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108-667: The Shimōsa Plateau covers most of northern Chiba Prefecture . It ranges between 10 metres (33 ft) and 150 metres (490 ft) above sea level . While the Shimōsa Plateau has no set boundaries, it ranges roughly south to north from the Bōsō Hill Range to the lowlands of the Tone River , and east from the Edo River west to the lowlands of Kujūkuri Beach . It runs from Funabashi to Katori . Shimōsa Plateau sits above

216-444: A century of warfare. The political structure, established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and solidified under his two immediate successors, his son Tokugawa Hidetada (who ruled from 1616 to 1623) and grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu (1623–51), bound all daimyōs to the shogunate and limited any individual daimyō from acquiring too much land or power. The Tokugawa shogunate came to its official end on 9   November 1867, when Tokugawa Yoshinobu ,

324-473: A formal declaration of the restoration of his power: The Emperor of Japan announces to the sovereigns of all foreign countries and to their subjects that permission has been granted to the Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to return the governing power in accordance with his own request. We shall henceforward exercise supreme authority in all the internal and external affairs of the country. Consequently,

432-464: A loss of their cultural heritage. In the case of Hikone Castle , even though the government ordered its dismantling, it was saved by orders from the emperor himself. Nagoya Castle and Nijo Castle , due to their historical and cultural importance and sheer size and strategic locations, both became official imperial detached palaces, before they were turned over to the local authorities in the 1930s. Others such as Himeji Castle survived by luck. During

540-617: A national system of public schools. These free schools taught students reading, writing, and mathematics. Students also attended courses in "moral training" which reinforced their duty to the Emperor and to the Japanese state. By the end of the Meiji period, attendance in public schools was widespread, increasing the availability of skilled workers and contributing to the industrial growth of Japan . The opening up of Japan not only consisted of

648-446: A population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,157 km (1,991 sq mi). Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to the northwest, and Tokyo to the west. Chiba is the capital and largest city of Chiba Prefecture, with other major cities including Funabashi , Matsudo , Ichikawa and Kashiwa . Chiba Prefecture is located on Japan's eastern Pacific coast to

756-558: A small part of the overall economy on the Shimōsa Plateau, the northern and eastern area of the plateau is a large producer of vegetables for the Tokyo Metropolitan Region. The flat, eastern part of the Shimōsa Plateau continues to support rice production. Chiba Prefecture Chiba Prefecture ( 千葉県 , Chiba-ken ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu . Chiba Prefecture has

864-454: A specialty product of Chiba: 78 per cent of the country's peanuts are produced in the prefecture. Chiba Prefecture leads the nation in the production of several vegetables, including carrots ; cabbage ; daikon radish ; negi , the ubiquitous Japanese cultivar of the Welsh onion ; loquat ; nashi , the Japanese cultivar of the pear , which has a two hundred-year history of cultivation in

972-400: A strong centralized state defining its national identity, the government established a dominant national dialect, called "standard language" ( 標準語 , hyōjungo ) , that replaced local and regional dialects and was based on the patterns of Tokyo's samurai classes. This dialect eventually became the norm in the realms of education, media, government, and business. The Meiji Restoration, and

1080-599: A sword or weapon to show their status. This led to a series of riots from disgruntled samurai. One of the major riots was the one led by Saigō Takamori, the Satsuma Rebellion , which eventually turned into a civil war. This rebellion was, however, put down swiftly by the newly formed Imperial Japanese Army , trained in Western tactics and weapons, even though the core of the new army was the Tokyo police force, which

1188-485: Is 19.6 °C (67.3 °F), and the average low is 12.3 °C (54.1 °F). The Chiba Prefectural Board of Education oversees municipal school districts in the prefecture. The board also directly operates the prefecture's public high schools. Chiba Prefecture is home to one national-level museum and several prefectural and local museums. The National Museum of Japanese History is located in Sakura and focuses on

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1296-626: Is amongst the country's tenth largest at more than 10,000 members (including the Narita airport police). As in every prefecture, the police are supervised by the public safety commission; its five members are appointed by the governor with approval by the assembly. Chiba Prefecture has a sister city relationship with: 35°36′18″N 140°07′24″E  /  35.60500°N 140.12333°E  / 35.60500; 140.12333 Meiji restoration The Meiji Restoration ( Japanese : 明治維新 , romanized :  Meiji Ishin ), referred to at

1404-434: Is divided into 54 contiguous municipalities (see list above): 37 cities, 16 towns and one village, as in all of postwar Japan each with a directly elected mayor and assembly. The most populous and Chiba's only designated major city is the capital Chiba City . Two cities, Funabashi and Kashiwa, are core cities . After late 20th century mergers, much of the rest of the prefecture is also organized in independent cities : Of

1512-426: Is equally true that the majority of samurai were content despite having their status abolished. Many found employment in the government bureaucracy, which resembled an elite class in its own right. The samurai, being better educated than most of the population, became teachers, gun makers, government officials, and/or military officers. While the formal title of samurai was abolished, the elitist spirit that characterized

