Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, Kantō Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Yashio (八潮市, Yashio-shi) is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 January 2021, the city had an estimated population density of 5,100 persons per km². The total area of the city is 18.02 square km (6.96 sq mi).

Geography Located in far south-eastern Saitama Prefecture at an elevation of only three meters above sea level, Yashio is on the central reaches of the Naka River, and is approximately 20 km from downtown Tokyo.

Surrounding municipalities: Saitama Prefecture ◦ Sōka; ◦ Misato; Tokyo Metropolis ◦ Adachi; ◦ Katsushika.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Yashio has increased rapidly over the past 60 years.

History The area of modern Yashio was settled in the Kofun period and was part of Shimōsa Province from the Nara period. During the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate, the area was tenryō territory controlled directly by the shogunate. After the Meiji restoration, the area was transferred to the new Saitama Prefecture in 1871 and divided into villages with the creation of the modern municipalities system in 1889. The village of Yashio was created within Minamisaitama District, Saitama with the merger of the villages of Shiodome, Hachijō and Yahata on 28 September 1956. It was raised to town status on 1 October 1964 and to city status on 15 January 1972.

Government Yashio has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 21 members. Yashio contributes one member to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Saitama 14th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Due to this location, Yashio is primarily a distribution centre, with a number of industrial parks. It is also bedroom community with part of its population commuting to the Tokyo metropolis for work.

Education Yashio has ten public elementary schools and five public middle schools operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education.

Transport: Rail Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company - Tsukuba Express • Yashio.

Transport: Road • Shuto Expressway Misato Route • Tokyo Gaikan Expressway • National Route 4 • National Route 298.