Bunkyō Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Bunkyō

文京区

Special ward

Bunkyō City

Tokyo Dome

Flag

Emblem

Location of Bunkyō in Tokyo

Bunkyō

Location in Japan

Country

Japan

Area

• Total

11.29 km² (4.36 sq mi)

Population

(October 1, 2020)

• Total

240,069

• Density

21,263/km² (55,070/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+09:00 (JST)

City hall address

Kasuga 1-16-21, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
112-6555


Symbols
Flower	Azalea
Tree	Ginkgo biloba

Bunkyō (文京区, Bunkyō-ku) is a special area, like a city, located in the middle of Tokyo, Japan. It's known as a great place to live and learn. For a long time, famous writers, thinkers, and politicians have called Bunkyō home. You'll find exciting places like the Tokyo Dome, the Kōdōkan (a famous judo center), and the main campus of the University of Tokyo here. Bunkyō is also friends with a city in Germany called Kaiserslautern.

Bunkyō was created in 1947. It was formed by joining two older areas, Hongo and Koishikawa, after Tokyo became a big metropolis. Today, Bunkyō has different kinds of neighborhoods. Some parts, like Nezu and Sendagi, feel more traditional, like the old "Shitamachi" areas of Tokyo. Other parts are more like the "Yamanote" areas, which are often seen as more modern and upscale.

As of 2022, about 240,069 people live in Bunkyō. This includes around 8,500 people from other countries. The area is about 11.29 square kilometers, which means it's quite busy with many people living close together.

History of Bunkyō

Bunkyō was officially formed in 1947. This happened when the older areas of Hongo and Koishikawa joined together. This change was part of a bigger plan to transform Tokyo City into the Tokyo Metropolis.

Exploring Bunkyō's Geography

Neighborhoods and Districts

Bunkyō is made up of about twenty different neighborhoods. They are grouped into two main areas:

Koishikawa Area
- Hakusan
- Kasuga
- Kohinata
- Koishikawa
- Kōraku
- Mejirodai
- Otowa
- Ōtsuka
- Sekiguchi
- Sengoku
- Suidō

Hongō Area
- Hongō
- Honkomagome
- Mukōgaoka
- Nezu
- Nishikata
- Sendagi
- Yayoi
- Yushima

How Bunkyō is Governed

Bunkyō is led by its Mayor, Hironobu Narisawa. He is an independent politician, meaning he doesn't belong to a specific political party. However, he has support from major parties like the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito. The city also has a council with 34 members who are chosen by the people.

Bunkyō's Economy and Businesses

Bunkyō is home to many important companies. For example, Kodansha, a big publishing company, has its main office here. Another company, Tomod's, which is a drugstore chain, also has its headquarters in Bunkyō.

A construction company called Penta-Ocean, which specializes in building things in the ocean and creating new land, is also based in Bunkyō. Even the famous car company Toyota has its Tokyo headquarters in this area.

Famous Places and Landmarks

Bunkyō has many interesting places to visit:

Chinzan-so Garden
Denzū-in Temple
Gokoku-ji Temple
Harimasaka Sakura Colonnade (a beautiful cherry blossom street)
Hatoyama Hall
Kisshō-ji Temple
Kodansha Noma Memorial Museum
Kodokan Judo Institute (a famous judo center)
Koishikawa Botanical Garden
Koishikawa Kōrakuen (a traditional Japanese garden)
Nezu Shrine
Nippon Medical School
Rikugien Garden
Shin-Edogawa Garden
Tokyo Cathedral (St. Mary's Cathedral)
Tokyo Dome (a famous stadium)
Tokyo Dome City (an entertainment complex)
Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery
Toyo University
Tōyō Bunko "Oriental Library" (Japan's largest library for Asian studies)
University of Tokyo
Yanaka Cemetery
Yushima Seidō Temple

Education in Bunkyō

Bunkyō is a major center for education, with many universities and schools.

Universities and Colleges

National Universities

Ochanomizu University
University of Tsukuba Ōtsuka Campus
University of Tokyo Hongō Campus
Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Private Universities

Atomi University
Juntendo University
Takushoku University
Chuo University (Engineering department)
Tokyo Woman's Christian University
Toyo University
Toyo Gakuen University
Nippon Medical School
Japan Women's University
Bunkyo Gakuin University
Bunkyo Gakuin College
International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies

Primary and Secondary Schools

There are also high schools run by the national government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The local Bunkyō Board of Education manages many public elementary and junior high schools.

Municipal Junior High Schools

No. 1 Junior High School
No. 3 Junior High School
No. 6 Junior High School
No. 8 Junior High School
No. 9 Junior High School
No. 10 Junior High School
Bunrin Junior High School
Hongodai Junior High School
Meidai Junior High School
Otowa Junior High School

Municipal Elementary Schools

Aoyagi Elementary School
Hayashicho Elementary School
Hongo Elementary School
Kagomachi Elementary School
Kanatomi Elementary School
Kohinata Daimachi Elementary School
Komamoto Elementary School
Kubomachi Elementary School
Meika Elementary School
Nezu Elementary School
Otsuka Elementary School
Rekisen Elementary School
Sasugaya Elementary School
Seishi Elementary School
Sekiguchi Daimachi Elementary School
Sendagi Elementary School
Shiomi Elementary School
Showa Elementary School
Yanagicho Elementary School
Yushima Elementary School

Culture and Museums

Bunkyō has many museums where you can learn about different things:

Bunkyo Museum
Eisei Bunko Museum
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
Kodansha Noma Memorial Museum
Koishikawa Annex
Koishikawa Ukiyo-e Art Museum
Orugoru no Chiisana Hakubutsukan (a small music box museum)
Printing Museum, Tokyo
The University Museum, The University of Tokyo
Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum
Yayoi Museum

Getting Around Bunkyō: Transportation

Train Stations

Bunkyō is well-connected by several subway lines, making it easy to travel around.

Toei Subway Lines

Toei Mita Line: Sengoku, Hakusan, Kasuga, Suidōbashi stations
Toei Ōedo Line: Iidabashi, Kasuga, Hongō Sanchōme stations

Tokyo Metro Subway Lines

Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line: Sendagi, Nezu, Yushima stations
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line: Shin-Ōtsuka, Myōgadani, Kōrakuen, Hongō Sanchōme, Ochanomizu stations
Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line: Gokokuji, Edogawabashi stations
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line: Kōrakuen, Tōdaimae, Honkomagome stations

Highways

The Shuto Expressway No.5 Ikebukuro Route also passes through Bunkyō, connecting it to other parts of Tokyo.

Famous People from Bunkyō

Many notable people have come from Bunkyō, including:

Hayao Miyazaki: A world-famous Japanese animator and director, known for films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. He also co-founded Studio Ghibli.
Makiko Tanaka: A Japanese politician.
Osamu Noguchi: The person who created Kickboxing.
Kaito Ishikawa: A Japanese voice actor.
Yukio Hatoyama: A Japanese politician who used to be the Prime Minister of Japan.
Shinichiro Kobayashi: A Japanese photographer.
Teiichi Matsumaru: A Japanese football (soccer) player.
Hiroto Muraoka: Another Japanese football (soccer) player.
Yu-ki Matsumura: A Japanese actor and singer.
Yūko Minaguchi: A Japanese actress, voice actress, and narrator.
Yukio Tsuchiya: A Japanese football (soccer) player.

Images for kids

Denzū-in Temple
Aerial view of Bunkyō (southwest)
Akamon gate at the University of Tokyo
Hosuinomori at Toyo University

Bunkyō facts for kids

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