View source for Tosa, Kōchi

{{about|the city|the town|Tosa, Kōchi (town)}}

{{Infobox settlement
| name = Tosa
| official_name = 
| native_name = {{nobold|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|土佐市}}}}}}
| native_name_lang = ja
| settlement_type = [[Cities of Japan|City]]
| other_name = 
| image_skyline = Tosa City Hall Kōchi Prefecture 202405261557.jpg
| imagesize = 250
| image_caption = Tosa city hall
| image_flag = Flag of Tosa, Kochi.svg
| image_seal = Emblem of Tosa, Kochi.svg
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=265|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=8}}
| image_map1 = Tosa city in Kochi Prefecture Ja.svg
| map_caption = Location of Tosa in Kōchi Prefecture
| pushpin_map = Japan
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Japan
| coordinates = {{coord|33|30|N|133|26|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Japan
| subdivision_type1 = [[List of regions of Japan|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Shikoku]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kōchi Prefecture|Kōchi]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Japan|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Yoshifumi Itahara (since October 2007)
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1 = 
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_total_km2 = 91.50
| population_total = 26427
| population_as_of = 1 August 2022
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone1 = [[Japan Standard Time|JST]]
| utc_offset1 = +09:00
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 
| blank_name_sec1 = City hall address
| blank_info_sec1 = 2017-1 Kinoe, Takaoka-chō, Tosa-shi, Kōchi-ken 781-1192
| website = {{Official|1=www.city.tosa.lg.jp}}
| module = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
 | tree = [[Ginkgo biloba|Ginkgo]]
 | flower = [[Lilium]]
 | bird = [[White-cheeked starling]]
 | butterfly = 
 | fish = 
}}
}}
[[file:仁淀川河口大橋.jpg|thumb|right|270px|Niyodo River in Tosa]]
[[file:Tosa city center area Aerial photograph.2014.jpg|thumb|right|270px|Aerial view of Tosa city center]]

{{nihongo|'''Tosa'''|土佐市|Tosa-shi}} is a [[Cities of Japan|city]] located in [[Kōchi Prefecture]], [[Japan]].  {{As of|2022|08|01}}, the city had an estimated [[population]] of 26,427 in 12,671 households and a [[population density]] of 290 persons per km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="Tosa-hp">{{cite web |url=https://www.city.tosa.lg.jp|title= Tosa city official statistics|location= Japan|language= ja}}</ref> The total area of the city is {{convert|91.50|sqkm|sqmi}}. The city of Tosa should not be confused with the historical [[Tosa Province]], which covered all of modern-day Kōchi Prefecture.

==Geography==
Tosa is located in central [[Kōchi Prefecture]] on the southern coast of the island of [[Shikoku]], and faces the [[Shikoku Mountains]] to the north and [[Pacific Ocean]] to the south. The Niyodo River flows through the Takaoka Plain in the town, where rice is grown.

===Surrounding municipalities===
[[Kōchi Prefecture]]
*[[Hidaka, Kōchi|Hidaka]]
*[[Ino, Kōchi|Ino]]
*[[Kōchi (city)]]
*[[Kōchi, Kōchi|Kōchi]]
*[[Sakawa, Kōchi|Sakawa]]
*[[Susaki, Kōchi|Susaki]]

===Climate===
Tosa has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (Köppen ''Cfa'') characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall.  The average annual temperature in Tosa is 15.9&nbsp;°C. The average annual rainfall is 2631&nbsp;mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 25.9&nbsp;°C, and lowest in January, at around 5.8&nbsp;°C.<ref>[https://en.climate-data.org/asia/japan/kochi-prefecture/tosa-5280/  Tosa climate data]</ref>

==Demographics==
Per Japanese census data,<ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/php/japan-kochi.php Tosa population statistics]</ref> the population of Tosa has remained relatively stable for the past century.

{{Historical populations
| 1920 | 28,057
| 1930 | 28,067
| 1940 | 26,804
| 1950 | 34,107
| 1960 | 31,803
| 1970 | 29,905
| 1980 | 31,677
| 1990 | 31,564
| 2000 | 30,338
| 2010 | 28,686
| 2020 | 25,732
|align       = none
| footnote = 
}}

== History ==
As with all of Kōchi Prefecture, the area of Tosa was part of ancient [[Tosa Province]].  Remains from the [[Jōmon period]] dated to 4000 years ago have been found within the city limits. During the [[Edo period]], the area was part of the holdings of [[Tosa Domain]] ruled by the [[Yamauchi clan]] from their seat at [[Kōchi Castle]]. Following the [[Meiji restoration]], the village of Takaoka (高岡村) was established within [[Takaoka District, Kōchi]] with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889. Takaoka was elevated to town status on March 1, 1899. Takaoka was elevated to city status on January 1, 1959, and renamed Tosa.

==Government==
Tosa has a [[mayor-council]] form of government with a directly elected mayor and a [[unicameral]] city council of 15 members. Tosa contributes one member to the Kōchi Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kōchi 1st district of the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] of the [[Diet of Japan]].

==Economy==
Benefiting from the warm climate and abundant water, the area has long been a prosperous region for agriculture, with greenhouse horticulture in the plains and fruit tree cultivation in the surrounding mountains. In addition, the rich subsoil water of the Niyodo River has nurtured the paper industry, and in the Usa neighborhood, which faces the Pacific Ocean, coastal fishing and seafood processing have developed as key industries.

==Education==
Tosa has nine public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government and two public high schools operated by the Kōchi Prefectural Department of Education. There is also one private high school. The Kochi Professional University of Rehabilitation is located in Tosa.

==Transportation==
===Railway===
Tosa does not have any passenger railway service. The nearest train station is [[Ino Station (JR Shikoku)|Ino Station]] on the [[JR Shikoku]] [[Dosan Line]].

=== Highways ===
* [[File:JP Expressway E32.svg|25px|link=|alt=]] [[Kōchi Expressway]]
* {{jct|country=JPN|Route|56}}

==Sister citiess==
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Ebetsu, Hokkaidō]], since July 15, 1978
*{{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Itatiba]], [[São Paulo ]], [[Brazil]], since August 5, 1989

==Local attractions==
*[[Kiyotaki-ji]], 35th temple on the [[Shikoku Pilgrimage]]
*[[Shōryū-ji]], 36th temple on the [[Shikoku Pilgrimage]]

==Noted people from Tosa==
*[[Chisako Hara]], actress
*[[Michiharu Kusunoki]], manga artist
*[[Seito Saibara]], politician, missionary, colonist, and farmer

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tosa, Kochi (city)}}
*{{url|http://www.city.tosa.lg.jp|Tosa City official website}} {{in lang|ja}}
*{{osmrelation-inline|4036308}}

{{Kōchi Prefecture}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tosa, Kochi}}
[[Category:Tosa, Kōchi| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Kōchi Prefecture]]