Tonoshō, Kagawa
Town in Shikoku, Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tonoshō (土庄町, Tonoshō-chō) is a town and port in Shōzu District, Kagawa, Japan, with a population of 12,915.[1] The town lies on the west coast of the island of Shōdoshima—the second-largest island in the Seto Inland Sea—and it is the main passenger access for the island.[2] First settled around the 8th century,[3] the town center grew into a complex maze of streets during the war-torn Muromachi period (1336–1573) to inhibit enemy forces.[4] The town was officially incorporated in 1898,[5] and today sesame oil, olives, sōmen noodles, fishing and tourism are important industries.[6]
761-4192
Tonoshō
土庄町 | |
|---|---|
Town | |
Clockwise from left: historic town center, port of Tonoshō, Angel Road | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Tonoshō (■) in Kagawa Prefecture | |
  Tonoshō Location in Japan | |
| Coordinates: 34°29′N 134°11′E | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Shikoku |
| Prefecture | Kagawa Prefecture |
| District | Shōzu |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yoshiyuki Okano |
| Area | |
• Total | 74.38 km2 (28.72 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 12,915 |
| • Density | 173.6/km2 (449.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (JST) |
| City hall address | 559-2 Kō, Tonoshō-chō, Shōzu-gun, Kagawa-ken 761-4192 |
| Website | www |
| Symbols | |
| Flower | Azalea |
| Mascot | Olive Shimachan |
| Tree | Ubame oak (Quercus phillyraeoides) |
The town's jurisdiction totals 74.38 km2,[3] covering historic Tonoshō and smaller settlements on western Shōdoshima, as well as Teshima, Odeshima, and other nearby islands.[5]
The town is known as the setting of the manga and anime Teasing Master Takagi-san and is the creator's hometown.[7] Tonoshō also participates in the regional Setouchi Triennale art festival, and several art installations are found in the area.[8]
Demographics
Per Japanese census data,[9] the population of Tonoshō has roughly halved over the past half-century.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 22,037 | — |
| 1980 | 21,398 | −2.9% |
| 1990 | 20,191 | −5.6% |
| 2000 | 17,711 | −12.3% |
| 2010 | 15,123 | −14.6% |
| 2020 | 12,846 | −15.1% |
Notable locations
Modern Tonoshō includes all of western Shodoshima, Teshima, and surrounding islands.
Notable people
- Sōichirō Yamamoto, a Japanese manga artist and the creator of Teasing Master Takagi-san[7]
Gallery
Dofuchi Strait
Monkeys at Chōshi Gorge
Port of Tonoshō at night
