Minato, Tokyo
Minato, Tokyo
| Minato City | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Tokyo |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masaaki Takei |
| Area | |
| • Total | 20.37 km(7.86 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 243,094 |
| • Density | 12,000/km(31,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9(JST) |
| City hall address | 1-5-25 Shibakōen,Minato, Tokyo105-8511 |
| Website | |
It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Akasaka, Azabu and Shiba wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The modern Minato ward exhibits the contrasting Shitamachi and Yamanote geographical and cultural division. The Shinbashi neighborhood in the ward's northeastern corner is attached to the core of Shitamachi, the original commercial center of Edo-Tokyo. On the other hand, the Azabu and Akasaka areas are typically representative Yamanote districts.[1]
As of 1 July 2015, it has an official population of 243,094,[2] and a population density of 10,850 persons per km2. The total area is 20.37 km2.
Minato hosts many embassies.
It is also home to various domestic companies, including Honda, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, NEC, Sony,[3] Fujitsu,[4] and Toshiba, as well as the Japanese headquarters of a number of multi-national firms, including Google,[5] Apple[6] and Goldman Sachs.[7]
| Minato City | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Kantō |
| Prefecture | Tokyo |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Masaaki Takei |
| Area | |
| • Total | 20.37 km(7.86 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 243,094 |
| • Density | 12,000/km(31,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9(JST) |
| City hall address | 1-5-25 Shibakōen,Minato, Tokyo105-8511 |
| Website | |
Geography
Minato is located southwest of the Imperial Palace and has boundaries with the special wards of Chiyoda, Chūō, Kōtō (in Odaiba), Shinagawa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku.
History
The ward was founded on 15 March 1947 with the merger of Akasaka, Azabu, and Shiba Wards. The name minato means "harbour".
Politics and government
Minato is governed by Mayor Masaaki Takei, an Independent supported by all major parties except the Japanese Communist Party. The city legislative assembly has 51 members and is dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party.
Elections
2008 Minato mayoral election
Districts and neighborhoods
Notes:
-
- formerly part of Shiba Area a - 1-chōme b - 1, 2, 3-chōme c - 2, 3-chōme d - 4, 5-chōme
Education
Colleges and universities
Keio University
Jikei University School of Medicine Nishi Shinbashi campus
Kanazawa Institute of Technology Graduate school; Toranomon campus
Keio University
Kitasato University Shirokane campus
Meiji Gakuin University Shirokane campus
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Shibaura Institute of Technology
Temple University Japan Campus
Tokyo Institute of Technology Tamachi Campus
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Shinagawa campus
University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science
Primary and secondary schools
Mita Junior High School
The city's public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Minato City Board of Education.
Mita Junior High School (三田中学校) opened in 2001 after the merger of Minato Junior High School and Shibahama Junior High School.
The local public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
Akasaka High School (東京都立赤坂高等学校) (since merged with another school)
Mita High School (東京都立三田高等学校)
Roppongi High School
Shiba Commercial High School (東京都立芝商業高等学校)
There are also a variety of private schools, including:
Public libraries
Economy
Panorama view of Minato
Companies with headquarters in Minato include Air Nippon,[12] All Nippon Airways (ANA),[13][14] ANA & JP Express,[15] All Nippon Airways Trading,[16] Animax,[17] Asmik Ace Entertainment,[18] Brainlab,[19] Cosmo Oil Company,[20] Daicel,[21] Dentsu,[22] Fujifilm,[23] Fuji Xerox,[24] Fujitsu,[25] Haseko,[26] Hazama Ando,[27] Japan Tobacco,[28] Kajima,[29] Kaneka Corporation,[30] Konami,[31] KYB Corporation,[32] Kyodo News,[33] Mitsubishi Motors,[34] Mitsui Chemicals,[35] Mitsui O.S.K. Lines,[36] Mitsui Oil Exploration Company,[37] NEC,[38] Nippon Sheet Glass,[39] NYK Line,[40] Obayashi Corporation,[41] Oki Electric Industry,[42] Pizza-La,[43] The Pokémon Company,[44] THK,[45] Toagosei,[46] Toraya Confectionery,[47] Sato Pharmaceutical,[48] Sega Sammy Holdings,[49] Sigma Seven,[50] Sony,[51] SUMCO,[52] Toraya Confectionery,[53] Toyo Suisan (owns the branch Maruchan),[54] TV Tokyo,[55] WOWOW,[56] and Yazaki.[57] In addition ANA subsidiary Air Japan has some offices in Minato.[58]
Foreign companies
The Japanese division of CB&I,[59] the Japanese division of Aramark and Aim Services,[60] Google Japan,[61] Yahoo! Japan,[62] and the main Japanese offices of Hanjin and Korean Air are located there.[63] Air France operates an office and ticketing counter in the New Aoyama Building in Minato.[64] The Japanese division of Deutsche Post, DHL. Air France's Minato office handles Aircalin-related inquiries.[65] Air China has operations in the Air China Building in Minato.[66] Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the sixth floor of the ATT New Tower Building.[undefined] Hawaiian Airlines has its Japan offices in the Eagle Hamamatsuchō Building (イーグル浜松町ビル, Īguru Hamamatsuchō Biru) in Minato.[68] Iran Air has its Tokyo office in Akasaka.[69]
Former economic operations
Diplomatic missions
Embassy of the United States in Japan
Several countries operate their embassies in Minato.
