Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, Kantō Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Matsudo (松戸市) is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The total area of the city is 61.38 square km (23.70 sq mi).

Geography Matsudo is located in the far north-western corner of Chiba Prefecture, about 20 to 30 km from the prefectural capital at Chiba and 10 to 20 km from downtown Tokyo. The western border of the city is the Edo River, which flows from north to south, and most of the city is on an alluvial plain with an elevation of only around four meters above sea level, with the eastern end rising to 20 to 30 meters on the Shimōsa Plateau.

Neighboring municipalities Chiba Prefecture • Ichikawa • Kashiwa • Nagareyama • Kamagaya; Saitama Prefecture • Misato; Tokyo • Edogawa • Katsushika.

History The area around Matsudo has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and archaeologists have found remains from the Jōmon period, as well as burial tumuli from the Kofun period. During the Edo period, the area was tenryō controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, and contained a number of horse ranches providing war horses for the Shōgun's armies. It also developed as a post station on the Mito Kaidō connecting Edo with Mito, and supplied vegetables and the produce to Edo via its waterways. Matsudo Shrine has a close connection with Tokugawa Mitsukuni and the Matsudo Tojo was the residence of Tokugawa Akitake, the last daimyō of Mito Domain after the Meiji restoration.

Matsudo Town was created in Higashikatsushika District Chiba Prefecture with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Matsudo attained city status on October 1, 1943.

On September 1, 1954, the neighboring town of Kashiwa merged with neighboring Kogane Town and Tsuchi and Tanaka villages to form the new city of Tokatsu (東葛市, Tokatsu-shi). However, many politicians in Kogane Town were vehemently opposed to the merger, and forced its dissolution on October 15, 1954 with most of former Kogane Town merging with Matsudo instead. Beginning in the 1960s, the rapid economic growth in Japan (and the Tokyo area in particular) led to a construction boom in Matsudo and the development of the area as a major suburb of Tokyo. Matsudo is now the fourth-largest city in Chiba Prefecture and a major bedroom community in the Greater Tokyo Area.

Government Matsudo has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 44 members. Matsudo contributes seven members to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between the Chiba 6th district and the Chiba 7th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Matsudo is a regional commercial centre and a bedroom community for nearby Chiba and Tokyo, with some 37% of the population commuting to Tokyo. Although located in Chiba Prefecture, the city has relatively poor transportation connections to Chiba City. The city has a mixed industrial base. The small electric motor manufacturer, Mabuchi Motor is headquartered in Matsudo.

Universities: Chiba University, Matsudo Campus; Nihon University, Matsudo Dental Campus; Seitoku University; Ryutsu Keizai University, Matsudo Campus; Seitoku University Junior College.

Sport • Velodrome: Matsudo Velodrome.

Transport: Rail JR East – Jōban Line • Matsudo - Kita-Matsudo - Mabashi - Shim-Matsudo - Kita-Kogane; JR East – Musashino Line • Shim-Matsudo - Shin-Yahashira - Higashi-Matsudo; Shin-Keisei Electric Railway - Shin-Keisei Line • Matsudo - Kamihongō - Matsudo-Shinden -　Minoridai - Yabashira - Tokiwadaira - Gokō - Motoyama; Hokusō Railway - Hokuso Line • Yagiri - Akiyama - Higashi-Matsudo - Matsuhidai; Keisei Electric Railway - Keisei Narita Airport Line • Higashi-Matsudo; Tobu Railway – Tobu Urban Park Line • Mutsumi; Ryūtetsu – Nagareyama Line • Mabashi - Kōya - Kogane-Jōshi - Hiregasaki.

Transport: Road • Tokyo Gaikan Expressway • National Route 6 • National Route 209 • National Route 464.

Local attractions • Manman-ji – Buddhist temple • Showa no Mori Museum.