Tsukuba Science City, Ibaraki, Japan

Tsukuba (つくば市, Tsukuba-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of January 1, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 256,526 in 121,001 households and a population density of 900 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 20.3%.[2] The total area of the city is 283.72 square kilometres (109.54 sq mi). It is known as the location of the Tsukuba Science City (筑波研究学園都市, Tsukuba Kenkyū Gakuen Toshi), a planned science park developed in the 1960s.

Tsukuba is located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, approximately 50 kilometers from central Tokyo and about 40 kilometers from Narita International Airport. Mount Tsukuba, from which the city takes its name, is located in the northern part of the city. Except for the area around Mount Tsukuba, the city is a part of the Kantō Plain with an altitude of 20 to 30 meters.

Tsukuba is a city in Japan’s Kantō region, on Honshu island. In the city center, Tsukuba Expo Center has interactive science displays and a planetarium. Tsukuba Space Center has a rocket engine and exhibits on space exploration. North, a funicular railway and cable car run to the twin peaks of Mount Tsukuba, known for its fall foliage. At the foot of the mountain, Tsukuba-san Shrine was founded in the 7th century.

Parks: The city has more than 100 parks and green areas to relax in. Different parks are connected by pedestrian walk and bikeways. Some parks are equipped with tennis courts and round pavements for jogging and walking. Dōhō Park [ja], a park surrounded by vegetation centered in Dōhō Swamp, has a baseball field, a soccer field, a gym and a heated indoor pool equipped with a solar heating system. Matsumi Park [ja] has a 45m-high observation deck and a Japanese style garden with flowers and a small pond.
Gardens: Tsukuba Botanical Garden and Tsukuba Peony Garden.
In the extreme south is the Ushiku Lagoon; the Nishiyata, Higashiyata and Inari rivers discharge their waters into it. The Ushiku Lagoon, through the Yata River, flows into the Kokai River.
At the end of their courses, the Kokai River discharge into the Tone River, and the Sakura, Hanamuro and Ono rivers discharge into the Lake Kasumigaura.

Tsukuba Science City is a center for research and education in the city of Tsukuba, located northeast of Tokyo. The idea of constructing the science city was by the late Ichiro Kono, former minister of construction, and Kuniomi Umezawa, former vice minister of the science and technology agency.[11] Another key figure for the development of the Science City is Leo Esaki.[12] What sets Tsukuba apart from other town developments in Japan is the large scale and fast pace of its development into a place with high quality of scientific innovation.