Choshi: Features, Popular Tourist Attractions, Gourmet

Choshi City in Chiba Prefecture is a historic port town located at the easternmost point of the Kanto region. Taking advantage of its geography facing the Pacific Ocean and Tone River, it has flourished since ancient times through fishing and soy sauce brewing.

The city is home to Inubosaki Lighthouse, famous as Japan’s earliest spot to view the first sunrise of the year, attracting many tourists annually. From the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, and on clear days, even Mount Fuji can be seen in the distance.

Choshi Port is renowned as one of Japan’s leading fishing ports in terms of catch volume. Particularly active in tuna and mackerel landings, visitors can enjoy fresh seafood caught that very day at sushi restaurants and seafood establishments near the market. Local food culture featuring marine delicacies has also developed, including the annually held “Choshi Sanma-meshi” (Pacific saury rice bowl) festival.

The city is also known as the birthplace of Yamasa Soy Sauce, one of Japan’s leading soy sauce manufacturers. Factory tours offer insights into the history and manufacturing process of soy sauce production. The town streets filled with the aroma of soy sauce have become a unique tourist attraction in Choshi.

The Choshi Electric Railway, beloved as Japan’s easternmost streetcar line, offers enjoyable local train journeys with views of peaceful coastlines and rural landscapes. Along the railway line, numerous shops selling famous wet rice crackers and fresh seafood products can be found.