is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan.As of April 2012, the city has an estimated population of 481,574 and a population density of 7,850 persons per km². The total area is 61.33 km².GeographyMatsudo is located in the far northwestern corner of Chiba Prefecture, bordered by the Edogawa River to the west.Neighboring municipalitiesIchikawa, ChibaKashiwa, ChibaNagareyama, ChibaKamagaya, ChibaMisato, SaitamaEdogawa, TokyoKatsushika, TokyoHistoryThe area around Matsudo has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and archaeologists have found remains from the Jomon period, as well as burial tumuli from the Kofun period. During the Edo period, the area was tenryo controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, and contained a number of horse ranches providing war horses for the Shogun’s armies. It also developed as a post station on the Mito Kaido connecting Edo with Mito. After the Meiji Restoration, Matsudo Town was created in Higashikatsushika District Chiba Prefecture in 1878. Matsudo attained city status on October 1, 1943.