Urawa, Saitama
Encyclopedia
was a city in Saitama Prefecture
, Japan
, until it merged into the city of Saitama
together with two other cities, Omiya
and Yono
, on May 1, 2001. In 2003, the former area of Urawa became Urawa-ku
, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku, which are wards
of the city of Saitama. The city hall and the prefectural government building are located in Urawa-ku.
, the area that became Urawa flourished as a posting station of the Nakasendō
, a highway connecting Edo
(modern-day Tokyo
) and Kyoto
. But it was not as big a town as Iwatsuki
, which was the only castle town
in the area of the modern-day city of Saitama.
In 1869, the Prefectural Government of Urawa Prefecture was set up, and the Government's Office was located in Urawa. In 1871, Iwatsuki, Urawa, and Oshi Prefectures merged to form Saitama Prefecture
, and Urawa became the capital of this new Prefecture.
The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
heavily damaged Tokyo and many nearby cities. Although Urawa is not far from Tokyo, it suffered less damage than to Tokyo, Yokohama
, and other cities in Kantō region
, so many intellectuals, especially painters, moved to Urawa, and this old posting station started to change into a modern city.
Several neighboring villages then merged into Urawa, and in 1934, the town became a city.
The city existed up until the 2001 merger with Ōmiya
and Yono
to form Saitama. At that time the city had a population of 488,000.
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, 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...
, until it merged into the city of Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
together with two other cities, Omiya
Omiya, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In 2001 it merged with two other cities to form the city of Saitama. Since 1 April 2003, the area of former Ōmiya city is Kita-ku, Minuma-ku, Nishi-ku, and Ōmiya-ku of Saitama city.-Origin and pre-modern history:...
and Yono
Yono, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The town of Yono began on April 1, 1889. On July 15, 1958, Yono became a city. The city existed between cities of Urawa and Ōmiya. On May 1, 2001 it merged with Ōmiya and Urawa to form the new capital City of Saitama...
, on May 1, 2001. In 2003, the former area of Urawa became Urawa-ku
Urawa-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Japan. It is surrounded by Midori-ku , Minami-ku , Chūō-ku , Ōmiya-ku , and Minuma-ku of Saitama city....
, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku, which are wards
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
of the city of Saitama. The city hall and the prefectural government building are located in Urawa-ku.
History
In the Edo periodEdo 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....
, the area that became Urawa flourished as a posting station of the Nakasendō
Nakasendo
The , also called the , was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 stations between Edo and Kyoto, crossing through Musashi, Kōzuke, Shinano, Mino and Ōmi provinces...
, a highway connecting Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(modern-day Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
) and Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. But it was not as big a town as Iwatsuki
Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan since April 1, 2005 when the city of Iwatsuki was incorporated into Saitama City.-Population and area:The first population count was held on July 1, 2006 and the ward had an estimated population of 111,723...
, which was the only castle town
Castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
in the area of the modern-day city of Saitama.
In 1869, the Prefectural Government of Urawa Prefecture was set up, and the Government's Office was located in Urawa. In 1871, Iwatsuki, Urawa, and Oshi Prefectures merged to form Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, and Urawa became the capital of this new Prefecture.
The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
heavily damaged Tokyo and many nearby cities. Although Urawa is not far from Tokyo, it suffered less damage than to Tokyo, Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, and other cities in Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
, so many intellectuals, especially painters, moved to Urawa, and this old posting station started to change into a modern city.
Several neighboring villages then merged into Urawa, and in 1934, the town became a city.
The city existed up until the 2001 merger with Ōmiya
Omiya, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In 2001 it merged with two other cities to form the city of Saitama. Since 1 April 2003, the area of former Ōmiya city is Kita-ku, Minuma-ku, Nishi-ku, and Ōmiya-ku of Saitama city.-Origin and pre-modern history:...
and Yono
Yono, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The town of Yono began on April 1, 1889. On July 15, 1958, Yono became a city. The city existed between cities of Urawa and Ōmiya. On May 1, 2001 it merged with Ōmiya and Urawa to form the new capital City of Saitama...
to form Saitama. At that time the city had a population of 488,000.