Arakawa, Tokyo

Arakawa, Tokyo

Arakawa
荒川
—  Special ward  —
荒川区 · Arakawa City
Sumida River from Suijin Bridge in Arakawa

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Location of Arakawa in Tokyo
Arakawa is located in Japan
Arakawa
 
Coordinates: 35°44′N 139°47′E / 35.733°N 139.783°E / 35.733; 139.783Coordinates: 35°44′N 139°47′E / 35.733°N 139.783°E / 35.733; 139.783
Country Japan
Region Kantō
Prefecture Tokyo
Government
 - Mayor Taichiro Nishikawa (since November 2004)
Area
 - Total 10.20 km2 (3.9 sq mi)
Population (April 1, 2011)
 - Total 205,263
 - Density 20,123.82/km2 (52,120.5/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
City symbols
- Tree Cherry blossom
- Flower Azalea
Phone number 81-(0)3-3802-3111
Address Arakawa 2-2-3, Arakawa, Tokyo
116-8501
Website Arakawa

Arakawa (荒川区 Arakawa-ku?) is a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan. The ward takes its name from the river, the Arakawa, though the Arakawa River does not run through or touch the ward. Its neighbors are the wards of Adachi, Kita, Bunkyo, Taito and Sumida. In English, the ward calls itself Arakawa City.

Arakawa has sister-city relationships with Donaustadt in Vienna, Austria, and with Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. Domestically, it has similar relationships with nine cities, towns and villages.

As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 205,263, with a household number of 95,665, and a population density of about 20,123.82 persons per km². The total area is 10.20 km².

Contents

Geography

Arakawa is in the northeastern part of Tokyo. The shape is long and narrow, stretching from west to east. The Sumida River forms the northern boundary.

The ward is surrounded by five other special wards. To the north lies Adachi; to the west, Kita; to the southwest, Bunkyo. South of Arakawa is Taito, and southeast is Sumida.

History

The area was mainly agricultural in the Edo period. In 1651, Kozukappara, the Tokugawa's largest execution ground (now located next to Minami-Senju station), was built. Beginning in the Meiji era, the area became industrial as factories were built on the water front.

In 1932, it became one of the 35 wards of Tokyo City.

Neighborhoods

  • Machiya
  • Arakawa
  • Nishi Ogu
  • Nishi Nippori
  • Higashi Ogu
  • Higashi Nippori
  • Minami Senju

Famous people

  • Kosuke Kitajima (Olympic gold-medalist in swimming)
  • Leopard Tamakuma (former WBA boxing flyweight champion)
  • Hibari Misora (singer)
  • Kuniko Yamada (comic)
  • Momoe Yamaguchi (singer, actress)
  • Eri Kamei (singer)

Economy

MIAT Mongolian Airlines's Tokyo Branch Office is on the fifth floor in the Tachibana Building in Arakawa.

Landmarks

Arakawa Nature Park

Education

Public elementary and middle schools are operated by the Arakawa City Board of Education.

Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

  • Arakawa Technical High School
  • Takenodai High School

The metropolis also operates the Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering (EN) in Arakawa.

Transportation

Minowabashi Station
Minami-Senju Station

Rail

  • JR East
    • Yamanote Line, Keihin Tohoku Line: Nishi Nippori, Nippori Stations
    • Joban Line: Nippori, Minamikawashima, Minami-Senju Stations
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
    • Toden Arakawa Line (13 stations)
    • Nippori-Toneri Liner: Nippori, Nishi-Nippori, Akado-Shōgakkō-mae, Kumano-mae
  • Tokyo Metro
    • Chiyoda Line: Nishi Nippori, Machiya Stations
    • Hibiya Line: Minami Senju Station
  • Keisei Electric Railway Keisei Main Line: Nippori, Shin-Mikawashima, Machiya Stations
  • Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company Tsukuba Express: Minami Senju Station

Additional facilities are under construction.

Major Roads

  • Route 4 (the Nikkō Kaidō)
  • Meiji Street
  • Ogubashi Street
  • Otakebashi Street

Events

  • Sada Abe incident
  • The attempted assassination of the head of the National Police Agency following an investigation of Aum Shinrikyo-related facilities (1995)

See also

PrefSymbol-Tokyo.svg Tokyo portal

  1. ^ "Contact Us." MIAT Mongolian Airlines. Retrieved on June 27, 2010. "TOKYO BRANCH OFFICE 5F, Tachibana Bldg, 2-19-4 Nishinippori, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-0013, Japan "
  2. ^ http://www.arakawakogyo-h.metro.tokyo.jp/
  3. ^ http://www.takenodai-h.metro.tokyo.jp/
  4. ^ http://www.kouku-k.ac.jp/index_e.html
  5. ^ http://www.kouku-k.ac.jp/
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