is a special ward located in

Tokyo Metropolis Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. 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 is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. I ...

and Sumida. In English, the ward calls itself Arakawa City. Arakawa has sister-city relationships with

Donaustadt Donaustadt (; literally, Danube City; Central Bavarian: ''Donaustod'') is the 22nd district of Vienna, Austria (german: 22. Bezirk, Donaustadt). Donaustadt is the eastern district of Vienna.Statistik Austria, 2007, webpage statistik.at-23450. ...

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, and with Corvallis,

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, U.S. Domestically, it has similar relationships with nine cities, towns and villages. As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction usi ...

of 208,763, and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

of about 20,550 persons per km². The total area is 10.16 km².

Geography

Arakawa is in the northeastern part of

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

. The shape is long and narrow, stretching from west to east. The

Sumida River The is a river that flows through central Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi (in Kita-ku) and flows into Tokyo Bay. Its tributaries include the Kanda and Shakujii rivers. It passes through the Kita, Adachi, Ara ...

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

, and southeast is Sumida.

History

The area was mainly agricultural in the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was character ...

. In 1651, Kozukappara, the Tokugawa's largest execution ground (now located next to Minami-Senju station), was built. Beginning in the

Meiji era The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

, the area became industrial as factories were built on the water front. In 1932, it became one of the 35 wards of

Tokyo City was a municipality in Japan and part of Tokyo-fu which existed from 1 May 1889 until its merger with its prefecture on 1 July 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by the Special Wards of Tokyo. The new merged gov ...

Tokyo 10 B Prisoner of War Camp, Minami-Senju, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan

On 1 July 1944, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emper ...

established a Prisoner of War camp named #20-B, on the grounds nearby Hashiba Bridge, Minami-Senju, Arakawa, at the current day location with the address of 3-41 Minami-Senju, Arakawa. The camp was renamed to #10-B, in August 1945. The prisoners of the camp were liberated in September 1945. At the time, there were 256 prisoners of war (87 British, 64 American, 55 Canadian and 50 Dutch) held at the camp. Two prisoners of war died during their imprisonment.

Districts and neighborhoods

;Mikawashima Area * Arakawa * Higashinippori^a * Machiya^b ;Minamisenju Area * Minamisenju ;Nippori Area * Nishinippori * Higashinippori^c ;Ogu Area * Higashiogu * Nishiogu * Machiya^d Notes: ^a - (1-chōme)
^b - (1, 2, 3, 4 & 8-chōme)
^c - (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-chōme)
^d - (5, 6, 7-chōme)

Notable people

Kosuke Kitajima is a Japanese retired breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals at the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and the 2008 Summer Olympics – becoming the first and only swimmer to sweep the breaststroke events at ...

(Olympic gold-medalist in swimming) * Kanako Watanabe (Olympic athlete in swimming) *

Hibari Misora was a Japanese singer, actress and cultural icon. She received a Medal of Honor for her contributions to music and for improving the welfare of the public, and was the first woman to receive the People's Honour Award, which was conferred posthu ...

(singer) * Momoe Yamaguchi (singer, actress) *

Eri Kamei is a Japanese pop singer and model. She is a former member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined in late 2003 as a sixth generation member along with Miki Fujimoto, Sayumi Michishige, and Reina Tanaka. She graduated on December ...

(singer) * Toru Yano (Professional wrestler)

Economy

MIAT Mongolian Airlines MIAT (Mongolyn Irgenii Agaaryn Teever (Монголын Иргэний Агаарын Тээвэр , Mongolian Civil Air Transport)) Mongolian Airlines, ; "Mongolian Civil Air Transport" is the national airline of Mongolia, headquartered in the ...

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

Iseki , based in Matsuyama and Tokyo, Japan, is the third largest Japanese agricultural machinery manufacturing company. Its products include tractors, combine harvesters, rice transplanters, riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, tillers, components, an ...

, a

tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most commo ...

and engine equipment manufacturer has its Tokyo head office in the ward.

Landmarks

Arakawa Nature Park

Education

Metropolitan high schools are operated by the

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education (東京都教育委員会 ''Tōkyō-to Kyōiku Iinkai'') is the board of education in Tokyo, Japan. The board directly manages all of the public high schools in all 23 special wards, the Wester ...

