East of Tokyo lies Chiba Prefecture, slightly to the northeast - Ibaraki; an area known for its pickled plums and natto fermented beans which are both staples of the traditional Japanese diet.

Chiba proper forms the entire peninsula seen to the immediate east of the capital on maps, which is, like so many other peninsulas in Japan, largely hilly in the interior but with gentle slopes reaching down to the main Tokyo Bay on the west coast, and the Pacific shore on the east.

At one point, on the east coast, a lengthy, almost semi-circular beach called '99 Ri (the Ri being an old form of distance measurement) can be seen - even from space. Like most beaches in the nation, much of what is thrown up on the shores of Chiba is the darker, volcanic sand, but particularly in the south near Tateyama and even Kisarazu on the west coast, beautiful enclaves of pure white sand can be found and enjoyed in summer.

Chiba's prime tourist industry centers on these southern cities and a myriad of small towns in the mountains with kiddy farms and horse riding experiences sitting alongside numerous golf courses.

Business in the area is conducted mainly in the north - not far by train from Tokyo, and it is also here that the prefectural sporting interests lie; Kashiwa Reysol and JEF United of the J-League as well as several rugby clubs based in the area.