Urayasu, Chiba
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in the far western corner of northern Chiba Prefecture
, Japan
. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population
of 164,822 and a population density
of 9530 persons per km². The total area was 17.29 km².
Urayasu is best known as the home of the Tokyo Disney Resort
and the headquarters of The Oriental Land Company
.
, and the newer reclaimed land portion that adjoins Tokyo Disneyland
. The new landfill area is called "Shin-Urayasu" (New-Urayasu), and has an "American" inspired layout, with a grid-like map of wide streets, large sidewalks, palm trees and parks. The buildings are tall, modern apartments, some having views on Tokyo Bay. Urayasu is one of the most sought after areas in the metropolitan area for young families to live. However, plans are already under way to turn the local school facilities into retirement facilities in the future. However, as much as 85% of the city's utility infrastructure, roads, buildings, and houses were damaged or affected to some degree by soil liquefaction
from the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
. The damage cost the city approximately ¥73.4 billion to repair.
during the Edo period
. After the Meiji Restoration
, it became part of Chiba Prefecture. Urayasu Village was created on April 1, 1889 under Higashikatsushika District
. Urayasu became a town in September 1909. Many of the residents of Urayasu perished during the 1944 Bombing of Tokyo. Urayasu grew in the 1960s and 1970s with massive landfill projects along the shores of Tokyo Bay, public housing projects, and increasing infrastructure. Urayasu became a city on April 1, 1981.
and businesses related to Tokyo Disney Resort
.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in the far western corner of northern Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 164,822 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 9530 persons per km². The total area was 17.29 km².
Urayasu is best known as the home of the Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
and the headquarters of The Oriental Land Company
The Oriental Land Company
is a Japanese leisure and tourism corporation headquartered in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. The company owns the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu. The main shareholders of the company are Keisei Electric Railway and Mitsui Fudosan...
.
Geography
There are two parts to Urayasu: the original fishing village on Tokyo BayTokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
, and the newer reclaimed land portion that adjoins Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
. The new landfill area is called "Shin-Urayasu" (New-Urayasu), and has an "American" inspired layout, with a grid-like map of wide streets, large sidewalks, palm trees and parks. The buildings are tall, modern apartments, some having views on Tokyo Bay. Urayasu is one of the most sought after areas in the metropolitan area for young families to live. However, plans are already under way to turn the local school facilities into retirement facilities in the future. However, as much as 85% of the city's utility infrastructure, roads, buildings, and houses were damaged or affected to some degree by soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid....
from the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. The damage cost the city approximately ¥73.4 billion to repair.
History
The area around Urayasu was tenryo territory within Shimosa Province controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunateTokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, it became part of Chiba Prefecture. Urayasu Village was created on April 1, 1889 under Higashikatsushika District
Higashikatsushika District, Chiba
was a district located in Chiba, Japan until March 27, 2005. On March 28, 2005 the district was dissolved when the town of Shōnan merged into the city of Kashiwa.-Area:...
. Urayasu became a town in September 1909. Many of the residents of Urayasu perished during the 1944 Bombing of Tokyo. Urayasu grew in the 1960s and 1970s with massive landfill projects along the shores of Tokyo Bay, public housing projects, and increasing infrastructure. Urayasu became a city on April 1, 1981.
Economy
Urayasu is a regional commercial center and a bedroom community for nearby Chiba and Tokyo. The primary employer in the city is The Oriental Land CompanyThe Oriental Land Company
is a Japanese leisure and tourism corporation headquartered in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. The company owns the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu. The main shareholders of the company are Keisei Electric Railway and Mitsui Fudosan...
and businesses related to Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
.
Railway
- East Japan Railway CompanyEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
(JR East) - Keiyō LineKeiyo LineThe is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba, Japan, running mainly along the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company .It provides the main rail access to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center...
- -
- Tokyo MetroTokyo Metrois one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...
- Tokyo Metro Tōzai LineTokyo Metro Tozai LineThe is a rapid transit line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro located in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Its name literally means East-West Line. The line runs between Nakano Station in Nakano, Tokyo and Nishi-Funabashi Station in Funabashi, Chiba...
- Maihama Resort Line - Disney Resort LineDisney Resort LineThe , officially called , is an automated monorail that links Maihama Station and Tokyo Disney Resort. The system is operated by , the subsidiary of Oriental Land Co., Ltd. that operates the resort....
- Resort GatewayResort Gateway Stationis a Disney Resort Line monorail station located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. It is located near to Maihama Station on the JR Keiyō Line. The first train is at 6:00 and the last is at 23:55.-Station layout:...
- Tokyo DisneylandTokyo Disneyland Stationis a Disney Resort Line monorail station located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. It is located in front of Tokyo Disneyland. The first train is at 6:02 and the last is at 23:57.-References:...
- BaysideBayside Stationis a Disney Resort Line monorail station located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. The first train is at 6:04 and the last is at 23:59.-References:...
- Tokyo DisneySeaTokyo DisneySea Stationis a Disney Resort Line monorail station located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. It is located in front of Tokyo DisneySea. The first train is at 6:08 and the last is at 24:04...
- Resort GatewayResort Gateway Stationis a Disney Resort Line monorail station located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. It is located near to Maihama Station on the JR Keiyō Line. The first train is at 6:00 and the last is at 23:55.-Station layout:...
- Resort Gateway
Noted people from Urayasu
- Keita AmemiyaKeita Amemiyais a prolific Japanese character designer and director from Urayasu, Chiba. Amemiya is known for his sophisticated science fiction & fantasy designs and unique directorial style, and is recognized among tokusatsu genre fans as one of the most creative, respected and successful professionals of all...
– Video game designer - Shinnosuke AbeShinnosuke Abeis a professional baseball player with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He has played for the Japanese national team since 1999 as a catcher. In the 2009 Japan Series, he was named the Most Valuable Player.-Career statistics:...
– professional baseball player - Keiji TamadaKeiji Tamadais a Japanese football player, who currently plays for the J. League team Nagoya Grampus.-Club career:Tamada entered Kashiwa Reysol from the Narashino High School in 1999. He accomplished the debut by the game against Avispa Fukuoka on March 13, 1999. He experiences the acquisition of the title of...
– professional soccer player - Daisuke HayakawaDaisuke Hayakawais a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently with the Yokohama BayStars. He was the number 5 draft pick for the Orix BlueWave in .-References:...
– professional baseball player
External links
- Urayasu official website in Japanese
- Urayasu tourist association in Japanese
- Urayasu city museum in Japanese