Sodegaura Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Sodegaura

袖ヶ浦市

City

Sodegaura City Hall

Flag

Seal

Location of Sodegaura in Chiba Prefecture

Sodegaura

Location in Japan

Area

• Total

94.93 km² (36.65 sq mi)

Population

(November 1, 2020)

• Total

64,901

• Density

683.67/km² (1,770.70/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)

Symbols

• Tree

Castanopsis

• Flower

Lilium auratum

• Bird

Japanese bush-warbler

Phone number

0438-62-2111

Address

1-1 Sakato Ichiba, Sodegaura-shi, Chiba-ken 299-0292

Sodegaura (pronounced Soh-deh-gah-oo-rah) is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of late 2020, about 64,901 people lived there in 28,156 homes. The city covers an area of about 94.92 square kilometers (36.65 square miles). Sodegaura is known for its industrial areas along the coast and its connection to the Tokyo Bay area.

Geography and Location
- Neighboring Cities
- Climate in Sodegaura
Population Changes Over Time
History of Sodegaura
Economy and Industry
Education System
Culture and Local Charm
Transportation Links
- Railway Lines
- Major Highways
Sister City
Notable People from Sodegaura
Images for kids
See also

Geography and Location

Sodegaura is located in the middle-western part of Chiba Prefecture. It is about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from Chiba, the capital city of the prefecture. It is also only 30 to 40 kilometers (18 to 25 miles) from central Tokyo.

The city is part of the flat Kantō Plain. It has a long shoreline of 28.7 kilometers (17.8 miles) along Tokyo Bay to the west. Much of this coastline is land that was created by filling in parts of the bay. This reclaimed land is now home to many industries. The main city area is also near the coast, especially around Sodegaura Station.

Neighboring Cities

Sodegaura shares its borders with two other cities in Chiba Prefecture:

Ichihara
Kisarazu

Climate in Sodegaura

Sodegaura has a climate that is called humid subtropical. This means it has warm summers and cool winters. There is usually little to no snowfall.

The average temperature each year in Sodegaura is about 15.3 degrees Celsius (59.5 degrees Fahrenheit). The city gets a lot of rain, with an average of 1584 millimeters (62.4 inches) per year. September is usually the wettest month. The warmest month is August, with temperatures around 26.4 degrees Celsius (79.5 degrees Fahrenheit). January is the coldest month, with temperatures around 5.4 degrees Celsius (41.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Sodegaura has grown a lot over the last 60 years. This shows that more and more people have chosen to make Sodegaura their home.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1950	25,222	—
1960	24,992	−0.9%
1970	25,500	+2.0%
1980	38,837	+52.3%
1990	52,818	+36.0%
2000	58,593	+10.9%
2010	60,355	+3.0%
2020	63,883	+5.8%

History of Sodegaura

Sodegaura has a long history. It is even mentioned in an old Japanese book called the Kojiki, which was written in the Nara period. In those ancient times, the name "Sodegaura" referred to the entire western coast of the Bōsō Peninsula.

The modern city of Sodegaura was formed by combining smaller towns and villages.

On March 31, 1955, the town of Shōwa joined with the village of Nagaura and part of the village of Negata. This created Sodegaura Town.
On November 3, 1971, Sodegaura Town grew bigger by merging with the town of Hirakawa.
Finally, on April 1, 1991, Sodegaura was officially made a city.

Economy and Industry

Sodegaura plays an important role in the Keiyō Industrial Zone. This is a large area of factories and businesses along Tokyo Bay. The industrial Port of Chiba stretches from Funabashi in the north all the way to Sodegaura in the south.

Many heavy industries are located in Sodegaura, especially on the land that was reclaimed from the bay. These include:

Oil refineries, which turn crude oil into useful products like gasoline.
Chemical processing plants, which make various chemicals.

Sodegaura is also home to one of the five main terminals in the Tokyo Bay area for liquefied natural gas. This gas is used to create energy. It is operated by two big companies, Tokyo Gas and Tokyo Electric Power Company.

Education System

Sodegaura has a good education system for its young people.

The city government runs seven public elementary schools.
It also operates five public middle schools.
The Chiba Prefectural Board of Education manages one public high school.
There is also one special education school for students with disabilities, run by the prefecture.

Culture and Local Charm

There is a part of the highway along Tokyo Bay in Sodegaura that people sometimes call "Chibafornia." This fun nickname combines "Chiba" (the prefecture) and "California." People use this name because the area looks a bit like Southern California. Because of its scenic views, this stretch of road has been used to film television commercials and music videos.