Kisarazu - in Chiba Prefecture
Kisazaru is located across the bay from Tokyo.
The City Alive with History and Tradition
When Yamato-takeru-no-mikoto made the eastern expedition and his ship was in
momentary danger of shipwreck by a storm, Ototachibana-hime, the Princess, threw
herself into the sea to put it under control. According to a legend, Mikoto felt
pity for her and did not leave the area for a long time, so it became to be
called "Kisarazu" later on which literally meant that "the Mikoto
did not leave".
Kisarazu City is
also famous for "Kirare Yosaburo" of the Kabuki play and a folk song
"Kisarazu Jinku".
The prosperity of Kisarazu derived from increased exchange with Edo as a busy
gateway to the sea of kazusa in the Edo era. In those days, Kisarazu was alive
with many travelers. Writers and artists also visited there. So, it developed as
a town with the Edo atmosphere. Things which played a major role in bringing its
prosperity were "minato or the port" and "Kisarazu Ship".
"The Minato Festival" held centering the port every August is the
greatest annual event of Kisarazu. "Yassai-Mossai Dances", luxurious
fireworks which decorate the sky of a summer night and a charming "Miss
Minato", for example, all these are the climaxes of the Kisarazu Festival.
Metropolitan Area
Since Kisarazu City was established as the sixth city of the PREFECTURE in
November 1942, it sees its 50th anniversary in November 1992. It has grown as a
city with its population over 125,000.
Kisarazu City which is going to be changed with the development of large
projects such as Trans-Tokyo bay Highway and kazusa Academia Park has a target
to become a business core city which partly supports metropolitan functions on
the basic idea of making a town for "people", "nature" and
"culture".
Opening of Tokyo Wan Aqua-Line and advanced city services are well
harmonized, Kisarazu City is aiming at a town in which creative R&D
functions, industrial functions as well as exchange functions of people,
materials, and information get together. As areas for industrial facilities,
kazusa Academia Park and Kisarazu Core City have been established. As a compound
function base area to assist and link with the above mentioned areas, the Kaneda
Area and the Sasako Area have been established. Thus, Kisarazu City is full of
endless potentiality of development and is aggressively proceeding on creation
of a town led into the 21st century.
