Chūō, Yamanashi

Chūō 中央市
City
Chūō City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Chūō in Yamanashi Prefecture
Chūō
Coordinates: 35°35′58.6″N 138°38′2.1″E / 35.599611°N 138.633917°E / 35.599611; 138.633917
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Tōkai)
Prefecture	Yamanashi Prefecture
Area
• Total	31.69 km2 (12.24 sq mi)
Population  (October 1, 2020)
• Total	30,660
• Density	970/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Phone number	055-274-1111
Address	Usuiahara 301-1, Chūō City, Yamanashi 409-3892
Website	Official website

Chūō (中央市, Chūō-shi) is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2020^[update], the city had an estimated population of 30,660 in 13,954 households,^[1] and a population density of 970 persons per km². The total area of the city is 31.69 square kilometres (12.24 sq mi).

Chūō is located near the geographic center of the Kōfu Plateau of central Yamanashi Prefecture, hence its name which means "centre" in Japanese. The Fuji River flows through the city.

Yamanashi Prefecture

• Ichikawamisato
• Kōfu
• Minami-Alps
• Shōwa

The city has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild winters (Köppen climate classification Cfa). The average annual temperature in Chūō is 14.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1339 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around 2.9 °C.^[2]

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Chūō has recently plateaued after several decades of growth.

The modern city of Chūō was established on February 20, 2006, from the merger of the towns of Tamaho and Tatomi (both from Nakakoma District), and the village of Toyotomi (from Higashiyatsushiro District).

Chūō has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members.

The economy of Chūō is dominated by agriculture, with rice, corn and tomatoes as the major cash crops.

• University of Yamanashi – Medical School campus
• Chūō has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government. The city does not have any high schools.

• Central Japan Railway Company - Minobu Line
  • Higashi-Hanawa - Koikawa

• Chūō Expressway
• National Route 140

• Masao Inoue, Japanese professional wrestler (Pro Wrestling Noah)
• Hidehiro Sugai, Japanese footballer currently playing as a left-back for Kashima Antlers of J1 League
• Shingo Takagi, Japanese professional wrestler (New Japan Pro-Wrestling)

Media related to Chūō, Yamanashi at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Website (in Japanese)