Mobara, Chiba

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Mobara (Japanese: 茂原市; -shi) is a city located in Chiba prefecture, Japan.

As of July 2005, the city has an estimated population of 94,752 and the density of 939.22 persons per km². The total area is 100.01 km².

Mobara is the hometown for Yuko Ogura, she is one of the most popular Japanese idols. It is also the hometown of Tomoko Ando, the first Japanese to teach Japanese language and culture in schools in Northern Canada.

The city was founded on April 1, 1952.

The city is a bedroom community with the majority of people either employed in agriculture or commuting to bigger cities for work. Many factories have closed and the city has been experiencing an economic downturn. With Hitachi set to open up a major plant this year, it is hoped that the city's fortunes will turn.

Mobara is very close to the Pacific Ocean and is a popular place in the summer. Fireflies can be seen amongst the rice fields near harvest time. The city is also know for lavish sports' facilities. People arrive daily to play golf or tennis in or around the city. Mobara Koen is located behind Mobara Temple. There is a man-made lake with cherry blossoms all around.