Chōfu, Tokyo

Chōfu 調布市
City
Flag
Location of Chōfu in Tokyo Metropolis
Chōfu
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo Metropolis
Government
• Mayor	Yoshiki Nagatomo (since July 2002)
Area
• Total	21.53 km2 (8.31 sq mi)
Population (June 1, 2010)
• Total	224,878
• Density	10,440/km2 (27,000/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
• Tree	Cinnamomum camphora
• Flower	Lagerstroemia indica
• Bird	Japanese white-eye
Phone number	042-481-7111
Address	2-35-1 Kojima-cho, Chōfu-shi, Tokyo-to 182-8511
Website	Chōfu city official HP

Ajinomoto Stadium

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Jindai Botanical Garden

Chōfu (調布市, Chōfu-shi) is a city located in the western end of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan.

As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 224,878 and a population density of 10,440 persons per km². The total area is 21.53 km² (8.31 sq mi).

Tokyo Stadium (commonly known as Ajinomoto Stadium) in Chōfu hosts soccer games for two J. League teams: F.C. Tokyo and Tokyo Verdy.

Geography

Chōfu is approximately in the geographic center of Tokyo Metropolis, on the Musashino Terrace bordered by the floodplains of the Tama River.

Surrounding municipalities

• Setagaya, Tokyo
• Mitaka, Tokyo
• Fuchu, Tokyo
• Koganei, Tokyo
• Komae, Tokyo
• Inagi, Tokyo
• Kawasaki, Kanagawa

History

The area of present-day Chōfu has been inhabited since Japanese Paleolithic times, and numerous remains from the Jōmon, Yayoi and Kofun periods have been discovered. During the Nara period, it became part of ancient Musashi Province. During the Sengoku period, the area was frequently contested between the Late Hōjō clan and Uesugi clan. During the Edo period, the area prospered as a post station on the Kōshū Kaidō and as a center for silkworm production.

The in post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of April 1, 1889, Chōfu Town and neighboring Jindai Village were established within Kanagawa Prefecture. The entire district was transferred to the control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893. Jindai was elevated to town status on November 3, 1952, and merged with Chōfu Town on April 1, 1955, to form the present city of Chōfu.

Economy

Chōfu is primarily a regional commercial center, and a bedroom community for central Tokyo.

The headquarters of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are also located in the city.

Transportation

Rail

• Keiō Line
  • Sengawa - Tsutsujigaoka - Shibasaki - Kokuryō - Fuda - Chōfu - Nishi-Chōfu
• Keiō Sagamihara Line
  • Chōfu

Highways

• Kōshū Kaidō (Japan National Route 20)
• Chūō Expressway

Airports

• Chofu Airport

Education

Colleges and universities:

• University of Electro-Communications
• Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
• Toho Gakuen School of Music
• Shirayuri Women's University
• Jikei University School of Medicine

Public senior high schools operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education:

• Chofu Kita High School (調布北高等学校)
• Chofu Minami High School (調布南高等学校)
• Jindai High School (神代高等学校)
• Nogyo High School (都立農業高校)

Private primary and secondary schools:

• American School in Japan
• Toho Girls' Junior and Senior High School (桐朋女子高等学校)
• Koka Gakuen Junior and Senior High School for Girls (晃華学園高等学校)
• Meiji University Meiji High School and Junior High School (明治大学付属明治高等学校・中学校)

Local attractions

• Jindai Botanical Garden
• Nogawa Park

Every July, Chōfu hosts the Chōfu City Fireworks Festival, attended by as many as 300,000 people along the banks of the Tamagawa River. The tiny Fuda Station on the Keio Line is inundated on this one day with tens of thousands of visitors.

Chōfu has a large cultural centre that supports many groups encouraging the integration of foreigners into Japanese society, providing free Japanese, Shodo, Ikebana, Karate (and many other) lessons.

There is a park and memorial hall commemorating the life of novelist Mushanokōji Saneatsu, a former resident of Chōfu.

For the 1964 Summer Olympics, the city served as part of the route for the athletic 50-kilometer walk and marathon events.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Japan

Twin towns — Sister cities

Chōfu is twinned with Kijimadaira, Nagano in Japan.

Notable people from Chōfu

• Kondō Isami – Bakumatsu period samurai
• Shigeru Mizuki - cartoonist, born in Sakaiminato but has lived in Chofu for roughly 50 years
• Saneatsu Mushanokōji – novelist, playwright, poet
• Shutaro Oku – director
• Junji Takada - actor

External links

• Chōfu City official website (Japanese)
• Chōfu City official website (English)