1620-566: Is formed from two kanji characters. The first, 千 , means "thousand" and the second, 葉 means "leaf". The name first appears as an ancient kuni no miyatsuko , or regional command office, as the Chiba Kuni no Miyatsuko ( 千葉国造 ) . The name was adopted by a branch of the Taira clan , which moved to the area in present-day Chiba City in the late Heian period . The branch of the Taira adopted

1728-624: The Battle of Hakodate in Hokkaidō. The defeat of the armies of the former shōgun (led by Enomoto Takeaki and Hijikata Toshizō ) marked the final end of the Tokugawa shogunate, with the Emperor's power fully restored. Finally, by 1872, the daimyōs , past and present, were summoned before the Emperor, where it was declared that all domains were now to be returned to the Emperor . The roughly 280 domains were turned into 72 prefectures, each under

1836-546: The Blood tax riots , the Meiji government put down revolts by Japanese samurai angry that the traditional untouchable status of burakumin was legally revoked. Under the Meiji Restoration, the practices of the samurai classes, deemed feudal and unsuitable for modern times following the end of sakoku in 1853, resulted in a number of edicts intended to 'modernise' the appearance of upper class Japanese men. With

1944-725: The Chiba Prefectural Otone Museum in Katori focuses on the culture of the Tone River basin. The reconstructed Japanese castles of Sekiyado and Ōtaki host regional historical museums. The Chiba Museum of Science and Industry is located in Ichikawa on the site of a former factory, and the Coastal Branch of Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba in Katsuura focuses on the marine environment of

2052-809: The Emperor of Japan . The goals of the restored government were expressed by the new emperor in the Charter Oath . The Restoration led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure and spanned both the late Edo period (often called the Bakumatsu ) and the beginning of the Meiji era , during which time Japan rapidly industrialized and adopted Western ideas and production methods. In 1853, Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived in Japan. A year later Perry returned in threatening large warships with

2160-513: The Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area expanded greatly and became a source of income to the northeast and central areas of the prefecture. The expansion of agriculture in the central and southern regions of the prefecture was in contrast to the depopulation of these areas as a significant part of the population moved to the northeast of the prefecture as a result of the urbanization of Japan, a process that continues into

2268-641: The House of Councillors . After the most recent Diet elections of 2010, 2012 and 2013, the prefecture is represented by eleven Liberal Democrats and two Democrats in the House of Representatives, and three Liberal Democrats, two Democrats, and one Your Party member in the House of Councillors. Current Diet members from Chiba include former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda (H.R., DPJ – 4th district) and former ministers Kuniko Inoguchi (H.C., LDP – class of 2010) and Motoo Hayashi (H.R., LDP – 10th district). As of 2014, Chiba

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2376-542: The Inba Tega , Kasamori Tsurumai , Kujūkuri , Mineokasankei , Ōtone , Takagoyama , Tomisan , and Yōrō Keikoku Okukiyosumi Prefectural Natural Parks. Cities, towns, and villages in the prefecture also have designated and protected parklands. These parks are maintained for environmental protection as well as providing local recreational facilities. Since 2010, Chiba consists of 54 municipalities and since 2013, they are 37 cities , 16 towns and one village . With

2484-592: The Japanese Empire from attack. In September 1923, the Great Kanto earthquake has cause of widespread destruction in Chiba Prefecture, most notably in the southernmost part of Boso Peninsula , where 1,300 residents were killed, out of 142,000 deaths. Areas of prefecture adjacent to Tokyo saw much damage, and mob violence against Koreans and other ethnic minorities occurred in the chaos after

2592-689: The Keisei Electric Railway 's Skyliner . The Tokyo Disney Resort is located in Urayasu near the western border of the prefecture. The Kamogawa Sea World is located in Kamogawa . There are also a number of tourist sites on the Chiba peninsula, such as Nokogiriyama ; Kujūkuri Beach ; and Onjuku beach . Since 2009, the prefectural governor is Eiji Suzuki, better known under his stage name as Kensaku Morita , former actor, member of

2700-515: The petroleum , chemical , and steel and machine industries . Together, these industries account for forty-five percent of the prefecture's exports. In recent years, the government has funded more than eighty industrial parks to bring development further inland as well. The prefecture also boasts Japan's overall second-highest agricultural output. Among all the prefectures, only Hokkaidō produces more agricultural products, and Chiba leads Hokkaidō in vegetable production. Peanuts are considered

2808-467: The (today purely geographical) counties , only six remain, four of which have only one or two remaining towns or villages . After the reorganization of county and municipal governments in all prefectures in 1889/1890, there had initially been 12 counties and no city in Chiba; Chiba town in Chiba county became the first municipality in Chiba to be elevated to city status in 1921. While by far not as large as that of neighbouring Tokyo, Chiba's police force

2916-434: The 15th Tokugawa shōgun , "put his prerogatives at the Emperor's disposal" and resigned 10 days later. This was effectively the "restoration" ( Taisei Hōkan ) of imperial rule – although Yoshinobu still had significant influence and it was not until January   3, the following year, with the young Emperor's edict, that the restoration fully occurred. On 3 January 1868, the Emperor stripped Yoshinobu of all power and made

