Former Iwasaki Family House and Garden 2010

Tokyo Metropolis Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. In English, it is known as Taitō City. As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated population of 186,276, and a population density of 18,420 persons per km². The total area is . This makes Taito ward the smallest of Tokyo's wards in area, and third-smallest in population.

History

The ward was founded on March 15, 1947, with the merger of the old

Asakusa is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is known for Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals, such as . History The development of Asaku ...

and Shitaya wards when

Tokyo City was a Cities of Japan, municipality in Japan and capital of Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo Prefecture (or ''Tokyo-fu'') which existed from 1 May 1889 until the establishment of Tokyo Metropolis on 1 July 1943. The historical boundari ...

was transformed into Tokyo Metropolis. During the

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

, the

Yoshiwara was a famous ( red-light district) in Edo, present-day Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1617, Yoshiwara was one of three licensed and well-known red-light districts created during the early 17th century by the Tokugawa shogunate, alongside Shim ...

licensed quarter was in what is now Taitō. Taitō shares the same Chinese characters, "台東" with Taitung, a city in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

Geography

Situated in the northeastern portion of the wards area of Tokyo, Taitō is surrounded by five other special wards: Chiyoda,

Bunkyō is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as ...

, Arakawa, Sumida and Chūō.

Districts and neighborhoods

;Asakusa area *

Asakusabashi is a district of Taitō, Tokyo. It is historically known for many wholesale stores, and recently known for its large stores selling traditional Japanese dolls (although some of the largest doll stores, such as Kyugetsu and Shugetsu, are located ...

* Hanakawado * Hashiba * Higashi-Asakusa (East Asakusa) * Imado * Kaminarimon * Kiyokawa * Kojima * Komagata * Kotobuki * Kuramae * Matsugaya * Misuji * Motoasakusa * Nihonzutsumi (Japan dike) * Nishi-Asakusa (West Asakusa) * Torigoe * Yanagibashi ;Shitaya area * Akihabara * Higashi-Ueno (East Ueno) * Ikenohata * Iriya * Kita-Ueno (North Ueno) * Minowa * * Ryusen * Senzoku * Shitaya * Taito * Ueno * Ueno-koen (Ueno Park) * Uenosakuragi * Yanaka

Landmarks

Taitō is famous for its typical

Shitamachi and are traditional names for two areas of Tokyo, Japan. Yamanote refers to the affluent, upper-class areas of Tokyo west of the Imperial Palace.Iwanami Japanese dictionary, 6th Edition (2008), DVD version While citizens once considered it as ...

districts. The Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center provides amenities to both tourists and locals.

Temples and shrines

Sensō-ji , is an ancient Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest-established temple, and one of its most significant. It is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Structures in the temple complex include the main hall, ...

and Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) * Asakusa Shrine * Akiba Shrine, in Matsugaya *

Kan'ei-ji (also spelled Kan'eiji or Kaneiji) is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1625 during the Kan'ei era by Tenkai, in an attempt to emulate the powerful religious center Enryaku-ji, in Kyoto. The main object of worship is .Nihon ...

* Kishibojin *

Ueno Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in the Taitō Special wards of Tokyo, ward of Tokyo, Japan. First established in 1627 by Tōdō Takatora and renovated in 1651 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the shrine has remained mostly intact since that time, ma ...

* Zenshō-an

Parks

* Asakusa Park * Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Garden * Sumida Park *

Ueno Park is a spacious public park in the Ueno, Tokyo, Ueno district of Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. The park was established in 1873 on lands formerly belonging to the Buddhist temples in Japan, temple of Kan'ei-ji. Amongst the country's first public parks, i ...

* Yanaka Park

Museums and zoos

* Amuse Museum * Asakura Sculpture Hall * Daimyo Clock Museum *

National Museum of Western Art The is the premier public art gallery in Japan specializing in art from the Western tradition. The museum is in the Ueno Park in Taitō, central Tokyo. It received 1,162,345 visitors in 2016. History The NMWA was established on June 10, 1959 ...

National Museum of Nature and Science The is in the northeast corner of Ueno Park in Tokyo. The museum has exhibitions on pre-Meiji period, Meiji science in Japan. It is the venue of the taxidermied bodies of the legendary dogs Hachikō and Taro and Jiro. A life-size blue whale mod ...

* Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum *

Tokyo National Museum The or TNM is an art museum in Ueno Park in the Taitō wards of Tokyo, ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the four museums operated by the , is considered the oldest national museum and the largest art museum in Japan. The museum collects, prese ...

* Ueno Royal Museum *

Ueno Zoo The is a zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, opened on March 20, 1882. It is served by Ueno Station, Keisei Ueno Station and Nezu Station, with convenient access from ...

