city, Ibaraki ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, on the western shore of Lake Kasumi. A castle was constructed on the city site during the Muromachi period (1338–1573), and Tsuchiura grew to be a flourishing centre of land and sea transportation. Fishing was also highly developed. The Jōban Line (railway) was opened through Tsuchiura in 1896, and in 1920 a Japanese naval base and related machinery and construction industries were established. The city's importance declined somewhat after World War II, but it has since regained its status as a prominent administrative, commercial, and cultural centre. Improved transportation has led to its development as a suburb of the Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area. Pop. (2005) 144,060.