Sōma 相馬市 |
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City | |||
(Upper) Matsukawa Lagoon, Uda River, (Center) Soma Shrine, (Lower) Hyakusyaku Kannon, and Soma Nakamura Shrine.
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Location of Sōmain Fukushima Prefecture |
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Coordinates: 37°47′48″N 140°55′10.7″E / 37.79667°N 140.919639°ECoordinates: 37°47′48″N 140°55′10.7″E / 37.79667°N 140.919639°E | |||
Country | Japan | ||
Region | Tōhoku | ||
Prefecture | Fukushima Prefecture | ||
Government | |||
• - Mayor | Hidekiyo Tachiya | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 197.67 km2 (76.32 sq mi) | ||
Population (December 2014) | |||
• Total | 35,680 | ||
• Density | 179/km2 (460/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) | ||
Symbols | |||
• Tree | Japanese black pine | ||
• Flowers |
Spring: sakura Summer: rugosa rose Autumn: balloon flower Winter: sazanka |
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• Bird | Japanese bush-warbler | ||
Phone number | 0244-37-2117 | ||
Address | 13 Nakamura aza Ōtesaki, Sōma-shi, Fukushima-ken 976-8601 | ||
Website | www |
Sōma (相馬市 Sōma-shi?) is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, in northern Honshū, Japan. As of December 2014, the city had an estimated population of 35,480 and a population density of 179 persons per km2. The total area was 197.67 km2.
Sōma is located in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Abukuma Plateau to the west. Sōma is closer to Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture than it is to the prefectural capital of Fukushima.
The area of present-day Sōma was part of ancient Mutsu Province, and has been settled since at least the Jomon period. During the Edo period, much of the area was part of the holdings of Sōma Domain, home of the Sōma clan from the late Sengoku period until the Boshin War. . After the Meiji Restoration, it was organized as part of waki Province. With the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1896, the area was organized into a number of towns and villages within the districts of Namekata and Uda, which had alternated between belonging to the old Iwaki Province, Mutsu Province, the second Iwaki Province, and modern Fukushima Prefecture. In 1896, Namekata and Uda were merged to create Sōma District. The town of Nakamura was established on April 1, 1889. It was raised to city status on March 31, 1954, being the city of Sōma.