Sōma, Fukushima Prefecture, Tōhoku Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Sōma (相馬市, Sōma-shi) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of 29 February 2020, the city had an estimated population density of 180 persons per km² in 14,358 households. The total area of the city is 197.79 square km (76.37 sq mi).

Geography Sōma is located in north-eastern Fukushima Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Abukuma Plateau to the west. Sōma is closer to Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture than it is to the prefectural capital of Fukushima. • Mountains ◦ Mount Ryōzen (825m); • Rivers ◦ Uda River; • Coastal features ◦ Matsukawa Lagoon.

Neighboring municipalities Fukushima Prefecture ◦ Minamisōma ◦ Iitate ◦ Date ◦ Shinchi; Miyagi Prefecture ◦ Marumori.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Sōma has remained the same over the past 40 years.

History The area of present-day Sōma was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jōmon period. During the Edo period, the area developed as the castle town of Sōma Domain, home of the Sōma clan from the Kamakura period until the Boshin War. After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of Iwaki Province. With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1896, the area was organized into a number of towns and villages within the districts of Namekata and Uda. In 1896, Namekata and Uda were merged to create Sōma District. The town of Nakamura was established on April 1, 1889. Nakamura was merged with seven neighbouring villages and raised to city status on March 31, 1954, becoming the city of Sōma.

2011 earthquake and tsunami The eastern, coastal portion of Sōma was inundated by tsunami flood waters following the magnitude 9.1 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami off its coastline on March 11, 2011. The tsunami reached up to approximately 4 km inland in Sōma; flooded areas included Sōma Port and the Matsukawa-ura Bay area, up to the elevated Route 6 Sōma Bypass. The tsunami was measured to have been 9.3 meters or higher in Sōma.

Sōma is about 45 km (28 miles) north of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the site of the nuclear accident that followed the tsunami, and was thus not subject to mandatory evacuation.

Government Sōma has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 20 members. Sōma, together with the town of Shinchi contributes one member to the Fukushima Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Fukushima 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Sōma has a mixed economy, based on agriculture, commercial fishing and light manufacturing. The area is noted for its strawberry cultivation. The Shinchi Thermal Power Station, a coal-fired thermal power station is located in Sōma.

Education Sōma has nine public elementary schools and four public junior high schools operated by the city and two public high schools operated by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school.

Hospital Soma General Hospital, a public hospital with 240 beds, is located in Sōma.

Transport: Rail East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Jōban Line • Nittaki - Soma.

Transport: Road • Jōban Expressway – Sōma Interchange • Tōhoku-Chūō Expressway – Sōma Interchange – Sōma Yamakami Interchange – Sōma Tamano Interchange • National Route 6 • National Route 115 • National Route 116.

Seaports • Port of Soma.

Local attractions • The Sōma horse-chasing Festival held on July 23 to 25 every year is a designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. • Sōma Nakamura Castle ruins • Sōma Nakamura Shrine • Matsukawaura Prefectural Natural Park • Mount Ryōzen, National Place of Scenic Beauty and a National Historic Site.