| Urasoe | |
| Other Name: | Urashii |
| Native Name Lang: | ja |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Image Map1: | Urasoe in Okinawa Prefecture Ja.svg |
| Map Caption1: | Location of Urasoe in Okinawa Prefecture |
| Pushpin Map: | Japan |
| Coordinates: | 26.2458°N 127.7219°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Japan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kyushu (Ryukyu) |
| Subdivision Type2: | Prefecture |
| Subdivision Name2: | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Tetsuji Matsumoto |
| Area Total Km2: | 19.09 |
| Population Total: | 115,518 |
| Population As Of: | February, 2024 |
| Population Density Km2: | 6,051.2 |
| Timezone1: | Japan Standard Time |
| Utc Offset1: | +9 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | City Symbols |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | - Tree |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Horutonoki (Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus) |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | - Flower |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Henderson Allamanda |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | - Flowering tree |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | Poinciana |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Phone number |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 098-876-1234 |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Address |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | 1-1-1, Ahacha, Urasoe-shi 901-2501 |
is a city located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The neighboring municipalities are Naha to the south, Ginowan to the north, and Nishihara to the east. As of February 2024, the city has an estimated population of 115,518 and a population density of 6,051.2 persons per km2. The total area is 19.09 km2.
United States Marine Corps base Camp Kinser is located on the city's coast.
The name "Urasoe" is made up of two kanji characters. The first,, means "a coastal area", and the second,, means "ruling" or "uniting". The name is a reference to "ruling over many areas".
However, what appears to be an older form of this word is attested in Old Okinawan under the forms *uraosoi うらおそい and *uraosoe うらおそへ.[1]
Urasoe sits to the south of Okinawa Island. Urasoe is rugged and hilly to the east, and the city slopes gently to the East China Sea in the west. Urasoe, while formerly agricultural, has become heavily urbanized due to its proximity to the prefectural capital of Naha.
The city is served by Naha Airport and the Okinawa Expressway. Also it has three stations of Okinawa Urban Monorail (Yui Rail): Kyozuka, Urasoe-Maeda and Tedako-Uranishi.
Urasoe was the original capital of the Okinawan kingdom of Chūzan for several centuries until it was supplanted by Shuri in the late 14th or early 15th century. Shunten (1166 - 1237), the first known king of the Chuzan Kingdom, located in the central region of the island of Okinawa, ruled from Urasoe, as did his son and grandson. For much of the 14th century, Urasoe Castle was the largest on the island of Okinawa. The castle now contains the remains of several kings of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Urasoe was completely razed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 at the end of World War II. 45% of the population, 4,117 residents, died during the battle. The village office of Urasoe was re-established in 1946 to conduct basic administrative functions, settle refugees returning to the village, and restore agricultural land. The village saw a significant increase in U.S. military presence in 1950 in the western coast of the village, which eventually became Camp Kinser. The population of Urasoe rapidly from 1956, and the city became a bedroom community of Naha in this period. Urasoe was elevated to city status on July 1, 1970.
The beer company Orion Breweries has its headquarters in Urasoe.
The U.S. Consulate General for Naha is in Urasoe.[2]
Urasoe city operates public elementary schools and junior high schools, while the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education operates public high schools.
Prefectural high schools:
Municipal junior high schools include:[3]
Municipal elementary schools include:[3]
Private schools:
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) of the United States federal government operates Kinser Elementary School at Camp Kinser.[4]
Urasoe is the hometown of Japanese actress, musician and former idol Yukie Nakama.