3024-499: The 1860s, principally by Westerners in the international settlements of Yokohama and Kobe, and some local lords, but these had relatively small impacts. It was only in the 1870s that imported technologies began to play a significant role, and only in the 1880s did they produce more than a small output volume. In Meiji Japan, raw silk was the most important export commodity, and raw silks exports experienced enormous growth during this period, overtaking China. Revenue from silk exports funded

3132-562: The 21st century. On March 11, 2011, the epicenter of 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster that devastated much of the northeastern coast of Honshu, which caused some damage and affected areas in Chiba Prefecture. While the loss of life and damage to housing and industry was far less than in Tōhoku region , 20 people were killed in Chiba Prefecture, including 13 people were recorded deaths in Asahi . Following

3240-483: The City of Chiba offices. The archive maintains a collection of rare books and materials from across the prefecture, as well as materials related to the administration of Chiba Prefecture. Each municipality in the prefecture maintains a local libraries, and many shrines and temples maintain archival collections related to their institutions. The traditional diet of Chiba Prefecture is not fundamentally different from that of

3348-616: The Dampatsurei Edict of 1871 issued by Emperor Meiji during the early Meiji Era , men of the samurai classes were forced to cut their hair short, effectively abandoning the chonmage ( chonmage ) hairstyle. During the Meiji Restoration, the practice of cremation and Buddhism were condemned and the Japanese government tried to ban cremation but were unsuccessful, then tried to limit it in urban areas. The Japanese government reversed its ban on cremation and pro-cremation Japanese adopted western European arguments on how cremation

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3456-502: The Emperor to power. After Kōmei's death on 30 January 1867, Meiji ascended the throne on February   3. This period also saw Japan change from being a feudal society to having a centralized nation and left the Japanese with a lingering influence of modernity . In the same year, the koban was discontinued as a form of currency. The Tokugawa government had been founded in the 17th century and initially focused on reestablishing order in social, political and international affairs after

3564-675: The French Minister-Resident Léon Roches were the first European envoys ever to receive a personal audience with Meiji in Edo (Tokyo). This audience laid the foundation for (modern) Dutch diplomacy in Japan. Subsequently, De Graeff van Polsbroek assisted the emperor and the government in their negotiations with representatives of the major European powers. In 1869, the daimyōs of the Tosa , Hizen , Satsuma and Chōshū Domains , who were pushing most fiercely against

3672-638: The Fukushima radiation). As a result of triple disaster and with permanent damage to housing stock, the population of Chiba Prefecture fell for the first time since Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 and Great Kanto earthquake in 1923. Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north at the Tone River, Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture to the west at the Edo River, the Pacific Ocean to

3780-471: The House of Representatives ( LDP /Independent – Tokyo 4th district) and member of the House of Councillors (Independent – Tokyo). He was reelected overwhelmingly to a second term as governor in the March 2013 election against only a Communist challenger and a minor, unaffiliated independent. The assembly of Chiba Prefecture has a regular membership of 95, elected in 45 electoral districts, currently still in

3888-770: The Japanese athletics calendar: the International Chiba Ekiden and the Chiba International Cross Country . The following sports teams are based in Chiba. Most Tokyo -bound visitors arriving on international flights land in Narita International Airport , which is situated in Narita in the north of the prefecture, and connected to Tokyo by the East Japan Railway 's Narita Express and

3996-491: The Japanese purchase of industrial equipment and raw materials. Although the highest quality silk remained produced in China, and Japan's adoption of modern machines in the silk industry was slow, Japan was able to capture the global silk market due to standardized production of silk. Standardization, especially in silkworm egg cultivation, yielded more consistency in quality, particularly important for mechanized silk weaving. Since

4104-550: The Meiji Restoration was the 1866 Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance between Saigō Takamori and Kido Takayoshi , leaders of the reformist elements in the Satsuma and Chōshū Domains at the southwestern end of the Japanese archipelago. These two leaders supported the Emperor Kōmei (Emperor Meiji's father) and were brought together by Sakamoto Ryōma for the purpose of challenging the ruling Tokugawa shogunate ( bakufu ) and restoring

4212-491: The Meiji government considerable leeway to invest in new initiatives. During the Meiji period, powers such as Europe and the United States helped transform Japan and made them realize a change needed to take place. Some leaders went out to foreign lands and used the knowledge and government writings to help shape and form a more influential government within their walls that allowed for things such as production. Despite

4320-590: The Meiji restoration's Shinbutsu bunri , tens of thousands of Japanese Buddhist religious idols and temples were smashed and destroyed. Japan then closed and shut down tens of thousands of traditional old Shinto shrines in the Shrine Consolidation Policy and the Meiji government built the new modern 15 shrines of the Kenmu restoration as a political move to link the Meiji restoration to the Kenmu restoration for their new State Shinto cult. In

4428-593: The Netherlands and Russia due to American pressure. These treaties signed with Western powers came to be known as Unequal Treaties as Japan lost control over its tariffs while Western powers took control over Japanese lands. In 1858, Townsend Harris , ambassador to Japan, concluded the treaty, opening Japanese ports to trade. Figures like Shimazu Nariakira concluded that "if we take the initiative, we can dominate; if we do not, we will be dominated", leading Japan to "throw open its doors to foreign technology." After

