- Matsudo, Chiba
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Matsudo
松戸市— City — Front of Bandai Museum from the exit of the Matsudo Train Station
FlagLocation of Matsudo in Chiba
MatsudoCoordinates: 35°47′N 139°54′E / 35.783°N 139.9°ECoordinates: 35°47′N 139°54′E / 35.783°N 139.9°E Country Japan Region Kantō Prefecture Chiba Government - Mayor Kenji Hongodani (since July 2010) Area - Total 61.33 km2 (23.7 sq mi) Population (February 2011) - Total 484,578 - Density 7,900/km2 (20,460.9/sq mi) Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) City Symbols -Tree Castanopsis, eucalyptus and cherry blossom - Flower Azalea and hydrangea - Bird Ural Owl, Barn Swallow and White Heron Phone number 047-366-1111 Address 387-5, Nemoto, Matsudo-shi, Chiba-ken 271-8588 Website Matsudo City 
Matsudo City Hall
Matsudo (松戸市 Matsudo-shi) is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 484,578 and a population density of 7900 persons per km². The total area was 61.33 km².
Contents
Geography
Matsudo is located in the far northwestern corner of Chiba Prefecture, bordered by the Edogawa River to the west.
Neighboring municipalities
- Ichikawa, Chiba
- Kashiwa, Chiba
- Nagareyama, Chiba
- Kamagaya, Chiba
- Misato, Saitama
- Edogawa, Tokyo
- Katsushika, Tokyo
History
The area around Matsudo has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and archaeologists have found remains from the Jomon period, as well as burial tumuli from the Kofun period. During the Edo period, the area was tenryo controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, and contained a number of horse ranches providing war horses for the Shogun’s armies. It also developed as a post station on the Mito Kaido connecting Edo with Mito. After the Meiji Restoration, Matsudo Town was created in Higashikatsushika District Chiba Prefecture in 1878. Matsudo attained city status on October 1, 1943.
On September 1, 1954, the neighboring town of Kashiwa merged with neighboring Kogane Town and Tsuchi and Tanaka villages to form the new city of Tokatsu (東葛市 Tokatsu-shi). However, many politicians in Kogane Town were vehemently opposed to the merger, and forced its dissolution on October 15, 1954 with most of former Kogane Town merging with Matsudo instead. Beginning in the 1960s, the rapid economic growth in Japan (and the Tokyo area in particular) led to a construction boom in Matsudo and the development of the area as a major suburb of Tokyo. Matsudo is now the third-largest city in Chiba Prefecture and a major bedroom community (11th largest city) in the Greater Tokyo Area.
Economy
Matsudo is a regional commercial center and a bedroom community for nearby Chiba and Tokyo. The city has a mixed industrial base.
Education
Universities
- Chiba University, Matsudo Campus
- Nihon University, Matsudo Dental Campus
- Seitoku University
- Ryutsu Keizai University, Matsudo Campus
- Seitoku University Junior College
Transportation
Railway
- East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Jōban Line
- Matsudo - Kita-Matsudo - Mabashi - Shin-Matsudo - Kita-Kogane
- East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Musashino Line
- Shin-Matsudo - Shin-Yahashira - Higashi-Matsudo
- Shin-Keisei Electric Railway - Shin-Keisei Line
- Matsudo - Kamihongō - Matsudo-Shinden - Minoridai - Yabashira - Tokiwadaira - Gokō - Motoyama
- Hokusō Railway Company - Hokusō Line
- Yagiri --Akiyama -Higashi-Matsudo -
- Keisei Electric Railway - Keisei Narita Airport Line
- Higashi-Matsudo
- Tobu Railway – Tōbu Noda Line
- Ryūtetsu – Nagareyama Line
- Mabashi-Kōya - Kogane-Jōshi - Hiregasaki
Highway
Local attractions
- Manman-ji – Buddhist temple
Sister City relations
– Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, since May 12, 1971. When Box Hill amalgamated with Nunawading in December 1994, the relationship was re-affirmed with the new City of Whitehorse. A small, multi-story department store attached to Matsudo train station bears the name "Box Hill".
– Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture, Japan.
Noted people from Matsudo
- Matsunobori Shigeo – sumo wrestler
- Tsutomu Yamazaki – actor
- Yasunori Matsumoto – Seiyu
- Yutaka Wada – professional baseball player
- Naoko Yamazaki – astronaut
- Sadao Abe – actor, musician
- Hiroshi Kamiya – seiyu
- Akiyuki Kido – figure skater
- Ryoichi Kurisawa – professional soccer player
- Kenta Shimizu – professional soccer player
- Yuji Unozawa – professional soccer player
- Hideaki Wakui – professional baseball player
External links
Media related to Matsudo, Chiba at Wikimedia Commons- Matsudo official website in Japanese
Chiba PrefectureChiba (capital city) 
Other cities Inba District Katori District Sanbu District Chōsei District Isumi District Awa District 
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