Shirako

Shirako

白子町
Shirako 白子町
Town
	Shirako skyline
	Flag Seal
	Location of Shirako in Chiba Prefecture
	Shirako
	Coordinates: 35°27′N 140°22′E / 35.450°N 140.367°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba
District	Chōsei
Area
• Total	27.46 km2 (10.60 sq mi)
Population (December 31, 2020)
• Total	11,040
• Density	400/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Japanese black pine
- Flower	Sunflower
Phone number	0475-33-2111
Address	5074-2 Seki, Shirako-machi, Chōsei -gun, Chiba-ken 299-4292
Website	Official website

Shirako (白子町, Shirako-machi) is a town located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 December 2020^[update], the town had an estimated population of 11,040 in 4942 households and a population density of 400 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the town is 27.46 square kilometres (10.60 sq mi).

Geography

Shirako is located in eastern Chiba Prefecture, about 30 kilometers from the prefectural capital at Chiba 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

Climate

Shirako has a humid subtropical climate (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.^[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Shirako has remained relatively steady over the past 100 years.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1920	10,179	—
1930	10,751	+5.6%
1940	11,326	+5.3%
1950	13,801	+21.9%
1960	12,202	−11.6%
1970	11,237	−7.9%
1980	11,691	+4.0%
1990	12,230	+4.6%
2000	13,103	+7.1%
2010	12,151	−7.3%
2020	10,305	−15.2%

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, 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 of the Diet of Japan.

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.