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4536-494: The Pacific Ocean coast. Numerous other municipalities in the prefecture also host museums. The Chiba Prefectural Library consists of three libraries. The Chiba Prefectural Central Library is located in the central Chuō-ku ward of Chiba City directly southwest of Chiba Castle and in close proximity to the City of Chiba offices. The Central Library houses a general collection as well as the central research collection for

4644-404: The Pacific Ocean in the city of Sanmu . Lake Teganuma originally occupied a large area to the north of the plateau, but has narrowed in modern times due to being sealed off from the Tone River and land reclamation projects. Teganuma historically covered 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi), but after land reclamation now covers 3.7 square kilometres (1.4 sq mi). Lake Inbanuma

4752-601: The Pacific Ocean to Edo . During the Edo period the Shimōsa Plateau saw large-scale development of new rice paddies by the Tokugawa shogunate , as well as the further development of horse ranches, specifically the Kogane and Sakura ranches to supply horses to the shogunate. The inland water routes from Chōshi were developed to supply rice, marine products, and vegetables directly to the capital at Edo. The economic development of

4860-766: The Shimōsa Group ( 下総層群 , Shimōsa-sōgun ) , a geological group under the Bōsō Peninsula . The Shimōsa Group dates from the Tertiary and Pleistocene periods, and is roughly divided into the Jizodo, Yabu, and Narita formations. The geological group consists primarily of sedimentary layers of loose sand , and secondarily of clay silt and pebbly -sand layers. Above the Shimōsa Group are more recent rich, fertile layers of volcanic ash . The Shimōsa Plateau yields great deposits of fossils, notably molluscan fossils , as

4968-480: The Shimōsa Plateau continued after the Meiji restoration of 1868. An extensive rail network was established and replaced the slower canal routes to the capital. Some of undeveloped areas in this plateau, including former ranches of shogunate, turned into military facility of Imperial Japanese Army (Narashinohara), imperial farm (Sanrizuka, Narita), or agricultural colonies, the aid for unemployed Shizoku . Those colonies named after development order, such as: During

5076-759: The Tokyo-Chiba region, is formed from the second character in Tokyo ( 京 ), and the second character in Chiba ( 葉 ), which can also be pronounced "kei" and "yō" respectively. This compound is used in terms such as the Keiyō Line , Keiyō Road , Keiyō Rinkai Railway Rinkai Main Line , and the Keiyō Industrial Zone . Chiba Prefecture was settled in prehistoric times, as evidenced by the Jōmon period remains in every part of

5184-420: The area as "takenoko sashimi". Futomaki or futomakizushi , literally "fat roll", is a large version of the sushi roll. The futomaki popularly made in Chiba Prefecture is up to 10 centimeters in diameter. Futomaki in Chiba Prefecture often utilize various ingredients to form a pattern, such as a flower or a kanji character, when the roll is cut and served. The prefecture plays host to two major events in

5292-494: The areas. Peanuts, grown in great quantities in the prefecture, appear fresh in markets in the prefecture and are eaten boiled as a snack. Miso paste mixed with peanuts is also produced in Chiba. Takenoko , whole bamboo shoot , are harvested in the central part of the Boso Peninsula. The takenoko of Ōtaki lack the concentration of arsenic typically found in uncooked bamboo shoots, and as such, are uniquely eaten raw in

5400-429: The aspiration of concluding a treaty that would open up Japanese ports for trade. Perry concluded the treaty that would open up two Japanese ports (Shimoda and Hakodate) only for material support, such as firewood, water, food, and coal for U.S. ships. The Convention of Kanagawa was signed in 1854 and opened up trade between the United States and Japan. Later, Japan reluctantly expanded its trade deals to France, Britain,

5508-480: The border of Kashiwa and Kamagaya . Most of the military facilities and industrial areas on the Shimōsa Plateau were destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II. In the period immediately following World War II the plateau remained agricultural. Primary industry , almost entirely agriculture, accounted for 63% of economic activity, secondary accounted for 12%, and tertiary 25%. Post-war industrial planning resulted in large-scale development of coastal areas on

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5616-523: The central Shimōsa Plateau in the same period. Immediately after World War II, the transportation system of northern Chiba Prefecture was significantly improved. The rail network connecting northern Chiba Prefecture to Tokyo was expanded, allowing the construction of large-scale housing facilities, and northern Chiba Prefecture became a bedroom community of metropolitan Tokyo. The construction of Narita International Airport between 1972 and 1978 resulted in further economic development and population increase on

5724-494: The central Shimōsa Plateau. In contrast to the large-scale economic development of the western and central Shimōsa Plateau, other parts of Chiba Prefecture saw relatively little economic development and ultimately long-term population decline , notably on the eastern Shimōsa Plateau, the Kujūkuri Plain , and entirety of the southern Bōsō Peninsula . The Shimōsa Plateau remains an important economic center of Japan. Compared to

5832-540: The clearly defined class system which the bakufu had envisaged, partly leading to their eventual downfall. The military of Japan, strengthened by nationwide conscription and emboldened by military success in both the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War , began to view themselves as a growing world power. Besides drastic changes to the social structure of Japan, in an attempt to create

