Nakano, Tokyo

This article is about the special ward of Tokyo. For the city in Nagano Prefecture, see Nakano, Nagano.

Nakano
中野
Special ward
Nakano City
Skyline around Nakano station
Skyline around Nakano station
Flag of Nakano
Flag
Official seal of Nakano
Seal
Location of Nakano in Tokyo Metropolis
Location of Nakano in Tokyo Metropolis
Nakano is located in Japan
Nakano
Nakano
Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°42′26.63″N 139°39′49.81″E / 35.7073972°N 139.6638361°E / 35.7073972; 139.6638361
CountryJapan
RegionKantō
PrefectureTokyo Metropolis
First official recordedearly 15th century
As Tokyo CityOctober 1, 1932
As Special ward of TokyoJuly 1, 1943
Government
 • MayorNaoto Sakai
Area
 • Total
15.59 km2 (6.02 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2020[1])
 • Total
344,880
 • Density22,121/km2 (57,290/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address4-8-1 Nakano, Nakano, Tokyo
164-8501
Websitewww.city.tokyo-nakano.lg.jp
Symbols
FlowerAzalea
TreeCastanopsis
Sunset over Nakano, with Nakano Broadway in the distance
One of the oldest temples in Nakano: Jougan-ji

Nakano (Japanese: 中野, Nakano) is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Nakano City (中野区, Nakano-ku).[2]

As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated population of 322,731, and a population density of 20,701 persons per km2. The total area is 15.59 km2.[2] Nakano is the most densely populated city in Japan.

History

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The ward was founded on October 1, 1932, when the towns of Nogata and Nakano were absorbed into the former Tokyo City as Nakano Ward. The present administration dates from March 15, 1947, when the Allied occupation reformed the administration of Tokyo-to.

  • 1447: Ōta Dōkan defeated Toshima Yasutsune in a battle here.
  • 1606: The Naruki Kaidō, predecessor of today's Ōme Kaidō (a road to Ōme) was established.
  • 1695: In connection with the Shorui Awaremi no Rei (a law for the protection of animals), a facility for keeping wild dogs opened.
  • 1871: The twelve villages that comprise present-day Nakano became part of Tokyo Prefecture.
  • 1889: The Kofu Railway opens. The forerunner of today's Chūō Main Line included a station at Nakano en route from Shinjuku to Hachioji.
  • 1897: Nakano becomes a village.
  • 1932: Tokyo City expands to encompass the district that included Nakano.
  • 1943: With the abolition of Tokyo City, Nakano becomes part of Tokyo-to.
  • 1947: Nakano becomes one of the special wards under the new system.
  • 1961: The Tokyo subway system extends to Nakano.
  • 1973: Construction of Nakano Sun Plaza near Nakano Station reaches completion.
  • 2016: Murder of Jiang Ge

Districts and neighborhoods

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Geography

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Five special wards surround Nakano: Shinjuku, Suginami, Nerima, Shibuya, and Toshima. It lies just west of the bustling Shinjuku area.

Rivers include the Kanda, Myosho-ji and Zenpuku-ji Rivers, and the Aratama Waterway.

Places

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Education

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Public schools

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Metropolitan senior high and combined junior-senior high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

Municipal kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools are operated by the Nakano City Board of Education.

Municipal junior high schools:[3]

  • No. 2 Junior High School (第二中学校)
  • No. 5 Junior High School (第五中学校)
  • No. 7 Junior High School (第七中学校)
  • Kita Nakano Junior High School (北中野中学校)
  • Meiwa Junior High School (明和中学校)
    • Merger of No. 4 Junior High School (第四中学校) and No. 8 Junior High School (第八中学校).[3]
  • Midorino Junior High School (緑野中学校)
  • Minami Nakano Junior High School (南中野中学校)
  • Nakano Junior High School (中野中学校)
  • Nakano Higashi Junior High School (中野東中学校)
    • Merger of No. 3 Junior High School (第三中学校) and No. 10 Junior High School (第十中学校).[3]