Embassies
Afghanistan
Armenia
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Brazil
Canada
Cambodia
Chile
Cuba
Ecuador
Finland
Georgia
Greece
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
Iran
Kosovo
Lithuania
F.S. of Micronesia
Morocco
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Pakistan
Panama
Philippines
Romania
Russia
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Tonga
Ukraine
Uruguay
Venezuela
Yemen
Zimbabwe
Places
Tokyo Tower
Roppongi Hills
Akasaka: A large residential and commercial area in northern Minato which includes the Akasaka Palace and surrounding gardens, TBS radio and television studios, Ark Hills complex, National Art Center, and the embassy of the United States.
Aoyama: Home to Aoyama Cemetery, one of Tokyo's largest graveyards, and the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.
Atago Shrine, the highest point in all 23 wards of Tokyo.
Azabu: One of Tokyo's more upscale residential areas, home to many embassies.
Fushimi Sanpō Inari Jinja: A Shinto shrine in Shiba 3-chōme.
Hamamatsuchō: Hamamatsucho Station is the terminal for the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport.
Mita: Home to Keio University and several small Buddhist temples.
The National Art Center, Tokyo is a museum that opened in 2007.
Odaiba: One of Tokyo's most popular entertainment areas, featuring the Fuji TV studios, Palette Town shopping complex, Dream Bridge, Tokyo Big Sight, and more. Located on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, it is connected to central Tokyo by the Yurikamome transit line over the Rainbow Bridge.
Roppongi: Tokyo's best-known nightlife district, especially popular among foreigners; also home to the Roppongi Hills complex, which houses the studios of TV Asahi, the J-Wave radio station, the Tokyo Grand Hyatt Hotel, and a shopping complex.
Shiba Park: Houses the Zojoji temple. Tokyo Tower is located one block away.
Shinbashi: Shinbashi Station, the northern terminal of Japan's first railway line. Also home to the Shiosite office and entertainment complex, which houses Nippon Television studios.
Shirokanedai: Home to Meiji Gakuin University.
Takanawa Shrine
Takanawa: Home to the Sōtō temple of Sengaku-ji. Shinagawa Station, one of Tokyo's largest train stations, is located in Takanawa, although it is associated with Shinagawa to the south. An area of many 1980s hotels including the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, and Pacific Meridien Hotel.
Toranomon: National Printing Bureau,[82] TV Tokyo studios and the Toranomon Station underground complex.
Tsuki no Misaki is a plateau.
Transportation
Rail
Yurikamome
Keikyu Main Line (Shinagawa Station)
Toei Subway: Toei Asakusa Line (Shimbashi Station, Daimon Station, Mita Station, Sengakuji Station, Takanawadai Station) Toei Oedo Line (Shiodome Station, Daimon Station, Akabanebashi Station, Azabu-juban Station, Roppongi Station, Aoyama-itchome Station) Toei Mita Line (Uchisaiwaicho Station, Onarimon Station, Shiba-koen Station, Mita Station, Shirokane-Takanawa Station, Shirokanedai Station)
Tokyo Metro: Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Akasaka Station, Nogizaka Station, Omotesando Station) Tokyo Metro Ginza Line (Shimbashi Station, Toranomon Station, Tameike-sanno Station, Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Aoyama-itchome Station, Gaienmae Station, Omotesando Station) Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line (Aoyama-itchome Station, Omotesando Station) Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (Kamiyacho Station, Roppongi Station, Hiroo Station) Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line (Akasaka-mitsuke Station) Tokyo Metro Namboku Line (Tameike-sanno Station, Roppongi-itchome Station, Azabu-juban Station, Shirokane-Takanawa Station, Shirokanedai Station)
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) Keihin-Tohoku Line/Yamanote Line (Shimbashi Station, Hamamatsucho Station, Tamachi Station, Shinagawa Station) Tōkaidō Main Line (Shimbashi Station, Shinagawa Station) Yokosuka Line (Shimbashi Station, Shinagawa Station)
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Shinagawa Station)
Tokyo Monorail (Hamamatsucho Station)
Yurikamome (Shimbashi Station, Shiodome Station, Takeshiba Station, Hinode Station, Shibaura-futō Station, Odaiba-kaihinkōen Station, Daiba Station)
Road
Rainbow Bridge connecting central Tokyo to Odaiba
Tokyo Cruise Ship Himiko
Shuto Expressway: No. 1 Haneda Route (Edobashi JCT – Iriya) No. 2 Meguro Route (Ichinohashi JCT – Togoshi) No.11 Daiba Route (Shibaura JCT – Ariake JCT) B Bayshore Route (Namiki – Kawasaki-ukishima JCT) C1 Inner Loop (Edobashi – Takaracho – Kyobashi – Ginza – Shiodome – Hamazakibashi – Shiba Park – Tanimachi – Kasumigaseki – Daikanmachi – Edobashi)
National roads: Route 1 (Sakurada-dori) Route 15 (Dai-Ichi Keihin) Route 246 (Aoyama-dori)
Other major roads: Atago-dori Kaigan-dori Kyu-kaigan-dori Gaien-higashi-dori Gaien-nishi-dori Hibiya-dori Roppongi-dori
Ferry
Tokyo's main ferry terminal is located adjacent to Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome, due east of JR Hamamatsucho Station.
Notable people from Minato
Hirohito, the 124th Emperor of Japan
Takeichi Nishi, an Imperial Japanese Army officer, equestrian show jumper, and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics
Kanoko Okamoto (1889–1939), poet, born in Akasaka Ward (present-day Minato)[83]
Sho Sakurai, actor and singer, affiliated with Arashi
Haruomi Hosono, experimental electronic pop musician, noted for the commissioned Muji background music.
Fishmans, a pop and dub band composed primarily of Shinji Sato, Yuzuru Kashiwabara, Kin-ichi Motegi, Hakase-Sun and Kensuke Ojima.