Ichikawa, Chiba

Ichikawa is a city in western Chiba Prefecture, Japan, separated from Edogawa Ward of Tokyo by the Edogawa River along its western edge. It sits about 20 kilometers from the prefectural capital at Chiba and within 10 to 20 kilometers of central Tokyo, and major rail routes and roads pass through it, giving it good transportation connections to the capital. The southern part of the city is an alluvial plain about two meters above sea level, while the northern part belongs to the gentle Shimosa Plateau rising to about 20 meters, with the highest point recorded at 30.1 meters. Ichikawa became a town in 1889 under the modern municipal system and was raised to city status on 3 November 1934.