Urawa, Saitama facts for kids
Urawa (浦和市, Urawa-shi) was once a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It was an important place with a long history.
On May 1, 2001, Urawa joined with two other cities, Ōmiya and Yono, to form a brand new, bigger city called Saitama. This new city became the capital of Saitama Prefecture.
Since April 1, 2003, the area that used to be Urawa City has been divided into four smaller parts, called wards. These are Urawa-ku, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku. The main offices for Saitama City and Saitama Prefecture are located in Urawa-ku.
Contents
A Look Back: Urawa's History
How Urawa Began: Old Times
Long ago, during a time in Japan called the Edo period (1603-1868), Urawa was a busy "posting station." Imagine it like a rest stop or a small town along a major highway called the Nakasendō. This highway connected two very important cities: Edo (which is now Tokyo) and Kyoto. Travelers and merchants would stop in Urawa on their long journeys.
Even though it was a busy stop, Urawa wasn't as big as some other towns nearby, like Iwatsuki. Iwatsuki was a "castle town," meaning it had a castle and was a center of power.
Urawa Becomes a Modern City
Urawa started to change and grow into a more modern place over time:
- In 1869, a new local government office, called the Prefectural Government of Urawa Prefecture, was set up. Its main office was placed right in Urawa.
- Just two years later, in 1871, several smaller areas, including Urawa, joined together. This created the larger Saitama Prefecture, and Urawa was chosen to be its capital city.
- In 1923, a very strong earthquake, called the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, hit Tokyo and many other cities hard. Even though Urawa was not far from Tokyo, it didn't get as much damage. Because of this, many smart people, especially artists, moved to Urawa. This helped the old posting station grow into a modern city.
- Over the next few years, several smaller villages nearby joined with Urawa. By 1934, Urawa officially became a city.
Urawa Joins Saitama City
Urawa's journey as a separate city ended when it became part of a bigger plan:
- On May 1, 2001, Urawa merged with the cities of Ōmiya and Yono. Together, they formed the new capital city of Saitama. At that time, about 488,000 people lived in the area that was Urawa.
- On April 1, 2003, Saitama City became a "designated city." This means it's a very large city with special powers from the government. At this point, the former area of Urawa City was divided into the four wards we know today: Urawa-ku, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku.
See also
In Spanish: Urawa para niños