5940-512: The coastal areas of the prefecture. After the United States took control of Saipan , the northern part of the prefecture (most notably the cities of Chiba and Chōshi) was firebombed . Much of the industrialized north of the prefecture was destroyed. Operation Coronet , one of two parts of Operation Downfall , was the planned land invasion of Tokyo in March 1946 by the United States. Coronet planned Kujūkuri Beach as one of two initial landing bases,

6048-399: The control of a state-appointed governor. If the daimyōs peacefully complied, they were given a prominent voice in the new Meiji government. Later, their debts and payments of samurai stipends were either taxed heavily or turned into bonds which resulted in a large loss of wealth among former samurai. Emperor Meiji announced in his 1868 Charter Oath that "Knowledge shall be sought all over

6156-442: The current 54 municipalities by 2010. Chiba Prefecture is home to one of Japan's largest industrial areas. Prior to World War II manufacturing in the prefecture was centered on the brewing industry , specifically the production of soy sauce , sake and mirin sweet cooking sake. The manufacturing sector expanded greatly after the war. The prefecture was chosen as the site for a major Kawasaki Steel factory in 1950. In

6264-458: The earthquake in Funabashi, Ichikawa , and other areas. Koreans, in several neighborhoods of Yachiyo, were killed, and a tower was erected in 1972 near Yachiyodai Station to memorialize those killed in the incident. In the 1930s, the north and central areas of the prefecture became a center of large-scale military production, and military bases and fortifications were constructed in most of

6372-500: The east and Tokyo Bay around its southern boundary. Most of Chiba lies on the hilly Boso Peninsula , a rice farming region: the east coast, known as the Kujūkuri Plain , is an especially productive area. The most populous zone, in the northwest of the prefecture, is part of the Kantō region that extends into the urban agglomeration of Tokyo and Saitama. The Kuroshio Current flows near Chiba, which keeps it relatively warm in winter and cooler in summer than neighbouring Tokyo. With

6480-563: The east of Tokyo, and is part of the Greater Tokyo Area , the most populous metropolitan area in the world. Chiba Prefecture largely consists of the Bōsō Peninsula , which encloses the eastern side of Tokyo Bay and separates it from Kanagawa Prefecture . Chiba Prefecture is home to Narita International Airport , the Tokyo Disney Resort , and the Keiyō Industrial Zone . The name of Chiba Prefecture in Japanese

6588-440: The eastern Shimōsa Plateau along Tokyo Bay. Fishing and agricultural areas along the bay were replaced by landfill. The scenery of the eastern plateau went from largely agricultural to a vast area of factory smokestacks and high-rise housing. The development of sprawling port facilities, originally centered on the city of Chiba, culminated in the establishment of Keiyō Industrial Zone . Manufacturing facilities were developed across

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6696-502: The ex- shōgun ' s army. All Tokugawa lands were seized and placed under "imperial control", thus placing them under the prerogative of the new Meiji government . With Fuhanken sanchisei , the areas were split into three types: urban prefectures ( 府 , fu ) , rural prefectures ( 県 , ken ) and the already existing domains. On March 23 the Dutch Minister-Resident Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek and

6804-466: The exception of the large-scale Keiyō Industrial Zone in the northeast, the entirety of the coast of Chiba Prefecture is protected as two quasi-national parks and one prefectural natural park under the national park system of Japan. As of 1 April 2012, 6% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks . Chiba Prefecture has designated and maintains eight prefectural natural parks to protect both natural and cultural areas, namely

6912-412: The help Japan received from other powers, one of the key factors in Japan's industrializing success was its relative lack of resources, which made it unattractive to Western imperialism. The farmer and the samurai classification were the base and soon the problem of why there was a limit of growth within the nation's industrial work. The government sent officials such as the samurai to monitor the work that

7020-596: The history, archaeology, and folk culture of Japan. The Chiba prefectural museums consist of a main museum, the Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba in the central Chuō-ku ward of Chiba City, and six branch museums throughout the prefecture. The Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art is in Chiba City. The Chiba Prefectural Boso-no-mura in Sakae focuses on the local culture of the late Edo period, and

7128-693: The humiliation of the Unequal Treaties, the leaders of the Meiji Restoration (as this revolution came to be known), acted in the name of restoring imperial rule to strengthen Japan against the threat of being colonized, bringing to an end the era known as sakoku . The word "Meiji" means "enlightened rule" and the goal was to combine "modern advances" with traditional "eastern" values ( 和魂洋才 , Wakonyosai ) . The main leaders of this were Itō Hirobumi , Matsukata Masayoshi , Kido Takayoshi , Itagaki Taisuke , Yamagata Aritomo , Mori Arinori , Ōkubo Toshimichi , and Yamaguchi Naoyoshi . The foundation of

7236-464: The imperial court and was instrumental in the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate . Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873, with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture . The militarization of Chiba Prefecture dates to the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905). Coastal fortifications were built along Tokyo Bay , as far south as Tateyama, to protect the capital of

