Futtsu

Not to be confused with Futsu, a former town in Nagasaki.

Futtsu 富津市
City
Futtsu City Hall Futtsu City Hall
Flag of Futtsu Flag Official seal of Futtsu Seal
Location of Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture Location of Futtsu in Chiba Prefecture
Futtsu
Coordinates:
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Chiba Prefecture
Government
• - Mayor	Seiji Sakuma (since October 2004)
Area
• Total	205.35 km2 (79.29 sq mi)
Population (April 2012)
• Total	47,302
• Density	230/km2 (600/sq mi)
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree	Sakura
- Flower	Azalea
Address	2443 Ino, Futtsu-shi, Chiba-ken 293-8506
Website	www.city.futtsu.lg.jp

Futtsu (富津市, Futtsu-shi) is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

As of April 2012, the city has an estimated population of 47,302 and a population density of 230 persons per km². The total area is 205.35 km².

Geography

Futtsu is located on the southwest coast of Boso Peninsula, south-southwest of the city of Chiba facing the Uraga Channel and almost due south of the capital city of Tokyo at the southern end of Tokyo Bay.

Neighboring municipalities

• Kimitsu, Chiba
• Kamogawa, Chiba
• Kyonan, Chiba

History

The area of modern Futtsu has been inhabited since the Japanese Paleolithic period, and numerous remains from the Jomon, Yayoi and Kofun period have been found within the city limits. The area also is prominent in the Yamatotakeru mythology. Under the Ritsuryō system of the Nara period, the area became part of Amaha County and Sue County of Kazusa Province. Large scale shoen in the Heian period gave way to feudal samurai estates in the Kamakura period, with large portions controlled by the temple of Shomyo-ji in Mutsuura. The area was contested between the Takeda clan and Satomi clan during the Sengoku period. During the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate, most of the area was under the control of Sanuki Domain. After the Meiji Restoration, the area came under Kimitsu District

Futtsu Town was founded on December 1, 1897. It expanded through merger with neighboring Aoyagi Town on March 31, 1955, and again through merger with Amaha Town and Osawa Town on April 25, 1971. Futtsu attained city status on September 1, 1971.

According to Victory at Sea (H. Saloman and R. Hanser, Doubleday, 1959), Futtsu was on August 30, 1945 the site of the initial Allied landing on the Japanese mainland following the declared surrender. This was a test whether the Japanese would obey the Emperor's surrender order. There was no resistance.

Economy

Futtsu has a mixed economy based on commercial fishing, agriculture, tourism, and electrical power generation.

Transportation

Railway

• JR East – Uchibō Line
  • Aohori - Ōnuki - Sanukimachi - Kazusa-Minato - Takeoka - Hamakanaya

Highway

Futtsu has two interchanges (Futtsu-Chūō and Futtsu-Geoka) with the Tateyama Expressway and is the southernmost terminus, it has a link with a lesser expressway with one of the two interchanges called Futtsu-Kanaya. Futtsu is also connected by:

• Japan National Route 16 (connecting Tokyo and Chiba)
• Japan National Route 127
• Japan National Route 465

Sister city relations

• - Carlsbad, California, United States, from October 25, 1988

Local attractions

• Tsukumori Castle

Notable people from Futtsu

• Yasukazu Hamada - politician
• Kei Yasuda - musician, actress
• Yukana - voice actress
• Masaaki Hirano - food historian

External links

• Futtsu City official website (Japanese)
• Futtsu Park Guide (Japanese)