40-476: Tsukuba ( つくば市 , Tsukuba-shi ) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture , Japan . As of January 1, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 256,526 in 121,001 households and a population density of 900 persons per km. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 20.3%. The total area of the city is 283.72 square kilometres (109.54 sq mi). It is known as the location of
80-529: A Brazilian school, the Instituto Educare (former Escola Pingo de Gente). [REDACTED] Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company – Tsukuba Express [REDACTED] Tsukuba Kankō Railway Tsukuba Science City is a center for research and education in the city of Tsukuba, located northeast of Tokyo . The idea of constructing the science city was by the late Ichiro Kono , former minister of construction, and Kuniomi Umezawa, former vice minister of
120-679: A few (Yamagata, Toyama, Osaka, Hyōgo, Fukuoka), and none in some – Miyazaki became the last prefecture to contain its first city in 1924. In Okinawa -ken and Hokkai-dō which were not yet fully equal prefectures in the Empire, major urban settlements remained organized as urban districts until the 1920s: Naha-ku and Shuri-ku, the two urban districts of Okinawa were only turned into Naha -shi and Shuri-shi in May 1921, and six -ku of Hokkaidō were converted into district-independent cities in August 1922. By 1945,
160-650: A fresh approach to university education. This fresh approach was prevalent in the United States; therefore, Japan's Ministry of Education decided to transfer a part of the Tokyo University of Education to the Tsukuba area. The campus of the university was modeled after the University of California, San Diego , campus. After a new university structure was introduced; the power of teachers decreased and
200-673: A park surrounded by vegetation centered in Dōhō Swamp, has a baseball field, a soccer field, a gym and a heated indoor pool equipped with a solar heating system. Matsumi Park [ ja ] has a 45m-high observation deck and a Japanese style garden with flowers and a small pond. Gardens: Tsukuba Botanical Garden and Tsukuba Peony Garden. In the extreme south is the Ushiku Lagoon; the Nishiyata, Higashiyata and Inari rivers discharge their waters into it. The Ushiku Lagoon, through
240-540: A science city in the area around the mountain Tsukuba. Reasons behind this decision included the overcrowding in Tokyo, the overflow of applicants to Japanese elite universities, a desire of conservative politicians to decrease the influence of liberal teachers and students, and a need to catch up with the West in terms of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, it was already clear that there was a demand for new research facilities and
280-483: A town or village when it fails to meet any of these conditions, but such a demotion has not happened to date. The least populous city, Utashinai, Hokkaido , has a population of three thousand, while a town in the same prefecture, Otofuke, Hokkaido , has over forty thousand. Under the Act on Special Provisions concerning Merger of Municipalities ( 市町村の合併の特例等に関する法律 , Act No. 59 of 2004) , the standard of 50,000 inhabitants for
320-519: A train station was built in the city. The Tsukuba Express travels from Tokyo to the Science City in 45 minutes. Tsukuba Expo 1985 In order to promote the positive aspects of science and technology, an International Science and Technology Exposition was held. This was a landmark for the science city. The reasons behind the expo were to establish a positive national image of Tsukuba Science City and to gain international recognition that Tsukuba
360-507: Is 1,326.0 mm (52.20 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.9 °C (78.6 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.1 °C (37.6 °F). Per Japanese census data, the population of Tsukuba has increased rapidly since 1980. Mount Tsukuba has been a place of pilgrimage since at least the Heian period . During
400-476: Is a waste of taxpayer's money. They also believe that Tsukuba is an example of government control of academic and research organization. In addition, social critics feel that Tsukuba's social organization is unfavorable as it lacks traditional Japanese culture. Garner describes the city is described as being ‘flat’ due to a lack of city life. Even though Tsukuba Science City has an impressive number of research and development facilities and various companies, it still
440-464: Is not able to reach the same level of innovation as science cities that do have stimulating city life. In 2006, Tsukuba Science City started focusing on creating more city life to address this problem. Cities of Japan A city ( 市 , shi ) is a local administrative unit in Japan . Cities are ranked on the same level as towns ( 町 , machi ) and villages ( 村 , mura ) , with
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#1732794405955480-697: The Edo period , parts of what later became the city of Tsukuba were administered by a junior branch of the Hosokawa clan at Yatabe Domain , one of the feudal domains of the Tokugawa shogunate . With the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration on April 1, 1889, the town Yatabe was established within Tsukuba District, Ibaraki . Beginning in the 1960s, the area
520-470: The Tsukuba Science City ( 筑波研究学園都市 , Tsukuba Kenkyū Gakuen Toshi ) , a planned science park developed in the 1960s. Tsukuba is located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, approximately 50 kilometers from central Tokyo and about 40 kilometers from Narita International Airport . Mount Tsukuba , from which the city takes its name, is located in the northern part of the city. Except for
560-561: The lower house of the Diet of Japan . The local economy was traditionally based on rice production, and Tsukuba still has the largest area under paddy fields in Ibaraki Prefecture. After the establishment of Tsukuba Science City, the numerous government and private research institutes has drawn a large number of factories and supporting businesses. Tsukuba has 29 public elementary schools and 12 public middle schools operated by
