Sōka

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title: "Sōka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sōka", "cities-in-saitama-prefecture"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sōka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameSōka
native_name草加市
settlement_typeSpecial city
image_skylineSoka City Hall-1.jpg
image_captionSōka City office
image_flagFlag of Soka, Saitama.svg
image_sealEmblem of Soka, Saitama.svg
image_mapSoka in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg
map_captionLocation of Sōka in Saitama Prefecture
pushpin_mapJapan
pushpin_label_position
pushpin_map_captionLocation of Sōka in Japan
coordinates
coor_pinpoint
coordinates_footnotestags --
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameJapan
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1Kantō
subdivision_type2Prefecture
subdivision_name2Saitama
established_titleFirst official recorded
established_datemid 3rd century AD (official)
established_title2Town settled
established_date2April 1, 1889
established_title3City settled
established_date3November 1, 1958
seat_type
government_footnotestags --
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameYuriko Yamakawa (from October 2022)
leader_name1
total_type
unit_pref
area_magnitude
area_footnotestags --
area_total_km227.46
elevation_footnotestags --
population_footnotestags --
population_total249645
population_as_ofFebruary 2021
population_density_km2auto
population_demonym
timezone1Japan Standard Time
utc_offset1+9
area_code_type
blank_name_sec1City Symbols
blank1_name_sec1- Tree
blank1_info_sec1Pinus
blank2_name_sec1- Flower
blank2_info_sec1Chrysanthemum
blank3_name_sec1- Bird
blank_name_sec2Phone number
blank_info_sec2048-922-0151
blank1_name_sec2Address
blank1_info_sec21-1-1 Takasago, Soka-shi, Saitama-ken 840-8550
website
::

::callout[type=note] the city in Japan ::

| name = Sōka | official_name = | native_name = 草加市 | settlement_type = Special city | image_skyline = Soka City Hall-1.jpg | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = Sōka City office | image_flag = Flag of Soka, Saitama.svg | flag_alt = | image_seal = Emblem of Soka, Saitama.svg | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | image_blank_emblem = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = Soka in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Sōka in Saitama Prefecture | pushpin_map = Japan | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Sōka in Japan | coordinates = | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = tags -- | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Kantō | subdivision_type2 = Prefecture | subdivision_name2 = Saitama | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | established_title = First official recorded | established_date = mid 3rd century AD (official) | established_title2 = Town settled | established_date2 = April 1, 1889 | established_title3 = City settled | established_date3 = November 1, 1958 | founder = | named_for = | seat_type = | seat = | government_footnotes = tags -- | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Yuriko Yamakawa (from October 2022) | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | total_type = | unit_pref = | area_magnitude = | area_footnotes = tags -- | area_total_km2 = 27.46 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = tags -- | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = tags -- | population_total = 249645 | population_as_of = February 2021 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_est = | pop_est_as_of = | population_demonym = | population_note = | timezone1 = Japan Standard Time | utc_offset1 = +9 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | blank_name_sec1 = City Symbols | blank1_name_sec1 = - Tree | blank1_info_sec1 = Pinus | blank2_name_sec1 = - Flower | blank2_info_sec1 = Chrysanthemum | blank3_name_sec1 = - Bird | blank3_info_sec1 = | blank4_name_sec1 = | blank4_info_sec1 = | blank5_name_sec1 = | blank5_info_sec1 = | blank6_name_sec1 = | blank6_info_sec1 = | blank7_name_sec1 = | blank7_info_sec1 = | blank_name_sec2 = Phone number | blank_info_sec2 = 048-922-0151 | blank1_name_sec2 = Address | blank1_info_sec2 =1-1-1 Takasago, Soka-shi, Saitama-ken 840-8550 | website = | footnotes = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/草加松原1.jpg" caption="Sōka Matsubara"] ::

Sōka is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 249,645 in 118,129 households and a population density of 9100 persons per km². The total area of the city is 27.46 sqkm.

Geography

Sōka is situated in the southeast corner of Saitama Prefecture approximately 30 kilometers away from downtown Tokyo. It is surrounded to the east by the cities of Yashio, Misato and Yoshikawa, and to the west by Kawaguchi. To the north is Koshigaya and to the south Adachi Ward of Metropolitan Tokyo.The city is in the center of the Kanto Plain and is mostly lowland with an elevation of only three meters above sea level. The Ayase River flows through the city, which was subject to frequent flooding despite various flood control measures taken since the Edo Period.

Sōka was once a peaceful agricultural area surrounded by water and greenery, but as a result of urbanization, the once abundant greenery and clean water was adversely affected. Now, Sōka is promoting a "town of greenery and water based on history and the natural features of the area". Creation of areas of greenery reflecting the changes of the four seasons, and the restoration of waterways and environs is being advanced.

Surrounding municipalities

Climate

Sōka has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Sōka is 14.9 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1482 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.5 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.4 °C.

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Sōka has increased rapidly from the 1960s due to the construction of new towns and large-scale public housing complexes, together with the completion of highways and rail lines providing access to downtown Tokyo.

| 1960 | 38,533 | 1970 | 123,269 | 1980 | 186,618 | 1990 | 206,132 | 2000 | 225,018 | 2010 | 243,855 | 2020 | 248,304 |align = none | footnote =

History

The area of Sōka has been settled since at least the late Yayoi to early Kofun period, as evidenced by numerous burial mounds from 250-400 AD found within the city borders. In the Nara period, it became part of Musashi Province. In the Kamakura period, per the Azuma Kagami, large areas were under control of Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu in Kamakura. The name "Sōka" first appears in historical documents in 1573. During the Edo period, the area was tenryo territory under the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate and Sōka-shuku developed as a post station on the Nikkō Kaidō highway from 1630. Following the Meiji restoration, the area became part of Kitaadachi District, Saitama and Sōka Town was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

Sōka annexed the neighboring villages of Yatsuka and Shinden on January 1, 1955, followed by the village of Kawayanagi on August 1, 1955. On November 1, 1955, Sōka was elevated to city status. Following this, rapid population expansion and urbanization took hold due to strong economic growth which was fueled by its proximity to Tokyo. The city was proclaimed a tokureishi on April 1, 2004 with increased local autonomy.

Government

Sōka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 28 members. Sōka contributes three members to the Saitama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Saitama 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Miso_senbei,_omiyage_from_Sōka.jpg" caption="Miso [[senbei]] from Sōka"] ::

Sōka traditionally is known for its rice cracker, the Sōka senbei. However, agriculture and food processing form a minor portion of the local economy, which is heavily industrialized. The city is increasingly becoming a commuter town for Tokyo Metropolis.

Education

  • Dokkyo University
  • Sōka has 21 public elementary schools and 11 public middle schools operated by the city government, and four public high schools operated by the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education. In addition, the prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Tōbu_Tetsudō_Logo.svg" caption="40px]] [[Tōbu Railway]] - [[Tobu Skytree Line"] ::

Highway

Sister cities

Sōka is twinned with:

Local attractions

  • Sōka Matsubara

Notable people from Sōka

References

References

  1. "Sōka city official statistics".
  2. [https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/saitama/soka-5655/ Sōka climate data]
  3. [https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-saitama.php Sōka population statistics]
  4. [http://www.city.soka.saitama.jp/mb/shoukai/01.htmlSōka home page on history of Sōka] {{in lang. ja
  5. [http://www.city.soka.saitama.jp/cont/s1403/010/010/020/01.html Sōka home page on history of Sōka senbei] {{in lang. ja
  6. "International Exchange". Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

sōkacities-in-saitama-prefecture