Kashima, Ibaraki
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Kashima (鹿嶋市, Kashima-shi) is a port city in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 66,249 and a population density of 708.02 persons per km². The total area is 93.57 km².[citation needed]
Kashima was formerly a town within Kashima District and was elevated to city status after merging with the neighboring village of Ōno on September 1, 1995.
Kashima is the home of the J. League's most successful team to date, the Kashima Antlers. Its home field, Kashima Soccer Stadium, was used as a site during the World Cup in 2002. The city is also the site of the Kashima Shrine, a Shinto temple which is considered the birthplace of many influential styles of swordplay (Kenjutsu) in Japan. It's one of the oldest shrines in eastern Japan, founded in 660 BC according to legend, and the real date is estimated from historical studies as the 4th century.
Kashima is the central city of the Kashima Industrial Zone, and it has a large industrial park with about 1500 factories, especially petrochemical and steel plants. The Japanese Government created this zone in 1963, and the development was mostly completed in 1973.
Transportation
Kashima is at the eastern end of the JR Kashima Line, which connects it (through the Narita Line and Sobu Line) to Chiba Prefecture and Tokyo. The Higashi-Kantō Expressway follows a similar route from Kashima to Tokyo.
The closest major airport is Narita International Airport, linked by expressway. A large international freight port, Kashima Port, is located in the industrial zone.
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Port of Kashima with Kamisu in the foreground -
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The Torii Gate at the entrance of Kashima shrine -
Monument for Kashima Antlers near Kashima Shrine
External links
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