies 15 kilometers (10 mi.) southwest of Sakura. Lake Inba forms the northern city limits.[4][5]

### Neighboring municipalities

Chiba Prefecture

- [Hanamigawa-ku](/source/Hanamigawa-ku,_Chiba)
- [Inzai](/source/Inzai,_Chiba)
- [Shisui](/source/Shisui,_Chiba)
- [Wakaba-ku](/source/Wakaba-ku,_Chiba)
- [Yachimata](/source/Yachimata,_Chiba)
- [Yachiyo](/source/Yachiyo,_Chiba)
- [Yotsukaidō](/source/Yotsukaid%C5%8D,_Chiba)

### Climate

Sakura has a [humid subtropical climate](/source/Humid_subtropical_climate) (Köppen *Cfa*) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Sakura is 14.8 °C (58.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,455.9 mm (57.32 in) with October as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.3 °C (79.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.7 °C (38.7 °F).[6]

## Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[7] the population of Sakura increased rapidly in the late 20th century and has plateaued in the 21st.

Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1960 36,869 — 1970 60,068 +62.9% 1980 101,180 +68.4% 1990 144,688 +43.0% 2000 170,934 +18.1% 2010 172,183 +0.7% 2020 168,743 −2.0%

## History

The area around Sakura has been inhabited since prehistory, and archaeologists have found numerous [Kofun period](/source/Kofun_period) [burial tumuli](/source/Kofun) in the area, along with the remains of a [Hakuho period](/source/Hakuho_period) Buddhist temple. During the [Kamakura](/source/Kamakura_period) and [Muromachi periods](/source/Muromachi_period), the area was controlled by the [Chiba clan](/source/Chiba_clan). During the [Sengoku period](/source/Sengoku_period), the Chiba clan fought the [Satomi clan](/source/Satomi_clan) to the south, and the [Later Hōjō clan](/source/Later_H%C5%8Dj%C5%8D_clan) to the west. After the defeat of the Chiba clan, the area came within the control of [Tokugawa Ieyasu](/source/Tokugawa_Ieyasu), who assigned one of his chief generals, [Doi Toshikatsu](/source/Doi_Toshikatsu) to rebuild [Chiba Castle](/source/Chiba_Castle) and to rule over [Sakura Domain](/source/Sakura_Domain) as a *[daimyō](/source/Daimy%C5%8D).*[4] Doi rebuilt the area as a *[jōkamachi](/source/J%C5%8Dkamachi)*, or [castle town](/source/Castle_town), which became the largest castle town in the [Bōsō region](/source/B%C5%8Ds%C5%8D_Peninsula).[3][5] Under the [Tokugawa shogunate](/source/Tokugawa_shogunate), Sakura Domain came to be ruled for most of the [Edo period](/source/Edo_period) under the [Hotta clan](/source/Hotta_clan). In the [Bakumatsu period](/source/Bakumatsu_period) the domain became a center for *[rangaku](/source/Rangaku)* studies, centered on the [Juntendō](/source/Juntend%C5%8D) school of the doctor [Taizen Satō](/source/Taizen_Sat%C5%8D) (1804 – 1872).[3][8] The Juntendō and other educational institutions in Sakura contributed greatly to the [Meiji Restoration](/source/Meiji_Restoration).[3] After the [abolition of Sakura Domain](/source/Abolition_of_the_han_system), the area eventually became part of Chiba Prefecture.

Sakura Town was one of several towns and villages created on April 1, 1889, under [Inba District](/source/Inba_District,_Chiba) with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. On March 31, 1954, Sakura achieved city status through merger of the neighboring municipalities of Usui, Wada, Nego, Yadomi, and Shizu.[3]

## Government

Sakura has a [mayor-council](/source/Mayor-council) form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [unicameral](/source/Unicameral) city council of 28 members. Sakura contributes three members to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of [Chiba 9th district](/source/Chiba_9th_district) of the [lower house](/source/House_of_Representatives_of_Japan) of the [Diet of Japan](/source/Diet_of_Japan).

## Economy

Sakura is a regional commercial center and, due to its numerous train connections, a [bedroom community](/source/Bedroom_community) for nearby Chiba and Tokyo, with more than 24% of the population commuting, per the 2010 census.

## Education

- [Keiai University](/source/Keiai_University) branch campus
- [Chiba Keiai Junior College](/source/Chiba_Keiai_Junior_College)
- [Wayo Women's University](/source/Wayo_Women's_University) branch campus
- Sakura has 23 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Chiba Prefectural Board of Education.

## Transportation

### Railway

[JR East](/source/JR_East) – [Narita Line](/source/Narita_Line), [Sōbu Main Line](/source/S%C5%8Dbu_Main_Line)

[Keisei Electric Railway](/source/Keisei_Electric_Railway) - [Keisei Main Line](/source/Keisei_Main_Line)

- - - - -

[Yamaman](/source/Yamaman_Y%C5%ABkarigaoka_Line) - [Yamaman Yūkarigaoka Line](/source/Yamaman_Y%C5%ABkarigaoka_Line)

- - - - - -

### Highway

- [3]

## Local attractions

Sakura boasts a number of tourist attractions, including the large [National Museum of Japanese History](/source/National_Museum_of_Japanese_History)[9] located on the ruins of [Sakura Castle](/source/Sakura_Castle).[4] Several samurai houses near the old castle are open to the public and are protected as [Important Cultural Properties](/source/Important_Cultural_Properties_of_Japan). Other sights of interest include the [Moto Sakura Castle](/source/Moto_Sakura_Castle) (one of the [Continued Top 100 Japanese Castles](/source/Continued_Top_100_Japanese_Castles)[10]), [Tsukamoto Sword Museum](/source/Tsukamoto_Sword_Museum), [Sakura Museum of History and Folklore](/source/Sakura_Museum_of_History_and_Folklore), [Sakura City Museum of Art](/source/Sakura_City_Museum_of_Art), and the [Sakura Juntendo Memorial Building](/source/Sakura_Juntendo_Memorial_Building). Nearby is also the [Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art](/source/Kawamura_Memorial_Museum_of_Art).

