Chitose, Japan

Chitose is a city located in Ishikari, Hokkaidô, Japan and home to the New Chitose Airport, the biggest international airport in Hokkaidô and closest airport to Sapporo, as well as the neighboring Chitose Air Base. The city is bounded by Eniwa in the north and by Tomakomai in the south. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 92,323 and the density of 155 persons per km². The total area is 594.95 km². The city was founded on July 1, 1958. Chitose is one of the gateways to the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Lake Shikotsu and Mount Tarumae. Chitose also has a university (Chitose Institute of Science and Technology), 2 high schools, 18 junior high schools and 10 elementary schools. As befits its international aspirations, it was an early supporter (1990) of the JET Programme in Hokkaidô. Chitose is accessed by two expressways with an interchange in the west and another in the north on a separate expressway and the Chitose-Eniwa Junction connecting with the Eastern Hokkaidô Expressway in the northwest. 1880 Chitose (Chitose, Osatsu, Usakumai, Rankoshi, Izari, Shimamatsu) Village opened 1897 Eniwa (Izari and Shimamatsu) Village (now City) splits off .1915 Chitose (Chitose, Osatsu, Usakumai, Rankoshi) becomes a Second Class Municipality .1939 Chitose becomes a First Class Municipality .1942 Chitose Village becomes Chitose Town .Post World War II - Chitose hosts a US Air Force base .July 1, 1958 Chitose Town becomes Chitose City