Sagamihara, Kanagawa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sagamihara 相模原市
Designated city
Sagamihara City
From top left: Tanzawa mountains, USARJ Sagami General Depot, Lake Sagami, Hashimoto District, Odakyu Sagami-Ōno Station, JAXA Sagamihara Campus, Sakura Festival
Flag Seal
Location of Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture
Sagamihara Location in Japan
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Kanagawa
First official recorded	110 AD
City settled	November 20, 1954
Area
• Total	328.91 km2 (126.99 sq mi)
Population
• Total	723,470
• Density	2,199.60/km2 (5,696.93/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
– Tree	Zelkova serrata
– Flower	Hydrangea
– Bird	Skylark
Phone number	042-754-1111
Address	2-11-15 Chūō, Chūō-ku, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa-ken 252-5277

Downtown of Sagamihara (Hashimoto)

A street view in Sagamihara

Sagamihara city hall

Sagamihara (相模原市, Sagamihara-shi) is a large city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of May 2021, about 723,470 people live here. It is the third biggest city in Kanagawa Prefecture, after Yokohama and Kawasaki. Sagamihara is also one of the largest suburbs of the Greater Tokyo Area. The city covers an area of about 328.91 square kilometers.

On April 1, 2010, Sagamihara became a special "designated city" in Japan. This means it has more power to manage its own affairs. Because of this, the city was divided into three main parts called wards.

Geography and Location

Sagamihara is located in the northwestern part of Kanagawa Prefecture. The city has busy areas around its main train stations, like Hashimoto Station, Sagamihara Station, and Sagami-Ōno Station. These stations are important for travel and business. The western part of Sagamihara is home to the Tanzawa Mountains, which are beautiful natural areas.

City Wards

Sagamihara is divided into three wards:

• Midori-ku
• Chūō-ku – This is the main administrative center of the city.
• Minami-ku

Neighboring Cities and Towns

Sagamihara shares borders with several other places:

• In Kanagawa Prefecture: Zama, Yamato, Atsugi, Aikawa, Kiyokawa, Yamakita
• In Tokyo: Machida, Hachioji, Hinohara
• In Yamanashi Prefecture: Uenohara, Dōshi

Climate

Sagamihara has a Humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm summers and cool winters. There is usually little to no snow. The average temperature in Sagamihara is about 12.6 degrees Celsius. The city gets a lot of rain, especially in September. August is usually the warmest month, and January is the coldest.

Population Growth

The number of people living in Sagamihara has grown a lot over the last 70 years.

City History

People have lived in the Sagamihara area for a very long time. Tools and remains from ancient times have been found here. In the past, during the Edo period (1603-1868), the land was controlled by the Japanese government or by local lords.

In the 1930s, the area became important for the Imperial Japanese Army, which built training centers and weapons factories here. Sagamihara Town was officially created on April 29, 1941, by combining several villages. At that time, it was the largest town in Japan by size.

Sagamihara officially became a city on November 20, 1954. The city grew steadily because of new industries and good transportation links to big cities like Yokohama and Tokyo. In 2003, it was named a "core city," giving it more local control.

In 2006 and 2007, Sagamihara grew even bigger by merging with nearby towns. By 2007, its population was over 700,000. In 2010, it became a "government ordinance city" and was divided into its three current wards: Midori-ku, Chūō-ku, and Minami-ku.

City Government

Sagamihara has a mayor-council system. This means the city has a mayor who is directly elected by the people. There is also a city council with 49 members. These members help make decisions for the city. Sagamihara also sends eight members to the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly, which is like a state legislature.

Economy and Work

Sagamihara has strong connections with Tokyo, especially with areas like Machida and Hachioji. Many people who live in Sagamihara travel to Tokyo for work or school. In 2015, about 24.6% of the city's residents commuted to Tokyo. This makes Sagamihara a "commuter town."

Education

Sagamihara is home to several universities and colleges:

• Azabu University
• Sagami Women's University
• Izumi Junior College

The city also has many public high schools and two private high schools. There are also special education schools for students with disabilities.

Transportation

Sagami-Ono Station Square

Sagamihara has a good transportation system, making it easy to travel around and to other cities.

Train Lines

• JR East – Yokohama Line: Kobuchi – Fuchinobe – Yabe – Sagamihara – Hashimoto
• JR East – Sagami Line: Sōbudai-shita – Shimomizo – Harataima – Banda – Kamimizo – Minami-Hashimoto – Hashimoto
• JR East – Chūō Main Line: Sagamiko – Fujino
• Odakyu Electric Railway – Odakyu Odawara Line: Sagami-Ono – Odakyū-Sagamihara – Higashi-Rinkan
• Keio Corporation – Sagamihara Line: Hashimoto

Major Highways

Several important highways pass through Sagamihara, connecting it to other parts of Japan:

• Chūō Expressway
• Ken-Ō Expressway
• National Route 16
• National Route 20
• National Route 129
• National Route 412
• National Route 413

Fun Places to Visit

• Lake Sagami: A beautiful lake where you can enjoy nature.
• Yōgen Temple: A historic temple built in 1598.
• Sagamihara Prefectural Park: A great place for outdoor activities and relaxation.

Sports Teams

Sagamihara is home to a few sports teams:

• Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars: A rugby team.
• SC Sagamihara: A soccer team.

Sister Cities

Sagamihara has special partnerships with cities in other countries. These are called "sister cities" and help promote friendship and understanding.

• Toronto, Ontario, Canada (since 1998)
• Trail, British Columbia, Canada (since 1991)
• Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (since 1985)

Famous People from Sagamihara

Many talented people come from Sagamihara, including:

• Tatsunori Hara: A famous baseball manager.
• Yuki Tsunoda: A professional Formula One racing driver.
• Mai Murakami: An Olympic gymnast.
• Nana Eikura: A popular model and actress.
• Keiichiro Koyama: A musician and leader of the band NEWS.

See also

In Spanish: Sagamihara para niños