Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Chōshi in 2020 is approximately 58,000.

History

thumb|An 18th-century block print showing bonito fishing in Choshi Bay

Chōshi has been noted as a fishing port since ancient times. The commercial fishing and soy sauce industries were developed in Chōshi by the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period (1603–1868). Their development continued in the early industrialization of Japan in the Meiji period (1868–1912). The town of Chōshi was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Noted soy sauce producer Yamasa was incorporated in 1928, and Higeta in 1932. Chōshi was elevated to city status on February 11, 1933.

Chōshi was a center of industrial unrest in the early 20th century; there were numerous strikes and labor disputes at the soy sauce factories, and residents attacked the government offices in 1930 over heavy taxation and unaccounted expenditures by municipal authorities. The city was bombed again on August 1, 1945. Emperor Hirohito made an official visit to the ruined city on June 6, 1946, after the surrender of Japan.

Government

Chōshi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Chōshi contributes two members to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Chiba 10th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

thumb|Kaisō, a jelly-like food made from the seaweed Chondrus elatus. Believed to have originated in Chōshi city

Chōshi is known as a center of soy sauce production. Production methods were introduced to Chōshi in 1616 from Settsu Province, and later from Kii Province, both near the Seto Inland Sea. The Port of Kashima in nearby Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, is utilized to import soybeans for use in soy sauce production. The remains of soybeans not used in soy sauce production in Chōshi are returned to Kashima for production into feed for livestock.

The city is home to the Chōshi Fishing Port. Its catches of sardines, bonito, and tuna are the largest in Chiba Prefecture. Wind power is actively being developed off the rugged coast of Chōshi for use in the city and the greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Amber is also found in the area.

Education

  • Chiba Institute of Science
  • Chōshi has 12 public elementary schools, five public middle schools and one public high school operated by the city government, and two public high schools operated by the Chiba Prefectural Board of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

Prefectural high schools:

  • Choshi Prefectural Choshi High School (千葉県立銚子高等学校).
  • <!--http://www.chiba-c.ed.jp/choshi-ch/-->
  • Former: Choshi Fishery High School<!--https://web.archive.org/web/20070405041946/http://www.chiba-c.ed.jp/chosui-h/--> (千葉県立銚子水産高等学校).

The municipal high school is .

There is also a private high school, the .

Transportation

Railway

20px JR East – Sōbu Main Line

  • – –

20px JR East – Narita Line

  • – – (– )

18px Chōshi Electric Railway Company – Choshi Electric Railway Line

  • – – – – – – – – –

<gallery widths="170px" heights="170px" mode="packed">

Choshi Station interior.jpg|Chōshi Station

Tokawa Station May 2018.jpg|Tokawa Station

</gallery>

Highways

Local attractions

thumb|left|[[Enpuku-ji temple]]

Chōshi is home to Inubōsaki Lighthouse, completed in 1874 by Scotsman Richard Henry Brunton, as well as numerous historic temples, including Enpuku-ji and Mangan-ji.

Sister cities

Chōshi has two sister cities:

  • Coos Bay, Oregon, United States
  • Legazpi, Albay, Philippines

Notable people from Chōshi

  • Hideyuki Kikuchi, author
  • Doppo Kunikida, author
  • Eiji Okada, actor
  • Yuma Suzuki, football player
  • Takamiyama Torinosuke, sumo wrestler

References

  • Official Website