Chōfu (調布市, Chōfu-shi) is a city in the western side of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 1 April 2021[update], the city had an estimated population of 238,087, and a population density of 11,000 per km2. the total area of the city is 21.58 square kilometres (8.33 sq mi).[1]
Geography
Chōfu is approximately in the south-center of Tokyo Metropolis, approximately 20 kilometers west from downtown Tokyo, on the Musashino Terrace bordered by the floodplains of the Tama River and the Iruma River.
Chōfu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Chōfu is 14.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1647 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 3.1 °C.[2]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Chōfu has grown steadily over the past century, and increased especially rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the 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.
Government
Chōfu has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 28 members. Chōfu, together with the city of Komae, contributes three members to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Tokyo 22nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy
Chōfu is primarily a regional commercial center, and a bedroom community ("bed town" ベッドタウン, beddotaun) for central Tokyo. The headquarters of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are also located in the city.
Chōfu has 20 public elementary schools and eight public junior high schools operated by the city government and two private elementary schools and three private middle schools. The city has four public high schools operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education and three private high schools.
The Chōfu City Fireworks Festival, attended by as many as 300,000 people along the banks of the Tamagawa River.
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.
Fudaten Shrine
A main gate in Jindai Temple
There is a park and memorial hall commemorating the life of novelist Mushanokōji Saneatsu, a former resident of Chōfu.
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