Noda, Chiba

Noda

野田市
Noda 野田市
City
	Shimizu Park in Noda
	Flag
	Location of Noda in Chiba
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba
Government
• Mayor	Takashi Nemoto (since July 1992)
Area
• Total	103.54 km2 (39.98 sq mi)
Population (February 2011)
• Total	155,431
• Density	1,500/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
-Tree	Japanese zelkova
- Flower	Azalea
- Bird	Skylark
Phone number	04-7125-1111
Address	7-1 Tsuruhō, Noda-shi, Chiba-ken 278-8550
Website	Noda City

Noda (野田市, Noda-shi) is a city located in the far northwestern corner Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 155,431 and a population density of 1500 persons per km². The total area was 103.54 km².

Geography

Noda is located in the far northwestern corner of Chiba Prefecture.

Neighboring municipalities

History

The area around Noda has been inhabited since prehistory, and archaeologists have found ancient shell middens in the area. During the late Heian period, the area was controlled by Kamakura Gongorō Kagemasa, and a succession of minor warlords during the Sengoku period. During the Edo period, Noda developed as a river port, post town on the pilgrimage road to Nikko, and a center for the production of soy sauce. Neighboring Sekiyado was controlled by the Late Hojo clan during the Sengoku period, and developed as a castle town under Sekiyado Domain, a feudal han under the Tokugawa shogunate. After the Meiji Restoration, Noda and Sekiyado towns were created on April 1, 1889. Noda achieved city status on May 3, 1950. On June 6, 2003, the city of Noda and town of Sekiyado merged.

Economy

Noda is a regional commercial center and, due to its proximity, a bedroom community for nearby Chiba and Tokyo. Noda has a mixed economy, with Kikkoman soy sauce being the most prominent employer. There is some residual agriculture, primarily of edamame, for which Noda was historically famous.