Chiba Prefecture

Chiba Prefecture is located on Japan’s Pacific coast, east of Tokyo. Made up largely by the Bōsō Peninsula, the prefecture boasts 531 kilometers of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay. Inland, Chiba is relatively flat except for the low-lying Bōsō Hills in the south. The northwest corner of the prefecture, including the capital of Chiba, is part of the greater Tokyo area. It is the sixth largest prefecture by population.

Chiba Prefecture at a Glance

• Established in 1873 (formerly Shimōsa, Kazusa, and Awa provinces)
• Capital: Chiba
• Population: 6,284,000 (as of Oct. 2020)
• Area: 5,157 km²

Chiba is home to Narita International Airport, making it one of the first places foreigners step foot in Japan, as well as the Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea resorts, located in Urayasu. The prefecture’s long coastline makes it a popular recreational destination. The Kujūkurihama and Iwai Kaigan areas attract surfers and other beachgoers, while port towns like Chōshi and Katsuura offer scenic views and fresh seafood.

The three-story pagoda at the Buddhist temple Shinshōji near Narita Airport. (© Pixta)

Chiba’s rich soils produce a wide variety of agricultural products, with peanuts being particularly famous. The prefecture is a major fisheries center, and industry is also a major economic contributor, led by chemical production, petroleum refining, and steel manufacturing concentrated in the Keiyō Industrial Zone along Tokyo Bay.

The Cape Nojima lighthouse at the southern tip of the Bōsō Peninsula. (© Pixta)

Famous Figures

• Inō Tadataka (1745–1818): Pioneering cartographer who surveyed the entire coastline of Japan.
• Noda Yoshihiko (1957–): Politician and prime minster of Japan 2011–12.
• Miura Kentarō (1966–2021): Mangaka best known for his work Berserk.

(Originally published in English. Banner photo: Cliffs meet the ocean at Onjuku on the Pacific coast. © Pixta.)

For the complete list of the country’s 47 prefectures, see “The Prefectures of Japan.”