7344-406: The international market. With this, industrial zones grew enormously, and there was a massive migration to industrializing centers from the countryside. Industrialization additionally went hand in hand with the development of a national railway system and modern communications. With industrialization came the demand for coal. There was dramatic rise in production, as shown in the table below. Coal

7452-439: The introduction of modern municipalities (cities/towns/villages) in 1889, Chiba's districts were subdivided into 43 towns and 315 villages. The first city was created in 1921 when Chiba Town from Chiba District became district-independent as Chiba City. The postwar/1950s Great Shōwa mergers reduced the number of municipalities in Chiba to 101 by 1960, including 14 cities by then. The early 3rd millennium Great Heisei mergers created

7560-492: The militarization of northern Chiba Prefecture that began in the early 20th century, the eastern area of the plateau was declared a military zone. The Shimōsa Plateau was a center of the manufacture of war goods, notably of munitions and military aircraft, and saw the construction of numerous military facilities. Shimofusa Air Base was constructed in 1945 by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force on

7668-464: The military, the government instituted nationwide conscription in 1873, mandating that every male would serve for four years in the armed forces upon turning 21 years old, followed by three more years in the reserves. One of the primary differences between the samurai and peasant classes was the right to bear arms ; this ancient privilege was suddenly extended to every male in the nation. Furthermore, samurai were no longer allowed to walk about town bearing

7776-442: The more traditional practice of imperial rule, whereby the Emperor of Japan serves solely as the spiritual authority of the nation and his ministers govern the nation in his name. The Meiji oligarchy that formed the government under the rule of the Emperor first introduced measures to consolidate their power against the remnants of the Edo period government, the shogunate, daimyōs , and the samurai class. Throughout Japan at

7884-648: The name and became the Chiba clan , and held strong influence over the area of the prefecture until the Azuchi–Momoyama period . The name "Chiba" was chosen for the prefecture at the time its creation in 1873 by the Assembly of Prefectural Governors ( 地方官会議 , Chihō Kankai Kaigi ) , an early Meiji-period body of prefectural governors that met to decide the structure of local and regional administration in Japan. The compound word Keiyō ( 京葉 ) , which refers to

7992-489: The new sectors of the economy could not be heavily taxed, the costs of industrialisation and necessary investments in modernisation heavily fell on the peasant farmers, who paid extremely high land tax rates (about 30 percent of harvests) as compared to the rest of the world (double to seven times of European countries by net agricultural output). In contrast, land tax rates were about 2% in Qing China. The high taxation gave

8100-413: The north of the prefecture, and the significant increase of agriculture after land reforms across the prefecture. The Keiyō Industrial Zone brought together smaller, industrial areas along the entirety of the western coast of Chiba Prefecture, and the industrial zone became (and remains) an important center of heavy industrial production and large-scale port facilities in Japan. Cities to the northeast of

8208-416: The oligarchs to action. Whatever their true intentions, the oligarchs embarked on another slow and deliberate process to abolish the samurai class. First, in 1873, it was announced that the samurai stipends were to be taxed on a rolling basis. Later, in 1874, the samurai were given the option to convert their stipends into government bonds . Finally, in 1876, this commutation was made compulsory. To reform

8316-465: The other being Hiratsuka via Sagami Bay . The U.S. First Army would enter at Kujūkuri, sweep across the Boso Peninsula, and meet the U.S. Eighth Army at Tokyo. The plan was not carried out since Japan surrendered after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . During the Occupation of Japan (1945–1952) Chiba Prefecture was controlled by American forces from the second floor of

8424-405: The plateau was originally submerged under water. The Shimōsa Plateau is crossed by several short, shallow rivers and two small lakes. The Kuriyama River (38.8 kilometres (24.1 mi)) flows eastward from the central area of the plateau east of Narita International Airport to the Pacific Ocean . The shorter Kido River (21.5 kilometres (13.4 mi)) similarly flows eastward and empties into

8532-550: The plateau. The plateau was historically located in Shimōsa Province , after which it was named, and was a productive agricultural area prior to the industrialization of Japan. The area served to produce rice and vegetables as early as the Nara period . Ranches on the Shimōsa Plateau flatlands were developed to raise horses . Additionally, the network of rivers and canals provided for the inland transport of marine products from

8640-509: The population is employed in the service sector, with 25% in industry and 5% in agriculture. Chiba Prefecture has a humid subtropical climate ( Koppen Cfa ) with hot, humid summers and mild, cool winters. The tsuyu rainy season occurs for approximately 50 days from June to July. According to the Japanese Meteorological Agency , the average of annual temperature is 15.7 °C (60.3 °F). The average high

8748-429: The ports being opened for trade, but also began the process of merging members of the different societies together. Examples of this include western teachers and advisors immigrating to Japan and also Japanese nationals moving to western countries for education purposes. All these things in turn played a part in expanding the people of Japan's knowledge on western customs, technology and institutions. Many people believed it

8856-569: The post-war period, the distribution of economic activity on the plateau has changed. Primary industry accounts for only 5% of economic activity, secondary accounted for 27%, and tertiary 68%. Tertiary industry on the plateau consists of both the service industry serving the densely populated areas of northern Chiba Prefecture, as well as the extensive logistics network connecting the Keiyō Industrial Zone and Narita International Airport with other areas of Japan. While agriculture accounts for