. * * Private schools: * Kaisei Academy * Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Arakawa City Board of Education (荒川区教育委員会). Municipal junior high schools: * No. 1 Junior High School (第一中学校) * No. 3 Junior High School (第三中学校) * No. 4 Junior High School (第四中学校) * No. 5 Junior High School (第五中学校) * No. 7 Junior High School (第七中学校) * No. 9 Junior High School (第九中学校) * Hara Junior High School (原中学校) * Minamisenju No. 2 Junior High School (南千住第二中学校) * Ogu Hachiman Junior High School (尾久八幡中学校) * Suwadai Junior High School (諏訪台中学校) Municipal elementary schools: * No. 2 Haketa Elementary School (第二峡田小学校) * No. 3 Haketa Elementary School (第三峡田小学校) * No. 4 Haketa Elementary School (第四峡田小学校) * No. 5 Haketa Elementary School (第五峡田小学校) * No. 7 Haketa Elementary School (第七峡田小学校) * No. 9 Haketa Elementary School (第九峡田小学校) * No. 1 Nippori Elementary School (第一日暮里小学校) * No. 2 Nippori Elementary School (第二日暮里小学校) * No. 3 Nippori Elementary School ( 第三日暮里小学校) * No. 6 Nippori Elementary School (第六日暮里小学校) * No. 2 Zuiko Elementary School (第二瑞光小学校) * No. 3 Zuiko Elementary School (第三瑞光小学校) * No. 6 Zuiko Elementary School (第六瑞光小学校) * Akado Elementary School ( 赤土小学校) * Daimon Elementary School (大門小学校) * Haketa Elementary School (峡田小学校) * Higurashi Elementary School (ひぐらし小学校) * Ogu Elementary School (尾久小学校) * Ogu No. 6 Elementary School (尾久第六小学校) * Ogu Miyamae Elementary School (尾久宮前小学校) * Ogu Nishi Elementary School ( 尾久西小学校) * Shioiri Elementary School ( 汐入小学校) * Shioiri Higashi Elementary School (汐入東小学校) * Zuiko Elementary School ( 瑞光小学校) The Tokyo First Korean Elementary and Junior High School ( 東京朝鮮第一初中級学校), a North Korean school, is in the ward. The metropolis operated the

Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

in Arakawa until 2010.

Transportation

Rail

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters ar ...

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line ( ja, 山手線, Yamanote-sen) is a loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban c ...

, Keihin Tohoku Line: Nishi Nippori,

Nippori Station is a major railway interchange station in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is also adjacent to the Yanaka neighborhood of Taito district. Lines *East Japan Railway Company (JR East) ** Joban Line (Rapid) ** Keihin-Tohoku Line **Yamanote Line * Keise ...

s ** Joban Line: Nippori, Mikawashima, Minami-Senju Stations *

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation The , also known as , is a bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government which operates public transport services in Tokyo. Among its services, the Toei Subway is one of two rapid transit systems which make up the Tokyo subway system, the othe ...

Tokyo Sakura Tram The , branded as the , is a hybrid light rail/tram line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system. It is on ...

(13 stations, including

Minowabashi Station is a station on the Tokyo Sakura Tram. This is the terminus of the line. It is close to Minowa Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. Lines *Tokyo Sakura Tram Surrounding area * Minowa Station ( Subway TokyoHibiya Nippori-Toneri Liner The is an automated guideway transit (AGT) system between Nippori Station in Arakawa and Minumadai-shinsuikōen Station in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan. The line opened on 30 March 2008. It is operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportatio ...

: Nippori, Nishi-Nippori, Akado-Shōgakkō-mae, Kumano-mae *

Tokyo Metro The is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.84 million passengers, the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the two subway operators in the city; the other being the Toe ...

Chiyoda Line The is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro in Tokyo, Japan. On average, the line carries 1,447,730 passengers daily (2017), the second highest of the Tokyo Metro network, behind the Tozai Line (1,642,378).Hibiya Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line was named after the Hibiya area in Chiyoda's Yurakucho district, under which it passes. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color sil ...

: Minami Senju Station * Keisei Electric Railway

Keisei Main Line {{Infobox rail line , name = Keisei Main Line , native_name = 京成本線 , native_name_lang = ja , color = 005aaa , logo = {{KSLS, KS, 50 , logo_width = , image = Keisei-Series3000-3042.jpg , image_width = 3 ...

: Nippori, Shin-Mikawashima, Machiya Stations *

Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company The is a third-sector railway operating company in Japan. It was established on 15 March 1991 to construct the 58.3 km Tsukuba Express (then known as the ''Jōban Shinsen'') commuter railway line from in Tokyo to in Ibaraki Prefecture ...

Tsukuba Express: Minami-Senju Station Additional facilities are under construction.

Major Roads

Route 4 Route 4, or Highway 4, may refer to several highways in the following countries: International * AH4, Asian Highway 4 * European route E04 * European route E004 * Cairo – Cape Town Highway Albania * SH-4 road in Albania from Durres to Kakav ...

(the Nikkō Kaidō) *Meiji Street *Ogubashi Street *Otakebashi Street

Events

Sada Abe was a Empire of Japan, Japanese geisha and prostitute who murdered her lover, , via strangulation on May 18, 1936, before cutting off his Human penis, penis and testicles and carrying them around with her in her kimono. The story became a natio ...

incident (1936) *

Mikawashima train crash The was a multiple train crash which occurred on 3 May 1962 near Mikawashima Station in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan. It involved a freight train and two passenger trains; 160 people were killed. First train At 21:36, a Mito-bound freight train (No. ...

(1962) *The attempted assassination of the head of the National Police Agency following an investigation of

Aum Shinrikyo , formerly , is a Japanese doomsday cult founded by Shoko Asahara in 1987. It carried out the deadly Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 and was found to have been responsible for the Matsumoto sarin attack the previous year. The group says ...

-related facilities (1995)

References

External links

Arakawa City Official Website
{{Authority control Wards of Tokyo