* Yokoyama Taikan Memorial Hall

Entertainment

*Suzumoto Engeijo (Suzumoto Vaudeville Hall) *Asakusa Vaudeville Hall

Economy

Eiken Chemical, a clinical diagnostics and equipment manufacturer, has its headquarters in Taito. Tokyo Ricoh Office Solution and Ricoh Technosystems, divisions of

Ricoh is a Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company. It was founded by the now-defunct commercial division of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (Riken) known as the ''Riken Concern'', on 6 February 1936 as . Ricoh's hea ...

, are headquartered in Taitō as of 2008. Chikumashobo, a publisher, has its headquarters in the area of the ward.

Retail

Matsuzakaya (Tokyo Stock Exchange, TYO: 8235, delisted) is a major Japanese Depato, department store chain operated by Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, a subsidiary of J. Front Retailing. When the chain was an independent company, , it had its headq ...

department store in Ueno * Matsuya department store in Asakusa

Other

Taiyo Yuden is a Japanese materials and electronics company, situated in Kyobashi, Chuo, Tokyo, that helped pioneer recordable CD technology (CD-R) along with Sony and Philips in 1988. Founded 70 years ago, Taiyo Yuden currently operates factories in Japa ...

, electronics and materials company in Ueno

Events

* Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival * Asakusa Samba Carnival * Torigoe Shrine

Matsuri Japanese festivals, or , are traditional festive occasions often celebrated with dance and music in Japan. The origin of the word ''matsuri'' is related to the ; there are theories that the word ''matsuri'' is derived from meaning "to wait (for ...

Sanja Matsuri , or Sanja Festival, is one of the three largest Shinto festivals in Tokyo. It is considered one of the wildest and largest in Japan. The festival is held in honor of Hinokuma Hamanari, Hinokuma Takenari, and Hajino Nakatomo, the three men who ...

, one of the three great festivals of Tokyo

Education

Colleges and universities

Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music or is a school of art and music in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Kitasenju and Adachi, Tokyo. The university has trained artists in the fields of painting, sculpture, crafts, inter ...

* Ueno Gakuen University

Primary and secondary schools

Prefectural public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. * * * * * * Ueno Shinobugaoka High School * Taito Commercial High School * Taito Chuyakan High School Private schools: * The school district of the metropolis also operates one metropolitan junior high school: * The Taito City Board of Education (台東区教育委員会) operates municipal elementary and junior high schools. Municipal junior high schools: * Asakusa Junior High School ( 浅草中学校) * Hakuyo Junior High School ( 柏葉中学校) * Komagata Junior High School (駒形中学校) * Okachimachi Taito Junior High School ( 御徒町台東中学校) * Sakurabashi Junior High School ( 台東区立桜橋中学校) * Shinobugaoka Junior High School ( 忍岡中学校) * Ueno Junior High School ( 上野中学校) Municipal elementary schools: * Asakusa Elementary School ( 浅草小学校) * Fuji Elementary School ( 富士小学校) * Heisei Elementary School (平成小学校) * Higashi Asakusa Elementary School (東浅草小学校) * Ishihama Elementary School ( 石浜小学校) * Kanasogi Elementary School ( 金曽木小学校) * Kinryu Elementary School ( 金竜小学校) * Kuramae Elementary School ( 蔵前小学校) * Kuromon Elementary School ( 黒門小学校) * Matsuba Elementary School (松葉小学校) * Negishi Elementary School ( 根岸小学校) * Senzoku Elementary School (千束小学校) * Shinobugaoka Elementary School ( 忍岡小学校) * Taisho Elementary School (大正小学校) * Taito Ikuei Elementary School (台東育英小学校) * Tawara Elementary School (田原小学校) * Tosen Elementary School (東泉小学校) * Ueno Elementary School (上野小学校) * Yanaka Elementary School (谷中小学校)

Public libraries

Taito operates several public libraries, including the Central Library, the Central Library Asakusabashi Branch, the Negishi Library, and the Ishihama Library. The Central Library is located in the first and second floors of the Lifelong Learning Center.Public Facilities
." ''City of Taito''. Retrieved August 27, 2008.

Other

The city operates the Lifelong Learning Center, a complex including a multi-media room, a studio, and other facilities. The Central Library is on the first and second floors of the Lifelong Learning Center.

Transportation

Rail

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and 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 are in ...

Tōhoku Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line that runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island, Honshu. Operated by the East Japan Railway Company, it links Tokyo in the south to Aomori in the north, with ...

, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen,

Yamagata Shinkansen The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line. The term Yamagata ...

