Shiroi
Shiroi (白井市; -shi) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 51,719 and the density of 1,460.58 persons per km². The total area is 35.41 km².The city is roughly equidistant from central Tokyo and the New Tokyo International Airport. Its main commuter link to the city is the Hokuso Rapid Railway, by which one can get from Shiroi to Tokyo Station in about 50 minutes.
During the Meiji era, Shiroi became a fruit-growing area. Local farmers planted kiwis and grapes, but the most famous of Shiroi's fruits turned out to be pears. In the springtime, the pear trees still bloom alongside the sakura (cherry blossoms).
As the Japanese economy grew in the 1970's, many people moved from the country to the cities, and the growth of Tokyo sent many residents out to suburbs that were popping up in the Kanto countryside. Shiroi's real growth began during this period: its rail connection to Chiba City was completed in 1979, and it was linked directly to the Tokyo railway network in 1991.
