Arakawa (荒川区, Arakawa-ku) is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The ward takes its name from the Arakawa River, though the river does not run through or touch the ward. Its neighbors are the wards of Adachi, Kita, Bunkyo, Taito and Sumida. In English, the ward calls itself Arakawa City.

Arakawa
荒川区
Arakawa City
Sumida River from Suijin Bridge in Arakawa
Sumida River from Suijin Bridge in Arakawa
Flag of Arakawa
Official seal of Arakawa
Location of Arakawa in Tokyo Metropolis
Location of Arakawa in Tokyo Metropolis
Arakawa is located in Japan
Arakawa
Arakawa
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°44′N 139°47′E / 35.733°N 139.783°E / 35.733; 139.783
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureTokyo Metropolis
Government
 • MayorTaichiro Nishikawa (since November 2004)
Area
 • Total10.16 km2 (3.92 sq mi)
Population
 (December 1, 2022[1])
 • Total216,900
 • Density21,348/km2 (55,290/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall addressArakawa 2-2-3, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo
116-8501
Websitewww.city.arakawa.tokyo.jp
Symbols
FlowerAzalea
TreeCherry blossom

Arakawa has sister-city relationships with Donaustadt in Vienna, Austria, and with Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. Domestically, it has similar relationships with nine cities, towns and villages.

As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated population of 208,763, and a population density of about 20,550 persons per km2. The total area is 10.16 km2.

Geography

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Arakawa is in the northeastern part of Tokyo. The shape is long and narrow, stretching from west to east. The Sumida River 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 Taito, and southeast is Sumida.

History

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The area was mainly agricultural in the Edo period. In 1651, Kozukappara, the Tokugawa's largest execution ground (now located next to Minami-Senju station), was built. Beginning in the Meiji era, the area became industrial as factories were built on the waterfront. In 1932, it became one of the 35 wards of Tokyo City.

 
Tokyo #10-B Prisoner of War Camp

On 1 July 1944, during World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army established the #20-B prisoner-of-war camp on the grounds near Hashiba Bridge, Minami-Senju, at the current day location with the address of 3-41 Minami-Senju, Arakawa. The camp was renamed to #10-B in August 1945.[2][3] The prisoners were liberated in September 1945.[2] At the time, there were 256 prisoners of war (87 British, 64 American, 55 Canadian and 50 Dutch) held at the camp. Two prisoners died during their imprisonment.[4]

Other events:

Districts and neighborhoods

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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

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Economy

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MIAT Mongolian Airlines's Tokyo Branch Office is on the fifth floor in the Tachibana Building in Arakawa.[5] Iseki, a tractor and engine equipment manufacturer has its Tokyo head office in the ward.[6]

Landmarks

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Arakawa Nature Park

Education

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Metropolitan high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

Private schools:

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:[9]

  • 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:[10]

  • 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.[11]

The metropolis operated the Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering[12][13] in Arakawa until 2010.

Transportation

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Minowabashi Station
 
Minami-Senju Station

Rail

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Additional facilities are under construction.

Major roads

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  • Route 4 (the Nikkō Kaidō)
  • Meiji Street
  • Ogubashi Street
  • Otakebashi Street

References

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  1. ^ "Household and Population" (in Japanese). Arakawa City Office. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  2. ^ a b "Tokyo POW Camp #10-B Arakawa". 2019-03-27. Archived from the original on 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  3. ^ "3-chōme-41 Minamisenju". 3-chōme-41 Minamisenju. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  4. ^ "POW Research Network Japan | Researches | POW Camps in Japan Proper". www.powresearch.jp. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  5. ^ "Contact Us Archived 2020-07-22 at the Wayback Machine." MIAT Mongolian Airlines. Retrieved on July 29, 2016. "TOKYO BRANCH OFFICE 5F, Tachibana Bldg, 2-19-4 Nishinippori, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-0013, Japan "
  6. ^ "Company Outline." Iseki. Retrieved on March 31, 2018.
  7. ^ "Arawaka Technical High School Official Website". arakawakogyo-h.metro.tokyo.jp. Archived from the original on December 31, 2022.
  8. ^ "東京都立竹台高等学校". www.takenodai-h.metro.tokyo.jp.
  9. ^ "区立中学校一覧". Arakawa. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  10. ^ "区立小学校一覧". Arakawa. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  11. ^ "アクセス." Tokyo First Korean Elementary and Junior High School. Retrieved on October 13, 2015. "116-0014 東京都荒川区東日暮里3-8-5"
  12. ^ "Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering". Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering. Archived from the original on 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2016-07-29.
  13. ^ 東京都立航空工業高等専門学校 (in Japanese). 東京都立航空工業高等専門学校. Retrieved 2016-07-29.
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