Ayase, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is on the east bank of the Sagami River, and is bordered by Yamato, Fujisawa and Ebina cities. It should not be confused with a neighborhood of the same name in the special ward of Adachi, Tokyo.

As of April 2017, the city has an estimated population of 84,309, with 33,899 households, and a population density of 3,800 persons per km2. The total area is .

Geography
Ayase is in the plains of north-central Kanagawa Prefecture along the banks of the Sagami River. The Hikiji River flows through part of the city.

Surrounding municipalities
Ebina
Yamato
Fujisawa

History
In the Edo period, the area of modern Ayase was part of the tenryō territory in Sagami Province controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, but administered through various hatamoto. After the Meiji restoration, the area became part of Kōza District, Kanagawa Prefecture. The village of Ayase was created on April 1, 1889 through the merger of eight small hamlets, and was elevated to town status on April 1, 1945. On November 11, 1978, Ayase became the newest city in Kanagawa Prefecture. The Naval Air Facility Atsugi, one of the key United States military bases on the Kantō region, occupies approximately 18% of the area of the city.

Economy
Ayase is known for its processed meat industry, and is the leading producer of pork products in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Transportation
Ayase is not connected by rail, although the tracks of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen pass through the city. The nearest train stations are Kashiwadai Station and Sagamino Station (on the Sagami Railway in neighboring Ebina) and Chōgo Station on the Odakyu Enoshima Line in Fujisawa.

Five numbered prefectural highways crisscross the city. The Tōmei Expressway passes through Ayase, but does not have interchange, although there is a highway bus stop for the city.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities
Ayase is twinned with:
  Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan (1967)

See also 
Naval Air Facility Atsugi

References

External links 

Official Website 

Category:Cities in Kanagawa Prefecture