Sōka 草加市 | |
|---|---|
 Sōka City office | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Sōka in Saitama Prefecture | |
  Sōka Location of Sōka in Japan | |
| Coordinates:35°49′31.4″N139°48′19.2″E / 35.825389°N 139.805333°E /35.825389; 139.805333 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Saitama |
| First official recorded | mid 3rd century AD (official)[citation needed] |
| Town settled | April 1, 1889 |
| City settled | November 1, 1958 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yuriko Yamakawa (from October 2022) |
| Area | |
• Total | 27.46 km2 (10.60 sq mi) |
| Population (February 2021) | |
• Total | 249,645 |
| • Density | 9,100/km2 (24,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
| - Tree | Pinus |
| - Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Phone number | 048-922-0151 |
| Address | 1-1-1 Takasago, Soka-shi, Saitama-ken 840-8550 |
| Website | Official website |
Sōka (草加市,Sōka-shi) is acity inSaitama Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 February 2021[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 249,645 in 118,129 households and apopulation density of 9100 persons per km².[1] The total area of the city is 27.46 square kilometres (10.60 sq mi).
Sōka is situated in the southeast corner of Saitama Prefecture approximately 30 kilometers away from downtown Tokyo. It is surrounded to the east by the cities of Yashio, Misato and Yoshikawa, and to the west by Kawaguchi. To the north is Koshigaya and to the south Adachi Ward of Metropolitan Tokyo.The city is in the center of theKanto Plain and is mostly lowland with an elevation of only three meters above sea level. The Ayase River flows through the city, which was subject to frequent flooding despite various flood control measures taken since theEdo Period.
Sōka was once a peaceful agricultural area surrounded by water and greenery, but as a result of urbanization, the once abundant greenery and clean water was adversely affected. Now, Sōka is promoting a "town of greenery and water based on history and the natural features of the area". Creation of areas of greenery reflecting the changes of the four seasons, and the restoration of waterways and environs is being advanced.
Sōka has ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Sōka is 14.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1482 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.4 °C.[2]
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Sōka has increased rapidly from the 1960s due to the construction ofnew towns and large-scale public housing complexes, together with the completion of highways and rail lines providing access to downtown Tokyo.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 38,533 | — |
| 1970 | 123,269 | +219.9% |
| 1980 | 186,618 | +51.4% |
| 1990 | 206,132 | +10.5% |
| 2000 | 225,018 | +9.2% |
| 2010 | 243,855 | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 248,304 | +1.8% |
The area of Sōka has been settled since at least the lateYayoi to earlyKofun period, as evidenced by numerousburial mounds from 250-400 AD found within the city borders. In theNara period, it became part ofMusashi Province. In the Kamakura period, per theAzuma Kagami, large areas were under control ofTsurugaoka Hachiman-gu inKamakura. The name "Sōka" first appears in historical documents in 1573. During theEdo period, the area wastenryo territory under the direct control of theTokugawa shogunate and Sōka-shuku developed as apost station on theNikkō Kaidō highway from 1630. Following theMeiji restoration, the area became part ofKitaadachi District, Saitama and Sōka Town was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.[4]
Sōka annexed the neighboring villages of Yatsuka and Shinden on January 1, 1955, followed by the village of Kawayanagi on August 1, 1955. On November 1, 1955, Sōka was elevated to city status. Following this, rapid population expansion and urbanization took hold due to strong economic growth which was fueled by its proximity to Tokyo. The city was proclaimed atokureishi on April 1, 2004 with increased local autonomy.[4]
Sōka has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 28 members. Sōka contributes three members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part ofSaitama 3rd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.[citation needed]
Sōka traditionally is known for itsrice cracker, theSōkasenbei.[5] However, agriculture and food processing form a minor portion of the local economy, which is heavily industrialized.[citation needed] The city is increasingly becoming acommuter town for Tokyo Metropolis.[citation needed]
Tōbu Railway -Tobu Skytree Line
Sōka istwinned with:
Carson, California, United States, since November 19, 1985[6]
Shōwa, Fukushima, Japan, friendship city since 1985[citation needed]
Anyang,Henan, China, since November 1, 1988[6]![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(March 2025) |
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