8964-452: The prefectural capitol building in the city of Chiba. Numerous other cities in the prefecture, including Chōshi to the north and Tateyama to the south, were used as bases of the occupation; rich agricultural areas across the prefecture somewhat safeguarded the region's population from potential food shortages, and starvation, immediately following the war. The immediate post-war period was characterized by carefully planned industrial expansion in

9072-425: The prefecture (in close proximity to Tokyo) were connected by rail to the capitol, and became and remain bedroom communities to Tokyo. Narita International Airport began operation in 1978 in Narita , after much protest to replace the overcrowded Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport). The majority of international air traffic enters Japan via Chiba Prefecture. The cultivation of rice and vegetables to feed

9180-639: The prefecture. The Chiba Prefectural West Library is located in Matsudo next to the Matsudo Museum , and houses a research collection focused on natural history and the fine arts. The Chiba Prefectural East Library is located in Asahi, and houses a research collection focused on the literature and history of the prefecture. The Chiba Prefectural Archives are located across the Miyako River from

9288-402: The prefecture; tomatoes ; and spinach It is the nation's second largest producer of corn . Rice is also grown, and seaweed , specifically nori , is harvested in large quantities from Tokyo Bay. Chiba's population is one of the wealthiest in Japan due to the prefecture's strong commercial and industrial sectors. Per capita GDP is ¥3.1 million, the fifth-highest in the country. 70% of

9396-744: The region. The prefecture holds the largest kaizuka sea shell mounds in Japan, evidence of a large population in the prefecture that relied on the rich marine products of the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay. Kofun burial mounds are found across the prefecture, with the largest group being in Futtsu along Tokyo Bay. In the Asuka period (538–710), under the Taika Reform of 645, the administrative structure of present-day Chiba Prefecture changed significantly. The historical province of Fusa Province , which may have covered much of Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures,

9504-665: The rest of Japan. Chiba Prefecture produces prolific quantities of rice across all areas in the prefecture, vegetables in the northern area of the prefecture, and fish, seafood, and shellfish along the coastal areas of the prefecture. Chōshi has been a major center of worldwide soy sauce production since the Edo period , and the prefecture remains the top producer in Japan. Kikkoman is headquartered in Noda in northwestern Chiba Prefecture. These are all important components of Japanese cuisine . Certain local products, however, are grown in abundance and have resulted in several dishes unique to

9612-421: The resultant modernization of Japan, also influenced Japanese self-identity with respect to its Asian neighbours, as Japan became the first Asian state to modernize based on the Western model, replacing the traditional Confucian hierarchical order that had persisted previously under a dominant China with one based on modernity. Adopting enlightenment ideals of popular education, the Japanese government established

9720-469: The same period the prefectural government embarked on a large-scale land reclamation program to dredge large plots of waterfront property. The large-scale construction of factories , warehouses , and docks on this reclaimed land around the Tokyo Bay area ultimately formed the Keiyō Industrial Zone . Chiba Prefecture is now 6th in Japan in industrial output with the bulk of the industry focused on

9828-403: The samurai class lived on. The oligarchs also embarked on a series of land reforms . In particular, they legitimized the tenancy system which had been going on during the Tokugawa period. Despite the bakufu 's best efforts to freeze the four classes of society in place, during their rule villagers had begun to lease land out to other farmers, becoming rich in the process. This greatly disrupted

9936-455: The shogunate, were persuaded to "return their domains to the Emperor". Other daimyō were subsequently persuaded to do so, thus creating a central government in Japan which exercised direct power through the entire "realm". Some shogunate forces escaped to Hokkaidō , where they attempted to set up a breakaway Republic of Ezo ; however, forces loyal to the Emperor ended this attempt in May 1869 with

10044-560: The three provinces in the Nara (710–794) and Heian (794–1185) periods. Shōen feudal estates were established across the three provinces, and the region became an important source of tax revenue, sending agricultural and other products to the capital in Kyoto. As the Heian period progressed, however, the kokushi provincial governors came to exert military power independent of the central government in Kyoto. The Chiba clan broke entirely with

10152-550: The time as the Honorable Restoration ( 御維新 , Goishin ) , and also known as the Meiji Renovation , Revolution , Regeneration , Reform , or Renewal , was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji . Although there were ruling emperors before the Meiji Restoration, the events restored practical abilities and consolidated the political system under

10260-458: The time, the samurai numbered 1.9 million. For comparison, this was more than 10 times the size of the French privileged class before the 1789 French Revolution . Moreover, the samurai in Japan were not merely the lords, but also their higher retainers—people who actually worked. With each samurai being paid fixed stipends, their upkeep presented a tremendous financial burden, which may have prompted

10368-518: The title of Emperor must be substituted for that of Taikun , in which the treaties have been made. Officers are being appointed by us to the conduct of foreign affairs. It is desirable that the representatives of the treaty powers recognize this announcement. Shortly thereafter in January 1868, the Boshin War started with the Battle of Toba–Fushimi in which Chōshū and Satsuma 's forces defeated