600-585: The Tokyo metropolitan area, each have an administrative status analogous to that of cities. Tokyo also has several other incorporated cities, towns and villages within its jurisdiction. Cities were introduced under the "city code" ( shisei , 市制) of 1888 during the "Great Meiji mergers" ( Meiji no daigappei , 明治の大合併) of 1889. The -shi replaced the previous urban districts /"wards/cities" (-ku) that had existed as primary subdivisions of prefectures besides rural districts (-gun) since 1878. Initially, there were 39 cities in 1889: only one in most prefectures, two in
640-471: The University of Tsukuba. This was part of the reason why he was chosen as president. Due to his history in the corporate world, he was able to create a climate were companies and graduate students could work together closely. When the university was founded a good relationship between the students of the university and the nearby companies was expected. However, over the years this ambition disappeared into
680-749: The Yata River, flows into the Kokai River. At the end of their courses, the Kokai River discharge into the Tone River , and the Sakura, Hanamuro and Ono rivers discharge into the Lake Kasumigaura . Ibaraki Prefecture Tsukuba has a humid continental climate (Köppen Cfa ) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Tsukuba is 14.3 °C (57.7 °F). The average annual rainfall
720-521: The accident zone reported that municipal officials in Tsukuba refused to allow them access to shelters in the city unless they presented certificates from the Fukushima government declaring that the evacuees were "radiation free". On May 6, 2012, Tsukuba was struck by a tornado that caused heavy damage to numerous structures and left approximately 20,000 residents without electricity. The storm killed one 14-year-old boy and injured 45 people. The tornado
760-571: The area around Mount Tsukuba, the city is a part of the Kantō Plain with an altitude of 20 to 30 meters. Mountains: Mount Tsukuba, Mount Hokyo. Rivers: Kokai River, Sakura River, Higashiyata River, Nishiyata River, Ono River, Hanamuro River, Inari River. Parks: The city has more than 100 parks and green areas to relax in. Different parks are connected by pedestrian walk and bikeways. Some parks are equipped with tennis courts and round pavements for jogging and walking. Dōhō Park [ ja ] ,
800-415: The background. In these years there was a severe lack in interaction between the facilities of the University and the private companies in the area. This meant that there was no joint research happening. In July 1994, Esaki introduced Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA). This is a partnership between the university, foreign researchers, Tsukuba's national research labs, and corporate laboratories based in
840-543: The case. However, in March 1980 all the facilities that were meant to be built were up and running to a certain extent. Between 1970 and 1980 researchers and their families started to move to Tsukuba. This move was a culture shock for the families from Tokyo due to the dirt roads and open fields in Tsukuba. Initially, Tsukuba was built for travel by car due to having no train station. It was actually Japan's first city that promoted automobile travel over public transport. In 2005,
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#1732794405955880-488: The city government, and four public high school operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one combined middle school/high school and one special education school for the handicapped. There is also one private combined middle/high school. In addition, it has international schools, like Tsukuba International School and Liberty International School, and also has
920-685: The city status has been eased to 30,000 if such population is gained as a result of a merger of towns and/or villages , in order to facilitate such mergers to reduce administrative costs. Many municipalities gained city status under this eased standard. On the other hand, the municipalities recently gained the city status purely as a result of increase of population without expansion of area are limited to those listed in List of former towns or villages gained city status alone in Japan . The Cabinet of Japan can designate cities of at least 200,000 inhabitants to have
960-422: The city. Tsukuba Science City has faced considerable criticism since its inception. The first criticism on the city was that it was not habitable. Wives of the first researchers were used to putting garbage on the side of the road in order for it to get picked up. However, this was not the case in the mid-1970s. Until that time only farmers had lived there and they would process their own garbage into mulch. Because
1000-646: The difference that they are not a component of districts ( 郡 , gun ) . Like other contemporary administrative units, they are defined by the Local Autonomy Law of 1947. Article 8 of the Local Autonomy Law sets the following conditions for a municipality to be designated as a city: The designation is approved by the prefectural governor and the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications . A city can theoretically be demoted to
1040-422: The event included the 85-metre (279 ft) Technocosmos , which at that time was the world's tallest Ferris wheel . On November 30, 1987 the town of Yatabe merged with the neighboring towns of Ōho and Toyosato (from Tsukuba District )) and the village of Sakura (from Niihari District ) to create the city of Tsukuba. The neighboring town of Tsukuba merged with the city of Tsukuba on January 1, 1988. Followed by
1080-424: The garbage did not get picked up, it started smelling in the streets. This enraged the housewives and they demanded a garbage service. In order to meet the demand, a pit was dug where the waste could be dumped until a garbage service would be developed in the city. In the 1990s, Tsukuba had the most innovative garbage system in Japan. Another criticism levied by national government critics is that Tsukuba Science City
