Wakaba-ku

Wakaba 若葉区
Ward
Wakaba Ward
Location of Wakaba in Chiba
Wakaba
Coordinates: 35°37′46″N 140°09′46″E / 35.62944°N 140.16278°ECoordinates: 35°37′46″N 140°09′46″E / 35.62944°N 140.16278°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba
City	Chiba
Area
• Total	84.21 km^2 (32.51 sq mi)
Population (April 2012)
• Total	151,593
• Density	1,800/km^2 (5,000/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Address	2-1-1 Sakuragi, Wakaba-ku Chiba-shi, Chiba-ken 264-8733
Website	Official website of Wakaba-ku

Wakaba Ward within Chiba

Wakaba Ward Office

Wakaba Ward (若葉区 Wakaba-ku) is one of the six wards of the city of Chiba in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of April 2012, the ward had an estimated population of 151,593 and a population density of 1,800 persons per km². The total area was 84.21 km², making it the largest of the six wards of Chiba city.

Geography

Wakaba Ward is located in an inland area of southeastern Chiba city.

Surrounding municipalities

• Inage Ward
• Chūō Ward
• Midori Ward
• Tōgane, Chiba
• Yachiyo, Chiba
• Sakura, Chiba
• Yotsukaidō, Chiba

History

After the Meiji Restoration, the area of present-day Wakaba Ward was divided on April 1, 1889 into the villages of Tsuga, Miyako, Chishiro, Shirai and Sarashina within Chiba District. On February 11, 1935, Tsuga and Miyako villages were annexed by the neighboring city of Chiba, followed by Chishiro village on February 11, 1944. On March 31, 1955, Shirai and Sarashina merged to form the new town of Izumi, which was subsequently annexed by the city of Chiba on April 10, 1963.

With the promotion of Chiba to a designated city with additional autonomy from Chiba prefecture and the central government on April 1, 1992, Wakaba Ward was created as an administrative unit.

Economy

Wakaba Ward is largely a regional commercial center and bedroom community for central Chiba and Tokyo.

Transportation

Railroads

• JR East – Sōbu Line
  • Tsuga

• Chiba Urban Monorail – Line 2
  • Dōbutsukōen • Mitsuwadai • Tsuga • Sakuragi • Oguradai • Chishirodai-Kita • Chishirodai

Highways

• Chiba-Tōgane Road
• Keiyō Road
• Japan National Route 16
• Japan National Route 126
• Japan National Route 51

Education

• Tokyo University of Information Sciences
• Uekusa University
• Uekusa Gakuen Junior College

Noted people from Wakaba Ward

• Kazuhisa Ishii – professional baseball player
• Shugo Oshinari – actor
• Tatsuya Morita – professional soccer player