Mobara, Chiba

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Mobara Koen in the Spring

Mobara (Japanese: 茂原市; -shi) is a city located in Chiba prefecture, Japan. As of July 2005, the city has an estimated population of 94,752 and the density of 939.22 persons per km². The total area is 100.01 km². Mobara is the hometown for Yuko Ogura, a popular Japanese idol. It is also the hometown of Tomoko Ando, the first Japanese to teach Japanese language and culture in schools in Northern Canada. Akira Haraguchi, the man famous for reciting over 100,000 digits of Pi, works as a mental health counsellor and business consultant in Mobara City.^[1] The city was founded on April 1, 1952. The city is a bedroom community with the majority of people either employed in agriculture or commuting to bigger cities for work. Many factories have closed and the city has been experiencing an economic downturn. Hitachi is set to open up a major plant this year. Mobara is very close to the Pacific Ocean and is a popular place in the summer. Fireflies can be seen amongst the rice fields near harvest time. The city is also known for lavish sports facilities. People arrive daily to play golf or tennis in or around the city. Mobara Koen is located behind Mobara Temple. There is a man-made lake with cherry blossoms all around.

The Mobara Tanabata Matsuri

The Mobara Tanabata Festival

The most popular annual community event in Mobara is the Tanabata Festival, during which a wide array of stalls and parades dominate much of the city's central shopping district. While the rest of Japan usually celebrates Tanabata on July 7, the Mobara version of the festival is held in late July so as to coincide with school holidays. 2007 will mark the 53rd year of the event, which will be held between 27th and 29th July. The following are some typical scenes from the mid-summer event, which tends to be a very hot but colourful and fun day out for both young and old.

Fun with Mum, Grandma, Nemo and Kitty	For many, the festival is a rare opportunity to don a yukata	Teenagers search for posters of their favourite idols	Senior members of the community proudly perform an age-old dance ritual
Groups of all ages contribute energy and life to the festivities	Delighted local children enjoying the upbeat ambience	Yakitori comes fresh from the grill	A fish stall
Traditional-style grilled squid	Crepes provide a tasty if not quite traditional treat	A typical street view