Abiko 我孫子市
—  City  —
Flag
Location of Abiko in Chiba
Abiko
Coordinates: 35°52′N 140°02′E / 35.867°N 140.033°E / 35.867; 140.033Coordinates: 35°52′N 140°02′E / 35.867°N 140.033°E / 35.867; 140.033
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba
Government
- Mayor	Junichiro Hoshino (since January 2007)
Area
- Total	43.19 km2 (16.7 sq mi)
Population (February 2011)
- Total	134,154
- Density	3,110/km2 (8,054.9/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City Symbols
-Tree	Zelkova serrata
- Flower	Azalea
- Bird	Eurasian Coot
Phone number	04-7185-1111
Address	1858 Banchi, Abiko-shi, Chiba-ken 270-1192
Website	Abiko City

Abiko (我孫子市, Abiko-shi^?) is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the town had an estimated population of 134,154 and a population density of 3110 persons per km². The total area was 43.19 km².

Geography

Abiko is located in the far northwestern corner of Chiba Prefecture, bordered by the Tone River to the north.

Neighboring municipalities

• Inzai, Chiba
• Kashiwa, Chiba
• Toride, Ibaraki
• Tone, Ibaraki

History

The area around Abiko has been inhabited since Japanese Paleolithic times, and archaeologists have found stone tools dated from 30,000 years ago. During the Edo period, Abiko was a river port on the Tone River and a post station on the Mito Kaidō, a highway connecting Edo with Mito. After the Meiji Restoration, Abiko Town was created in Minamisoma District , Chiba Prefecture on April 1, 1889, along with the town of Fusa and village of Kohoku. Abiko was transferred to Higashikatsushika District in 1897. On November 1, 1954, it annexed neighboring Tomise village from the same district. On April 29, 1955, Abiko annexed Fusa Town and Kohoku Village. Abiko achieved city status on July 1, 1970. In 2003, a proposal to merge Abiko with neighboring city of Kashiwa and the town of Shōnan was defeated by a public referendum. Parts of the city were damaged by Soil liquefaction due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Economy

Abiko is a regional commercial center and a bedroom community for nearby Chiba and Tokyo.

Education

Universities

• Chuo Gakuin University
• Kawamura Gakuen Women's University

Transportation

Railway

• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Jōban Line
  • Abiko – Tennōdai
• East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Narita Line
  • Abiko - Higashi-Abiko - Kohoku - Araki - Fusa

Highway

• Jōban Expressway
• Japan National Route 6
• Route 294 (Japan)
• Route 356 (Japan)

Point of Interests

• Akebonoyama Park
• Abiko City Museum of Birds
• Abiko City Library
• Yamashina Institute for Ornithology

Noted people from Abiko

• Isao Aoki – professional golfer
• Makoto Kaneko – professional baseball player
• Hajime Meshiai –professional golfer
• Kiyoshi Matsumoto – politician, founder of major drug store chain
• Seiji Ebihara –professional golfer
• Asuka Tono – Takarazuka musician
• Morinosuke Chiwaki – founder of Japan Dental Association

Chiba Prefecture Chiba (capital city) Wards: Chūō | Hanamigawa | Inage | Wakaba | Midori | Mihama Other cities Chōshi | Ichikawa | Funabashi | Tateyama | Kisarazu | Matsudo | Noda | Mobara | Narita | Sakura | Tōgane | Asahi | Narashino | Kashiwa | Katsuura | Ichihara | Nagareyama | Yachiyo | Abiko | Kamogawa | Kamagaya | Kimitsu | Futtsu | Urayasu | Yotsukaidō | Sodegaura | Yachimata | Inzai | Shiroi | Tomisato | Minamibōsō | Sōsa | Katori | Sanmu | Isumi Inba District Shisui | Sakae Katori District Kōzaki | Tako | Tōnoshō Sanbu District Ōamishirasato | Kujūkuri | Shibayama | Yokoshibahikari Chōsei District Ichinomiya | Mutsuzawa | Chōsei | Shirako | Nagara | Chōnan Isumi District Ōtaki | Onjuku Awa District Kyonan