Maebashi

Maebashi (前橋市, Maebashi-shi) is a city located in central Gunma Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. It is the capital of Gunma Prefecture.

As of May 2015, the city had an estimated population of 339,701 and a population density of 1081 persons per km². Its total area was 311.59 km². It was the most populous city within Gunma Prefecture until Takasaki merged with nearby towns between 2006 and 2009.

Maebashi is known to be the "City of Water, Greenery and Poets" because of its pure waters, its rich nature and because it gave birth to several Japanese contemporary poets, such as Sakutaro Hagiwara.

Geography

Maebashi is located at the foot of Mt. Akagi in the northeast corner of the Kantō Plain. It is also surrounded by Mount Haruna and Mount Myogi. Two rivers run through the city: the Tone River, Japan's second-longest, and the Hirose River.

Maebashi is the farthest from the sea (about 120 km) of all Japanese prefectural capitals.

Surrounding municipalities