1120-501: The government and landowners. The parcels of land with the most suitable price were purchased. This is reason for the odd shape of the government-owned land in Tsukuba; it is 18 kilometers long from north to east and 6 kilometers wide from east to west. Due to this shape walking is not common in the city. The building of facilities started in June 1969. The initial building plan was ten years, but in 1980 it became clear that that would not be
1160-934: The most prominent institutions are the University of Tsukuba (1973; formerly Tokyo University of Education); the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK); the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; the Electrotechnical Laboratory; the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory; and the National Institute for Materials Science . The city has an international flair, with about 7,500 foreign students and researchers from as many as 133 countries living in Tsukuba at any one time. Over
1200-433: The number of cities countrywide had increased to 205. After WWII , their number almost doubled during the "great Shōwa mergers" of the 1950s and continued to grow so that it surpassed the number of towns in the early 21st century (see the List of mergers and dissolutions of municipalities in Japan ). As of October 1 2018, there are 792 cities of Japan. Tsukuba District, Ibaraki Tsukuba ( 筑波郡 , Tsukuba-gun )
1240-469: The past several decades, nearly half of Japan's public research and development budget has been spent in Tsukuba. Important scientific breakthroughs by its researchers include the identification and specification of the molecular structure of superconducting materials, the development of organic optical films that alter their electrical conductivity in response to changing light, and the creation of extreme low-pressure vacuum chambers . Tsukuba has become one of
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1280-428: The power of administrative management increased. Furthermore, the new structure led to better research facilities, a separate independent research department and the implementation of a board for general policies and regulations. In 1966, after a few years of intensive study, the government started the project by buying land in the Tsukuba area. The acquiring of land to build on was done by negotiation over prices between
1320-401: The science and technology agency. Another key figure for the development of the Science City is Leo Esaki . What sets Tsukuba apart from other town developments in Japan is the large scale and fast pace of its development into a place with high quality of scientific innovation. In September 1963, the national government of Japan, led by Ichiro Kono and Kniomi Umezawa, ordered the development of
1360-401: The status of core city , or designated city . These statuses expand the scope of administrative authority delegated from the prefectural government to the city government. Tokyo , Japan's capital, existed as a city until 1943, but is now legally classified as a special type of prefecture called a metropolis ( 都 , to ) . The 23 special wards of Tokyo , which constitute the core of
1400-543: The town of Kukizaki (from Inashiki District ) on November 1, 2002. Therefore, Yatabe, Ōho, Toyosato, Sakura, Tsukuba and Kukizaki, correspond to the ancient towns and villages. By 2000, the city's 60 national research institutes and two national universities had been grouped into five zones: higher education and training, construction research, physical science and engineering research, biological and agricultural research, and common (public) facilities. These zones were surrounded by more than 240 private research facilities. Among
1440-492: The world's key sites for government-industry collaborations in basic research. Earthquake safety, environmental degradation, studies of roadways, fermentation science, microbiology, and plant genetics are some of the broad research topics having close public-private partnerships. On April 1, 2007 Tsukuba was designated a Special city with increased autonomy. Following the Fukushima I nuclear accidents in 2011, evacuees from
1480-415: Was a district located in Ibaraki Prefecture , Japan . At its greatest extent it included the areas of today's cities of Jōsō , Shimotsuma , Toride , Tsuchiura , Tsukuba , and Tsukuba Mirai . The district had two towns before the dissolution: Ina and Yawara . On March 27, 2006, the town of Ina and the village of Yawara were merged to create the city of Tsukubamirai . Therefore, Tsukuba District
1520-519: Was a place of science. The Expo attracted around 20 million Japanese and foreign visitors. Leo Esaki became the president of the University of Tsukuba in 1992. His presidency marked a new era of reform for the Tsukuba Science City. Leo Esaki is a Nobel prize winner and worked at IBM prior to becoming president of the University of Tsukuba. Unlike other Japanese university presidents he had no academic background and no former ties with
1560-405: Was designated for development. Construction of the city centre, the University of Tsukuba and 46 public basic scientific research laboratories began in the 1970s. Tsukuba Science City became operational in the 1980s. The Expo '85 world's fair was held in the area of Tsukuba Science City, which at the time was still divided administratively between several small towns and villages. Attractions at
1600-574: Was rated an F-3 by the Japan Meteorological Agency , making it the most powerful tornado to ever hit Japan. Some spots had F-4 damage. Tsukuba has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 28 members. Tsukuba contributes five members to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 6th district of
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