Tsukuba, Ibaraki

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Tsukuba (Japanese: つくば市 Tsukuba-shi) is a planned city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 195,686 and a population density of 688.87 persons per km². Its total area is 284.07 km². Tsukuba is sometimes considered part of the Greater Tokyo Area.

Mt. Tsukuba, particularly well-known for its toad-shaped Shinto shrine, is located near the city. Also found there is Tsukuba Circuit a popular short racetrack which hosts the D1 Grand Prix and other motorsports events.

1 History
2 Transportation
3 Research institutes in Tsukuba
4 Name in kanji
5 External links

[edit] History

The city was founded on November 30, 1987 as a "science city." It is home to more than 60 research institutes, including the University of Tsukuba, the KEK high-energy research center, and the main research center of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Tsukuba hosted the Expo '85 world's fair in 1985. A full-scale rocket in the city park commemorates the event.

[edit] Transportation

On August 24, 2005, the Tsukuba Express, rail service operated by the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company, opened, providing a rapid connection with Akihabara Station in Tokyo. It takes 45mins between Tsukuba Station and Akihabara Station.

The bus center, in the same area as the Express, offers intracity transport as well as travel to stations in nearby towns and to major stations throughout Kanto. Tsukuba is located on the Joban Expressway between Tokyo and Mito.

The closest major airport is Narita International Airport; Tokyo International Airport is also accessible from the city via bus that carries people daily from the airport to the city's center.

[edit] Research institutes in Tsukuba

[edit] Name in kanji

Tsukuba is one of a small number of hiragana cities in Japan whose names are written in hiragana rather than kanji (Chinese characters). Within the city of Tsukuba, there is a district called Tsukuba whose name is written in kanji, and the name of the nearby mountain Mount Tsukuba is also written in kanji as 筑波山. The local university, the University of Tsukuba, also writes its name using the kanji, as 筑波大学.