Special wards of Tokyo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Special wards of Tokyo 東京特別区
Country	Japan
Island	Honshū
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Area
• 23 special wards	622 km2 (240.1 sq mi)
Population  (January 1, 2009)
• 23 special wards	8,742,995
• Density	14,061/km2 (36,418/sq mi)

Special wards of Tokyo (特別区, tokubetsu-ku) are one of the basic local entities of Japan. There are 23 municipalities in the core of the capital of Japan. They are "special wards" because they are different from the wards (区, ku) of other major Japanese cities.

History

In 1889, 15 wards were established in the city of Tokyo. The number of wards grew to 35 in 1932. The number of wards became 23 in 1947.

The traditional districts of Tokyo evolved as the city grew during the Edo period. There are many districts in Tokyo's special wards.

List of special wards

Name	Kanji	Population (2007)	Density (/km²)	Area (km²)	Major districts
Adachi	足立区	629,392	11,830.68	53.20	Ayase, Kitasenju, Takenotsuka
Arakawa	荒川区	194,777	18,262.25	10.20	Arakawa, Machiya, Nippori, Minamisenju
Bunkyō	文京区	194,933	16,009.28	11.31	Hongō, Yayoi, Hakusan
Chiyoda	千代田区	43,802	3,763.06	11.64	Nagatachō, Kasumigaseki, Ōtemachi, Marunouchi, Akihabara, Yūrakuchō, Iidabashi
Chūō	中央区	104,997	10,344.53	10.15	Nihonbashi, Kayabachō, Ginza, Tsukiji, Hatchōbori, Shinkawa, Tsukishima, Kachidoki, Tsukuda,
Edogawa	江戸川区	661,386	13,264.86	49.86	Kasai, Koiwa
Itabashi	板橋区	529,059	16,445.72	32.17	Itabashi, Takashimadaira
Katsushika	葛飾区	428,066	12,286.62	34.84	Tateishi, Aoto
Kita	北区	330,646	15,885.67	20.59	Akabane, Ōji, Tabata
Kōtō	江東区	436,337	10,963.24	39.8	Kiba, Ariake, Kameido, Tōyōchō, Monzennakachō, Fukagawa, Kiyosumi, Shirakawa, Etchūjima, Sunamachi, Aomi
Meguro	目黒区	267,798	18,217.55	14.70	Meguro, Nakameguro, Jiyugaoka
Minato	港区	205,196	10,088.30	20.34	Odaiba, Shinbashi, Shinagawa, Roppongi, Toranomon, Aoyama, Azabu, Hamamatsuchō, Tamachi
Nakano	中野区	312,939	20,097.82	15.59	Nakano
Nerima	練馬区	702,202	14,580.61	48.16	Nerima, Ōizumi, Hikarigaoka
OtaŌta	大田区	674,590	11,345.27	59.46	Ōmori, Kamata, Haneda, Den-en-chōfu
Setagaya	世田谷区	855,416	14,728.23	58.08	Setagaya, Kitazawa, Kinuta, Karasuyama, Tamagawa
Shibuya	渋谷区	205,512	13,337.13	15.11	Shibuya, Ebisu, Harajuku, Hiroo, Sendagaya, Yoyogi
Shinagawa	品川区	353,887	15,576.01	22.72	Shinagawa, Gotanda, Ōsaki, Hatanodai, Ōimachi
Shinjuku	新宿区	309,463	16,975.48	18.23	Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, Ōkubo, Kagurazaka, Ichigaya
Suginami	杉並区	534,981	15,725.49	34.02	Kōenji, Asagaya, Ogikubo
Sumida	墨田区	237,433	16,079.49	13.75	Kinshichō, Morishita, Ryōgoku
Taitō	台東区	168,277	16,139.38	10.08	Ueno, Asakusa
Toshima	豊島区	256,009	19,428.44	13.01	Ikebukuro, Komagome, Senkawa, Sugamo
Overall		8,637,098	13,890.25	621.81

History of wards

Related pages

• Capital of Japan
• Administrative division
• Urban area
• Municipalities of Japan
• Wards of Japan

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government, http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/PROFILE/overview06.htm
• Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Local Government in Japan

Images for kids

• 

  Asakusa

• 

  Ginza

• 

  Marunouchi

• 

  Shibuya

• 

  Shinjuku

• 

  Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower viewed from Odaiba

See also

In Spanish: Barrios especiales de Tokio para niños