Sakura, Chiba

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**Sakura**
**佐倉市**
Sakura's location in Chiba, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba
Physical characteristics
Area	103.59 km² (40.00 sq mi)
Population (as of April 2008)
Total	171,473
Density	1,660 /km² (4,299 /sq mi)
Location	35°43′N, 140°13′E
Symbols
Tree	Sakura
Flower	Hanashōbu (Iris ensata var. ensata)
Flag
Sakura Government Office
Mayor	Kazuo Warabi
Address	〒285-8501 97, Kairinjimachi, Sakura-shi, Chiba-ken
Phone number	043-484-1111
Official website: City of Sakura

Yamaman Yūkarigaoka Line, a people mover in Yūkarigaoka

Sakura (佐倉市, Sakura-shi^?) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. The city was founded on March 31, 1954. It is situated 40 kilometers northeast of the Japanese capital Tokyo and nearly 15 kilometers from Narita International Airport. Chiba City, the prefectural capital, lies 15 kilometers southwest of Sakura. Lake Imba and the vast Imba Marsh is bound by the northern city limits. It takes around 60 minutes to Tokyo and 20 minutes to Chiba City (or to Narita) by the Keisei Electric Railway or the Sōbu Main Line both running through Sakura.

"Dutch" windmill De Liefde in Sakura, built in 1994

As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 171,473 and the density of 1,660 persons per km². The total area is 103.59 km².

On her 40^th anniversary a Dutch windmill called De Liefde (Dutch for The Love) has been erected by the Dutch millwright company "Verbij Hoogmade BV" near the south-eastern shore of Lake Imba as a landmark of the Sakura Furusato Square. The mill serving as a polder mill is named after the first Dutch sailing ship which landed on the Japanese shore in 1600. For safety reasons against earthquakes the mill-tower is made of concrete and covered with brick-looking tiles (half-stones). The mill's sail-cross diameter amounts to 27.5 metres (90 ft). It's the only windmill of that type in Japan (a so-called "ground-sailer", which means a windmill whose sails reach almost down to the ground which the canvas sails are set from.).