A town (町; chō or machi) is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture (ken or other equivalents), city (shi), and village (mura). Geographically, a town is contained within a district.
The same word (町; machi or chō) is also used in names of smaller regions, usually a part of a ward in a city. This is a legacy of when smaller towns were formed on the outskirts of a city, only to eventually merge into it.
Hayama (葉山町, Hayama-machi) is a town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, on central Honshū, Japan. As of 1 April 2021, the town had an estimated population of 32,961 and a population density of 1900 persons per km. The total area of the town is 17.06 square kilometres (6.59 sq mi). Since 1894, the Japanese Imperial Family has maintained a residence in Hayama, the seaside Hayama Imperial Villa.
The 23 special wards (特別区, tokubetsu-ku) of Tokyo are a unique form of municipality under Japan's 1947 Local Autonomy Law. They are city-level wards: primary subdivisions of a prefecture with municipal autonomy. Together, they cover 627 km (242 sq mi) and, as of 2024, house roughly 9.8 million residents, yielding a density of about 15,742 people/km (40,770 people/sq mi). Similar ward systems are legally possible in other prefectures, but none have been established.
Tokyo's 23 special wards unite with 39 ordinary municipalities (cities, towns and villages) to their west to form Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture. Without the ordinary municipalities the special wards account for what was the core Tokyo City, before this was abolished in 1943 under the Tōjō Cabinet. It was four years later, during the Occupation of Japan, that autonomy was restored to Tokyo City by means of the special wards, each being given a directly elected mayor and assembly like all other cities, towns and villages in Japan.
Kami (香美町, Kami-chō) is a town located in Mikata District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2022, the town had an estimated population of 16,256 in 6368 households and a population density of 44 persons per km². The total area of the town is 368.77 square kilometres (142.38 sq mi). The Ojiro neighborhood of the town is designated as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Japan. Kami is the birthplace of Tajiri-go, a Tajima Cattle who is the ancestor of more than 99.9% of Japanese Black wagyu.
Hakone (箱根町, Hakone-machi) is a town in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2023, the town had a population of 10,965, and total area of 92.82 km (35.84 sq mi).
Hakone is a notable spa town and a popular tourist destination due to its many hot springs being within view of nearby Mount Fuji, the most visited mountain in Japan.
Ikaruga (斑鳩町, Ikaruga-chō) is a town in Ikoma District, Nara, Japan. As of 31 December 2024, the town had an estimated population of 28,036 in 12,292 households, and a population density of 2000 persons per km. The total area of the town is 14.27 km (5.51 sq mi) Ikaruga is home to Hōryū-ji and Hokki-ji, ancient Buddhist temples collectively inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Other ancient temples include Hōrin-ji, also in the vicinity of Hōryū-ji. The town was named after the palace of Prince Shōtoku, Ikaruga-no-Miya (Imperial Palace of Ikaruga, or Imperial House of Ikaruga), whose grounds were at Hōryū-ji.
Ōyamazaki (大山崎町, Ōyamazaki-chō) is a town located in Otokuni District, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 September 2023, the town has an estimated population of 16,219 in 6722 households and a population density of 2700 persons per km². The total area of the town is 5.97 square kilometres (2.31 sq mi).
Kamo (加茂町, Kamo-chō) is a district of the city of Kizugawa, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was a town in its own right in Sōraku District until 2007.
Kamo and the towns of Kizu and Yamashiro (all from Sōraku District) merged to create the city of Kizugawa on March 12, 2007. As of February 1, 2007, prior to the merger, Kamo had an estimated population of 15,907 and a density of 430.27 persons per km. The total area was 36.97 km.
Wake (和気町, Wake-chō) is a town located in Wake District, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 March 2022, the town had an estimated population of 13,833 in 6,353 households and a population density of 96 persons per km. The total area of the town is 144.21 square kilometres (55.68 sq mi). The town is famous in the region for the 'Wamojiyaki' festival that takes place every year on August 15 during the Obon period, and the town is also home to the largest Wisteria park in Japan.
Azuchi (安土町, Azuchi-chō; Japanese pronunciation: [aꜜ.(d)ɯ.tɕi, a.(d)ɯ.tɕi̥ꜜ.tɕoː]) was a town located in Gamō District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 12,217 and a density of 502.76 persons per km. The total area was 24.30 km.