Sayama, city in central Japan, on Honshu Island, in southern Saitama Prefecture about 39 km (about 24 mi) northwest of downtown Tokyo. The Iruma River runs through the city, which is in an agricultural area specializing in tea, burdock (a plant whose root is used in Japanese cooking), and vegetables. Sayama is an important industrial district in Saitama Prefecture. Its products include automobile parts, chemicals, and paper. Local attractions include Tenshinji, a Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1594, and two large golf courses.
A base for the Imperial Japanese Army's Air Force Academy was established in Sayama in 1938. Japan's military was dismantled after World War II ended in 1945, and the base was taken over by the United States Army. In 1963 it was returned to Japan and became a base for the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. In recent years Sayama has developed rapidly as a residential area for people who commute to Tokyo. Population (1999) 161,296.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Sayama Information info
|
