Chūō (中央区, Chūō-ku?) is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.
Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II. The most famous district in Chūō is Ginza (銀座), built on the site of a former silver mint from which it takes its name. The gold mint, or Kinza (金座), formerly occupied the site of the present-day Bank of Japan (日本銀行) headquarters building, also in Chūō.
As of 2008, the ward has an estimated resident population of 108,943 and a density of 9654 persons per km². However, because of the concentration of businesses, offices and retail space, the daytime population swells to an estimated 650,000.
Geography
Chūō is in the central area of Tokyo, surrounded by the five special wards of Chiyoda, Minato, Taito, Sumida, and Kōtō.
Administratively, Chūō is divided into the three zones of Nihonbashi, Kyobashi and Tsukishima. Nihonbashi and Kyobashi are predominantly commercial areas on the east side of Tokyo Station, and incorporate the famous districts of Ginza and Tsukiji. Tsukishima is a separate island in Tokyo Bay dominated by condominium towers.
Until World War II, the area was criscrossed by small rivers and canals, used by small boats which were the primary vehicles of commerce at the time. After the war, many of these waterways were filled in to make way for new roads, buildings and expressways. However, the former waterways are the basis for many of the neighborhood divisions in the ward. The Sumida River forms the eastern boundary of the ward.
Chūō is physically the second-smallest ward in Tokyo, with a total area of just 10.15 km²: only Taito is smaller.
History
- 1612: Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, planning to establish Edo as the de facto capital of Japan, begins work on a new commercial district surrounding the eastern end of the Tokaido, the main road connecting Tokyo and the Kansai region. During the Edo period this area is known as Edomachi - the town center of Edo. Much of the area (particularly Ginza and Tsukiji) was loose sand piled at the delta of the Sumida River before being filled in by the shogunate.
- 1657: After a fire consumes much of the city, the area is re-planned with more canals to accommodate more maritime commerce.
- 1869: A foreigners' settlement is established in Tsukiji. It continues until about 1899.
- 1872: A fire consumes much of the Ginza area. In its aftermath, the governor of Tokyo re-plans Ginza to be a modern European-style commercial district between Shinbashi (the city's main railway terminal at the time) to the south and Nihombashi (the main business and financial district) to the north.
- 1878: Under a new local organization statute, the wards of Nihonbashi and Kyobashi are established under the government of Tokyo City, covering the area now occupied by Chūō.
- 1945: Following Japan's defeat in World War II, several buildings are taken over by SCAP to serve as supply centers for the occupation forces. These include the Hattori Watch Company, the Matsuya department store and the Toshiba Building. The buildings are returned to Japanese civilian control by 1951.
- 1947: Chūō Ward is founded on March 15 under the new Local Autonomy Law.
Places
Mitsukoshi Department Store
- Nihonbashi Area (日本橋地区)
- Kyōbashi Area (京橋地区)
- Akashicho (明石町) - Home to St. Luke's Hospital and Nursing School and the adjacent Garden Tower skyscraper.
- Ginza (銀座) - Tokyo's most upscale shopping district, housing huge department stores such as Matsuya (松屋), Matsuzakaya (松坂屋), Mitsukoshi (三越), Wako (和光), and Printemps (プランタン), as well as the famous Kabukiza (歌舞伎座) theater. At night, Ginza is ablaze with neon lights. Exclusive bars abound.
- Hatchobori (八丁堀) - During the Edo period, the location of the police barracks
- Hamarikyu-teien (浜離宮庭園) - Location of Hamarikyu Onshi Teien (浜離宮恩賜庭園). A spacious public park, formerly the property of daimyo of Kōshū, and later under the administration of the Imperial Household Agency
- Kyōbashi (京橋)
- Minato (湊)
- Shinkawa (新川)
- Shintomi (新富)
- Tsukiji (築地) - Location of Chuo City Office. Widely viewed as one of the best sushi (寿司) destinations in the world because of its huge wholesale fish market, which supplies restaurants and stores across eastern Japan. Also home to the Jodo Shinshu temple of Tsukiji Hongwanji (築地本願寺).
- Yaesu (八重洲) - District on the east side of Tokyo Station(東京駅). The Yaesu side of Tokyo Station is the terminal for the Shinkansen (新幹線), or "bullet train" lines.
- Tsukishima Area (月島地区)
Politics and Government
Chuo is run by a city assembly of 30 elected members. The current mayor is Yoshihide Yada, an independent backed Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito.
Elections
Transportation
-
Rail
At Tokyo Station, six Shinkansen, seven ordinary railway, and one subway line serve Chūō. In addition, three Toei subway lines stop at various stations throughout the ward.
Highway
Shuto Expressway
Education
Public elementary and middle schools in Chūō are operated by the Chūō City Board of Education. Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
Famous people
See also
References
External links
|
