260px, Shirako town hall
is a
town located in
Chiba Prefecture,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. , the town had an estimated
population of 11,040 in 4942 households and a
population density of 400 persons per km².
The total area of the town is .
Geography
Shirako is located in eastern Chiba Prefecture, about 30 kilometers from the prefectural capital at
Chiba
Chiba may refer to:
Places China
* (), town in Jianli County, Jingzhou, Hubei
Japan
* Chiba (city), capital of Chiba Prefecture
** Chiba Station, a train station
* Chiba Prefecture, a sub-national jurisdiction in the Greater Tokyo Area on ...
and within 60 to 70 kilometers from the center of Tokyo. Facing the
Pacific Ocean, it is included in the Kujūkuri Plain and has a gentle terrain. It has a portion the
Kujūkuri Beach, and the Nabaki River runs through the center of the town.
Neighboring municipalities
Chiba Prefecture
*
Mobara
*
Chōsei
is a village located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 14,028 in 6096 households and a population density of 500 persons per km². The total area of the village is . It is the only remaining municipality cl ...
*
Ōamishirasato
Climate
Shirako has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Shirako is 15.3 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1633 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.0 °C, and lowest in January, at around 5.6 °C.
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,
Shirako population statistics
/ref> the population of Shirako has remained relatively steady over the past 100 years.
History
The area of present-day Shirako is part of ancient Kazusa Province had numerous fishing hamlets during the Edo period. It was incorporated into Chōsei District after the Meiji period cadastral reforms and the town of Shirakata was created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of the modern municipalities system. It was raised to town status on February 11, 1940. On February 11, 1955 Shirakata merged with the neighboring villages of Seki and Nabaki and was proclaimed the town of Shirako. This name was adopted from a local Shinto shrine
A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion.
Overview
Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings.
The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...
, Shirako Jinja, which claims to have been founded in the Heian period.
Government
Shirako has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 15 members. Together with the city of Sakura, Shirako, collectively with the other municipalities of Chōsei District, contributes one member to the Chiba Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Chiba 11th district of the lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
of the Diet of Japan
The is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives (, ''Shūgiin''), and an upper house, the House of Councillors (, '' Sangiin''). Both houses are directly elected under a paralle ...
.
Economy
The primary industry of Shirako has traditionally been commercial fishing, however, the tourist and resort industry now dominates the local economy.
Education
Shirako has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the town government. The town does not have a public high school.
Transportation
Railway
Shirako does not have any passenger train service.
Highway
The town is not located on any national highway.
*Kujukuri Toll Road
Local attractions
*Shirako Jinja
* Shirako Onsen
References
External links
Official Website
{{Authority control
Towns in Chiba Prefecture
Populated coastal places in Japan
Shirako
