Sakuragawa, Ibaraki

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Location of Sakuragawa in Ibaraki prefecture

Sakuragawa (桜川市, Sakuragawa-shi^?) is a city formed on 1 October 2005. It is composed of Iwase-cho (岩瀬町) in the north, Yamato-mura (大和村) in the center, and Makabe-cho (真壁町) in the south. It has two JR East railway stations, one in Iwase, and one in Yamato, on the Mito line. It borders Tsukuba, Ibaraki to the south, Kasama and Ishioka to the east, Chikusei, Ibaraki to the west, and Tochigi Prefecture to the north.

The city is lined by mountains along its east side, named Tomiya, Amabiki, Kaba, and Ashio, from north to south. Mt. Tsukuba dominates the southern side, although it is not located within the borders of the city.

A bike road, called the "Tsukuba Ring-Ring Road," connects Iwase to Tsukuba along a former railway line. The city is known for its stoneworks, using the resources of Mt. Kaba, and its agriculture, using the abundant flatlands to the west of the mountains. Yamato is home to the Amabiki Kannon temple. Makabe's hina doll festival, in February, attracts visitors from surrounding towns. The eponymous Sakuragawa River has its source in Iwase.

As of December 2006, the city has a population of 49,387 people.