Taitō
Taitō (台東区, Taitō-ku) is a special ward located in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. In English, it is known as Taitō City.[1]
Taitō 台東区 | |
---|---|
Taitō City[1] | |
A street in Ueno, Taitō | |
Flag | |
Location of Taitō in Tokyo Metropolis | |
Taitō | |
Coordinates: 35°42′45″N 139°46′48″E | |
Country | Japan |
Region | Kantō |
Prefecture | Tokyo Metropolis |
Government | |
• Mayor | Yukuo Hattori |
Area | |
• Total | 10.11 km2 (3.90 sq mi) |
Population (May 1, 2015) | |
• Total | 186,276 |
• Density | 18,420/km2 (47,700/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time) |
Tree | Cherry blossom |
Flower | Ipomoea nil |
City Hall Address | Higashiueno 4-5-6, Taitō-ku, Tokyo 110-8615 |
Website | www |
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 10.11 square kilometres (3.90 sq mi). 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 and Shitaya wards when Tokyo City was transformed into Tokyo Metropolis. During the Edo period, the Yoshiwara licensed quarter was in what is now Taitō. Taitō shares the same Chinese characters, "台東" with Taitung, a city in Taiwan.
Geography
Situated in the northeastern portion of the wards area of Tokyo, Taitō is surrounded by five other special wards: Chiyoda, Bunkyō, Arakawa, Sumida and Chūō.
Districts and neighborhoods
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Landmarks
Taitō is famous for its typical Shitamachi districts.
Temples and shrines
- Sensō-ji and Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate)
- Asakusa Shrine
- Akiba Shrine
- Kan'ei-ji
- Kishibojin
- Ueno Tōshō-gū
- Zenshō-an
Museums and zoos
- Amuse Museum
- Asakura Sculpture Hall
- Daimyo Clock Museum
- National Museum of Western Art
- National Museum of Nature and Science
- Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
- Tokyo National Museum
- Ueno no Mori Museum
- Ueno Zoo
- Yokoyama Taikan Memorial Hall
Entertainment
- Suzumoto Engeijo (Suzumoto Vaudeville Hall)
- Asakusa Vaudeville Hall
Education
Colleges and universities
- Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
- Ueno Gakuen University
Primary and secondary schools
Taito operates public elementary and junior high schools.
Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
- Hakuo High School
- Kuramae Technical High School
- Shinobugaoka High School
- Taito Commercial High School
- Taito Chuyakan High School
- Ueno High School
- Ueno Shinobugaoka High School
The school district of the metropolis also operates one metropolitan junior high school:
- Hakuo Junior High School
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.[2]
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.[2]
Economy
Eiken Chemical, a clinical diagnostics and equipment manufacturer, has its headquarters in Taito.[3] Tokyo Ricoh Office Solution and Ricoh Technosystems, divisions of Ricoh, are headquartered in Taitō as of 2008.[4][5] Chikumashobo, a publisher, has its headquarters in the Kuramae (蔵前) area of the ward.[6]
Retail
- Matsuzakaya department store in Ueno
- Matsuya department store in Asakusa
Other
- Taiyo Yuden, electronics and materials company in Ueno
Events
- Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival
- Asakusa Samba Carnival
- Torigoe Shrine Matsuri
- Sanja Matsuri, one of the three great festivals of Tokyo
Transportation
Rail
- JR East
- Tōhoku Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen: Ueno Station
- Tōhoku Main Line
- Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tōhoku Line: Okachimachi, Ueno, Uguisudani Stations. Also, Nippori Station (on the boundary with Taitō)
- Utsunomiya Line, Takasaki Line: Ueno Station
- Jōban Line: Officially, the line begins at Nippori Station, although most trains start/terminate at Ueno Station
- Tokyo Metro
- Ginza Line: Ueno-Hirokoji, Inarichō, Tawaramachi, Asakusa Stations
- Hibiya Line: Okachimachi, Ueno, Iriya, Minowa Stations
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation
- Toei Asakusa Line: Asakusa-bashi, Kuramae, Asakusa Stations
- Toei Ōedo Line: Ueno-Okachimachi, Shin-Okachimachi, Kuramae Stations
- Keisei Electric Railway Keisei Main Line: Keisei Ueno Station
- Tobu Railway Skytree Line: Asakusa Station
- Tsukuba Express: Shin-Okachimachi, Asakusa Stations
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 room, an air-rifle shooting range, and a meeting room.[2]
People
- Remi Hirano, Japanese chef, TV personality and chanson singer
- Makoto Shimizu, Japanese Musician
References
- English name of Taitō
- "Public Facilities." City of Taito. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- "Corporate Profile." Eiken Chemical. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- "Topics – Annual Report 2006." Ricoh. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
- "Ricoh Group Registration Scope." Ricoh. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
- 筑摩書房 会社概要. Chikumashobo. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
本社 〒111-8755 東京都台東区蔵前2-5-3
(Archive).
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taitō, Tokyo. |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Taito. |
- Taitō City Official Website (in Japanese)