In 1994 on the 40th anniversary of the city's foundation a Dutch [windmill](/source/Windmill) called *De Liefde* was erected by the Dutch [millwright](/source/Millwright) company "Verbij Hoogmade BV" on the south-eastern shore of Lake Inba as a landmark of Sakura Furusato Square. The mill serving as a [polder](/source/Polder) mill is named after the first Dutch sailing ship which landed on the Japanese shore in 1600. It is the only windmill of this type in Japan (a so-called "ground-sailer", which means a windmill whose sails reach almost down to the ground.

In 2023, a monument dedicated to the dog [Kabosu](/source/Kabosu_(dog)) was installed in Sakura.[11]

## Noted people from Sakura

- [Ben-K](/source/Ben-K), professional wrestler (real name: Futa Nakamura (中村風太, *Nakamura Futa*)
- [Bump of Chicken](/source/Bump_of_Chicken), [alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock) group
- [Asai Chū](/source/Asai_Ch%C5%AB), painter, noted for his pioneering work in developing the [yōga](/source/Y%C5%8Dga) (Western-style) art movement in late nineteenth century and early twentieth-century [Japanese painting](/source/Japanese_painting)
- [Daisuke Fukushima](/source/Daisuke_Fukushima), Olympic [show jumping](/source/Show_jumping) rider
- [Kabosu](/source/Kabosu_(dog)), [Shiba Inu](/source/Shiba_Inu) dog known as the origin of the [Doge meme](/source/Doge_(meme))
- [Katsuya Nagato](/source/Katsuya_Nagato), footballer who plays as a [defender](/source/Defender_(association_football)) for [Yokohama F. Marinos](/source/Yokohama_F._Marinos) in the [J1 League](/source/J1_League)
- [Shinnosuke Nakatani](/source/Shinnosuke_Nakatani), [footballer](/source/Soccer) who plays as a [defender](/source/Defender_(association_football)) for [Gamba Osaka](/source/Gamba_Osaka) in [J1 League](/source/J1_League)
- [Sakiko Odaka](/source/Sakiko_Odaka), [women's professional shogi player](/source/Professional_shogi_player) ranked 1-[kyū](/source/Ky%C5%AB)
- [Yoshimi Osawa](/source/Yoshimi_Osawa), judoka and one of only three living [Kodokan](/source/Kodokan) 10th [dan](/source/Dan_(rank))
- [Tsuda Sen](/source/Tsuda_Sen), Meiji period statesman
- [Shinnosuke Shigenobu](/source/Shinnosuke_Shigenobu), professional baseball [outfielder](/source/Outfielder) for the [Yomiuri Giants](/source/Yomiuri_Giants) in Japan's [Nippon Professional Baseball](/source/Nippon_Professional_Baseball)
- [Nagashima Shigeo](/source/Nagashima_Shigeo), professional baseball player
- [Hayashi Tadasu](/source/Hayashi_Tadasu), Meiji period statesman

## Notes

1. The placename and personal name *Sakura* is pronounced with an accent, unlike the common noun (桜, *[sakura](/source/Cherry_blossom)*, sa.kɯ.ɾa) from which it derives.

## References

1. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute (ed.) (24 May 2016). *ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典* (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.

1. ["Sakura city official statistics"](http://www.city.sakura.lg.jp/sakura/jinko/tiku/2011jinko/top.htm) (in Japanese)

1. ["佐倉（市）"](http://rekishi.jkn21.com/) [Sakura (City)] (in Japanese). *Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika)*. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. [OCLC 153301537](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/153301537). Retrieved 2012-06-20.

1. ["Sakura"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/). *Encyclopedia of Japan*. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. [OCLC 56431036](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56431036). Archived from [the original](http://rekishi.jkn21.com/) on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-06-30.

1. ["佐倉"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/) [Sakura] (in Japanese). *Dijitaru daijisen*. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. [OCLC 56431036](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56431036). Archived from [the original](http://rekishi.jkn21.com/) on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-06-24.

1. ["ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）"](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=45&block_no=0916&year=&month=&day=&view=h0). [JMA](/source/Japan_Meteorological_Agency). Retrieved April 3, 2022.

1. [Sakura population statistics](https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-chiba.php)

1. ["佐藤泰然"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/) [Satō Taizen] (in Japanese). *Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika)*. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. [OCLC 153301537](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/153301537). Archived from [the original](http://rekishi.jkn21.com/) on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-06-29.

1. [Official website, National Museum of Japanese History](http://www.rekihaku.ac.jp); phone 043-486-0123, address 117 Jonai-cho.

1. ["続日本100名城"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191202170315/http://jokaku.jp/japan-top-100-castles/best-100-castles-of-japan-2nd-selection/) (in Japanese). 日本城郭協会. 29 November 2017. Archived from [the original](http://jokaku.jp/japan-top-100-castles/best-100-castles-of-japan-2nd-selection/) on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.

1. ["Japan creates public monument to original doge meme dog in her home prefecture"](https://soranews24.com/2023/12/22/japan-creates-public-monument-to-original-doge-meme-dog-in-her-home-prefecture%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/). *SoraNews24 -Japan News-*. 2023-12-21. Retrieved 2023-12-29.

## External links

- [Official Website](http://www.city.sakura.chiba.jp/) (in Japanese)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sakura, Chiba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura%2C_Chiba) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura%2C_Chiba?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.