10476-674: The triple disaster, an oil refinery fire broke out at the Cosmo Oil Chiba Refinery, in Ichihara , and was widely covered in the news media. Also, a large liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks burned at 10 days earlier. Soil liquefaction , in areas of reclaimed land across the northern and western areas of Chiba Prefecture, caused damage to housing. Chiba City , Funabashi , Narashino , and especially Urayasu were greatly affected by triple disaster (such as soil liquefaction, and evidence of radioactive materials caused by

10584-540: The unified local election cycle of 1947 (last round 2011 ). As of July 2014, it is composed as follows: LDP 52 members, DPJ 13, Kōmeitō 7, JCP 4, Shimin Net/ SDP /Independents 4, Your Party 3, four other caucuses with 5 members in total. In the National Diet , Chiba is represented by 13 members from single-member districts in the House of Representatives , and six members (three at-large per election) in

10692-694: The world, and thereby the foundations of imperial rule shall be strengthened." Under the leadership of Mori Arinori , a group of prominent Japanese intellectuals went on to form the Meiji Six Society in 1873 to continue to "promote civilization and enlightenment" through modern ethics and ideas. However, during the restoration, political power simply moved from the Tokugawa shogunate to an oligarchy consisting of these leaders, mostly from Satsuma Province ( Ōkubo Toshimichi and Saigō Takamori ), and Chōshū Province ( Itō Hirobumi , Yamagata Aritomo , and Kido Takayoshi). This reflected their belief in

10800-553: Was being done. Because of Japan's leaders taking control and adapting Western techniques it has remained one of the world's largest industrial nations. The rapid industrialization and modernization of Japan both allowed and required a massive increase in production and infrastructure. Japan built industries such as shipyards, iron smelters, and spinning mills, which were then sold to well-connected entrepreneurs. Consequently, domestic companies became consumers of Western technology and applied it to produce items that would be sold cheaply in

10908-408: Was created by the natural damming of a small valley in the Shimōsa Plateau, and originally covered 21.3 square kilometres (8.2 sq mi). After land reclamation projects, similar to those carried out on Teganuma, it now covers 13.1 square kilometres (5.1 sq mi). Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park sits to the northeast of the Shimōsa Plateau in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures. The park

11016-564: Was divided into two provinces: Shimōsa Province (also called Shimofusa) in the north and Kazusa Province in the southern area. Awa Province at the south of Chiba Prefecture, was separated from Kazusa Prefecture in 718. These administrative units existed until they were abolished and merged into Chiba Prefecture after the Meiji Restoration . The central government established a kokubunji provincial temple in each province. The imperial court gradually extended its authority over

11124-442: Was essential for Japan to acquire western "spirit" in order to become a great nation with strong trade routes and military strength. The Meiji Restoration accelerated the industrialization process in Japan, which led to its rise as a military power by the year 1895, under the slogan of "Enrich the country, strengthen the military" ( 富国強兵 , fukoku kyōhei ) . There were a few factories set up using imported technologies in

11232-473: Was established on March 3, 1953, and protects natural areas and cultural heritage of, among other areas, the Tone River basin directly to the north of the plateau. Imba-Teganuma Prefectural Natural Park was established to protect Lakes Teganuma and Inbanuma, and is located at the north of the plateau. The Shimōsa Plateau has supported a population since ancient times, as evidenced by the large concentration of Jōmon period kaizuka or shell middens across

11340-872: Was good for limiting disease spread, so the Japanese government lifted their attempted ban in May 1875 and promoted cremation for diseased people in 1897. Even before the Meiji Restoration, the Tokugawa Shogunate government hired German diplomat Philipp Franz von Siebold as diplomatic advisor, Dutch naval engineer Hendrik Hardes for Nagasaki Arsenal and Willem Johan Cornelis, Ridder Huijssen van Kattendijke for Nagasaki Naval Training Center , French naval engineer François Léonce Verny for Yokosuka Naval Arsenal , and British civil engineer Richard Henry Brunton . Most of them were appointed through government approval with two or three years contract, and took their responsibility properly in Japan, except some cases. Then many other foreign specialists were hired. Despite

11448-480: Was largely composed of former samurai. This sent a strong message to the dissenting samurai that their time was indeed over. There were fewer subsequent samurai uprisings and the distinction became all but a name as the samurai joined the new society. The ideal of samurai military spirit lived on in romanticized form and was often used as propaganda during the early 20th-century wars of the Empire of Japan . However, it

11556-453: Was modernized and some parts of the castles were converted into modern military facilities with barracks and parade grounds, such as Hiroshima Castle . Others were handed over to the civilian authorities to build their new administrative structures. Some however were explicitly saved from destruction by interventions from various persons and parties such as politicians, government and military officials, experts, historians, and locals who feared

11664-443: Was needed for steamships and railroads. The growth of these sectors is shown below. The majority of Japanese castles were partially or completely dismantled in the late 19th century in the Meiji restoration by the national government. Since the feudal system was abolished and the fiefs ( han ) theoretically reverting to the emperor, the national government saw no further use for the upkeep of these now obsolete castles. The military

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