Ueno Station is a major railway station in Tokyo's Taitō ward. It is the station used to reach the Ueno district and Ueno Park—which contains Tokyo National Museum, The National Museum of Western Art, Ueno Zoo, Tokyo University of the Arts and other ...

Tōhoku Main Line The Tōhoku Main Line () is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line starts from Tokyo Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and passes through such cities as Saitama, Saitama, Saitama, Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Uts ...

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line () is a railway Circle route, 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 centres ...

, Keihin-Tōhoku Line: Okachimachi, Ueno, Uguisudani Stations. Also, Nippori Station (on the boundary with Taitō) ** Utsunomiya Line, Takasaki Line: Ueno Station **

Jōban Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line officially begins at Nippori Station in Arakawa, Tokyo before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi. However, following ...

: Officially, the line begins at Nippori Station, although most trains start/terminate at Ueno Station *

Tokyo Metro The Tokyo Metro () is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the #Organization, Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.52 million passengers (as of 2023), the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the Tokyo subway, two s ...

** Ginza Line: Ueno-Hirokoji, Inarichō, Tawaramachi,

Stations ** Hibiya Line: Okachimachi, Ueno, Iriya, Minowa Stations *

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation The , also known as Toei Transportation, Toei Transport, or simply , 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 wh ...

Toei Asakusa Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the municipal subway operator Toei Subway. The line runs between in Ōta, Tokyo, Ōta and in Sumida, Tokyo, Sumida. The line is named after the Asakusa district, a cultural center of Tokyo, un ...

: Asakusa-bashi, Kuramae, Asakusa Stations **

Toei Ōedo Line The is a rapid transit railway line of the municipal Toei Subway network in Tokyo, Japan. It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12. The line is comple ...

: Ueno-Okachimachi, Shin-Okachimachi, Kuramae Stations *

Keisei Electric Railway The (stylized as K'SEI since 2001) is a major private railway in Chiba Prefecture and Tokyo, Japan. The name ''Keisei'' is the combination of the kanji 京 from and 成 from , which the railway's main line connects; the combination uses diffe ...

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 = ...

: Keisei Ueno Station *

Tobu Railway is a Japanese commuter railway and ''keiretsu'' holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's rail system is the second longes ...

Skytree Line: Asakusa Station *

Tsukuba Express The , or TX, is a Japanese railway line operated by the Third-sector railway, third-sector company Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company, which links Akihabara Station in Chiyoda, Tokyo and Tsukuba Station in Tsukuba, Ibaraki. The route was ...

: Shin-Okachimachi,

Stations

Highways

Shuto Expressway The is a network of Toll road, tolled expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the . Most routes are Grade separation, grade separated and have many sharp curves and multi-lane merges that require cauti ...

Ueno Route The , signed as Route 1, is one of the tolled routes of the Shuto Expressway system serving the Greater Tokyo Area. It is one two expressways signed as Route 1 in the system, the other expressway signed as Route 1 is the Haneda Route. The route i ...

National highways National Highways (NH), formerly Highways England and before that the Highways Agency, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in Eng ...

** **

Sports and recreation

The City of Taito operates the Taito Riverside Sports Center. The center includes a gymnasium, tennis courts, two baseball fields for adults, one baseball field for children, one large swimming pool, one children's pool, and an athletic field. The gymnasium includes two courts, two budo halls, a Japanese-style archery range, a sumo ring, a training room, a

table tennis Table tennis (also known as ping-pong) is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the Tennis court, court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of ...

room, an air-rifle shooting range, and a meeting room.

People

* Remi Hirano, Japanese

chef A chef is a professional Cook (profession), cook and tradesperson who is proficient in all aspects of outline of food preparation, food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term (), the di ...

, TV personality and

chanson A (, ; , ) is generally any Lyrics, lyric-driven French song. The term is most commonly used in English to refer either to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval music, medieval and Renaissance music or to a specific style of ...

singer * Makoto Shimizu, Japanese

Musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

* Nobuo Kaneko, Japanese

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

Toriyama Sekien 200px, A , specifically a Miage-nyūdō, as portrayed by Toriyama , real name Sano Toyofusa, was a scholar, '' kyōka'' poet, and ''ukiyo-e'' artist of Japanese folklore. Early life Born to a family of high-ranking servants to the Tokugawa sh ...

, ''

ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art that flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock printing, woodblock prints and Nikuhitsu-ga, paintings of such subjects as female beauties; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes ...

'' artist of

Japanese folklore Japanese folklore encompasses the informally learned folk traditions of Japan and the Japanese people as expressed in its oral traditions, Tradition, customs, and material culture. In Japanese, the term is used to describe folklore. The Folklor ...

References

External links

Taitō City Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taito, Tokyo Wards of Tokyo