Tonosho

From ChibaWiki

Tonosho|東庄町|Tonosho-machi is a small town located in the Northeast of Chiba Prefecture with a population of about 15000 people. Tonosho is about 10 minutes by car from Choshi on the east, and 45 to 60 minutes from Narita on the west. Tonosho is near the edge of the Tonegawa river and only a 5 minute drive from Ibaraki Prefecture.

Transportation

Getting in

To/from the airport

Tonosho is about 50-60 minutes from Narita by train and about the same by car (if traveling by the free national highway).

If you want to pay for the toll roads you can probably be there in 20 minutes from the Katori IC.

By train

Tonosho actually has two JR stations: JR Sasagawa Station and JR Shimosa Tachibana Station. The bigger and more centrally located Sasagawa station is the best place to get off.

Recently both stations were updated to allow for the use of SUICA cards.

By bus

The Chiba Kotsu highway buses stop fairly frequently near Suwa Shrine. The buses run starting at 5:30am daily and the last bus to Tokyo leaves around 7:30pm. The last bus from Tokyo to Tonosho leaves Tokyo station around 10:30pm. A one-way fare is 2100 yen, but you can buy tickets in a book of 6 that lowers the price of a one-way ticket to about 1800 yen.

By car

Route 356 runs through the center of town.

Getting around

Getting around town is technically possible without a car but it's much more convenient to have one. Apparently up until about 5 years ago ALTs were not allowed to drive and made the 30-40 minute bikeride uphill to school every day just like the students. The town has a moped for the ALT but you will have to take a test in Makuhari in order to use it.

There is also a free bus that runs about twice a day that will take you to Asahi. The trains stop running fairly early but if you are coming from the west (Narita, Sawara, Omigawa) you can probably catch the last train around 11pm.

Working

JET placements

Tonosho has 1 JET who works exclusively in the town's single junior high school. Previous JETs have made infrequent visits to the 5 elementary schools in town but this is not technically an elementary school placement.

As of July 2009, the ALT started cycling through visits of the elementary schools in town that will last throughout the next year. Whether this will become a part of the "official" job description is unknown.

Incoming/Outgoing JETs

The spot is not open for 2009-2010.

Foreign community

Non-existent. There are no other English speaking foreigners living in Tonosho. The closest JETs are in Asahi to the south and Choshi to the east.

There is a small population of Brazilian and Filipino foreigners.

Sightseeing

Places to visit

Suwa Jinja is located in the center of town and hosts sumo wrestlers who come to train for a few weeks near the beginning of August. If you want to meet some sumo up close it's a good chance.

Tonosho's only "tourism" to speak of comes in the form of strawberry picking. There are 5 main places in town and you pay around 1,000 yen to pick and eat all the strawberries you can. They open around March every year.

Festivals

Shopping

The basics are all available in town and the ALT apartment is within walking distance to Lawson and biking distance to Super Taiyo, the local supermarket. Near Super Taiyo is a Yac's drugstore.

There are three conbinis in town as well as a Komeri hardware store. Tonosho is known for it's strawberries and there are many places to purchase them when they are season.

Supermarkets

The town's grocery store is Super Taiyo and is located along Route 356 on the western edge of town. It has just about everything you need and is actually quite cheap.

Department stores

None. The closest department store would be the Jusco in Asahi.

Home & Garden stores

Komeri has what you need but the Cainz Home in Omigawa is much larger.

Book shops

On one of the main streets near the station is Ishii Bookstore.

Eating

Fast food

None. Closest fast food is the small McDonalds in Omigawa or numerous fast food places across the river in Kamisu.

There is a newly-opened Sukiya in Omigawa.

Japanese food

There are a variety of small restaurants in the area near the station. There are places to get unagi, soba, as well as just about any other standard Japanese fare.

Family Restaurants

If you are looking for fast, cheaper food that's not McDonalds there is a Saizeriya and Gusto in Omigawa. Take route 356 and you'll see them on the left after you pass the 7-11.

There are many family restaurants in Kamisu including Denny's and Coco's.

Drinking

Izakayas

Toriki is one of the more popular drinking spots in town and is usually crowded. They serve good yakitori (I like the negima) as well as a pretty decent little pizza. It's located just before the bridge off of route 356 across the street from Family Mart.

The other main izakaya is a very small place that has a name unknown to the author as it is not written clearly outside. It's slightly pricey but the food is good, the owners are friendly, and it's prefectly located within walking distance from the ALT apartment.

Bars

It's the inaka and there are numerous snack bars in town. The ALT will likely be taken to one if not many of them throughout the course of his/her stay. Don't confuse them with hostess clubs or kabakura. They are for old men to drink and sing karaoke with similarly aged women.

Medical facilities

There is a hospital in town that seems to be crowded. If you need a flu shot it's cheaper to go to Okano Clinic, and the doctor there was much nicer than the doctors at the hospital.

Libraries

There is a little library in the community center. Asashi has a much larger library worth checking out.

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