The coastal area contains the Keiyo industrial zone, which serves as the nation’s largest supply depot for raw materials and energy, such as chemical products, steel, and oil. More than six million people live in Chiba Prefecture, which also serves as a bedroom community in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and the many commercial and recreational facilities attract numerous visitors from other prefectures.
Such diversity, offering something for everyone, is a key characteristic and strength of Chiba Prefecture. Chiba also contains historic tourism resources including Narita-san, a Buddhist temple that has been a popular tourist attraction since the Edo Period. A number of efforts have been made to promote Chiba’s attractions to people both within and outside the prefecture.