Municipal elementary schools:[3]

  • Egota Elementary School (江古田小学校)
  • Ehara Elementary School (江原小学校)
  • Hakuo Elementary School (白桜小学校)
  • Heiwa no Mori Elementary School (平和の森小学校)
  • Kami Saginomiya Elementary School (上鷺宮小学校)
  • Keimei Elementary School (啓明小学校)
  • Kitahara Elementary School (北原小学校)
  • Midorino Elementary School (緑野小学校)
  • Mihato Elementary School (美鳩小学校)
    • Formed by the merger of Wakamiya Elementary (若宮小学校) and Yamato Elementary (大和小学校)[3]
  • Minamidai Elementary School (南台小学校)
    • Formed by the merger of Niiyama Elementary (新山小学校) and Tada Elementary (多田小学校)[3]
  • Minamino Elementary School (みなみの小学校)
    • Formed by the merger of Nakano Shinmei Elementary (中野神明小学校) and Niiyama Elementary (新山小学校)[3]
  • Momozono No. 2 Elementary School (桃園第二小学校)
  • Musashidai Elementary School (武蔵台小学校)
  • Nakano No. 1 Elementary School (中野第一小学校)
  • Nakano Hongo Elementary School (中野本郷小学校)
  • Nishi Nakano Elementary School (西中野小学校)
  • Reiwa Elementary School (令和小学校)
    • Merger of Arai Elementary School (新井小学校) and Kamitakada Elementary School (上高田小学校)
  • Saginomiya Elementary School (鷺宮小学校)
  • Toka Elementary School (桃花小学校)
  • Tonoyama Elementary School (塔山小学校)
  • Yato Elementary School (谷戸小学校)

Kindergartens:[3]

  • Higashi Nakano Kindergarten (ひがしなかの幼稚園)
  • Kamisagi Kindergarten (かみさぎ幼稚園)

Private schools

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Colleges and universities

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Transportation

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Rail

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Nakano Ward is served by the JR East Chūō and Sobu lines, the Seibu Shinjuku Line, the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, and the Toei Oedo Line.

Bus

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A complicated bus network is constructed throughout Nakano Ward because most train lines only run east and west.

  • Kanto bus
  • Toei bus
  • Kokusai Kogyo bus
  • Keio bus

Roads

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Shuto Expressway:

Prefectural road:

  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 8 (Mejiro-dōri Ave., Shin-Mejiro-dōri Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 439 (Senkawa-dōri Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 440 (Shin-Ōme-kaidō Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 25 (Waseda-dōri Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 433 (Ōkubo-dōri Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 4 (Ōme-kaidō Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 14 (Hōnan-dōri Ave.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 317 (Yamate-dōri St.; 6th Beltway)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 420 (Nakano-dōri St.)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 318 (Kannana-dōri St.; 7th Beltway)
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Route 427 (Nakasugi-dōri St.)

Business and entertainment

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  • Nakano-minamiguchi ekimae shōtengai – an outdoor arcade
  • Soft On Demand – a Japanese adult video group of companies has its headquarters in Nakano[4]
  • MAPPA - a Japanese animation studio has its head office in Nakano[5]

Benza series

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Promotional art for Benza English, a television show that takes place in Higashi Nakano

The Benza is a 2019 Amazon Prime Video series about two foreigners (Christopher McCombs and Kyle Card) who are trying to fix their broken toilet seat (便座, benza) and are suddenly tasked with saving the world. The series takes place entirely in Higashi Nakano. Benza English is a 2020 spin-off series that also takes place in Higashi Nakano. The Benza RPG is a 2020 video game adaption available on iOS, Android, and Steam.[6]

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Population by District". Tokyo Statistical Yearbook. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "About Nakano City." Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "区立小・中学校、幼稚園一覧". Nakano. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "SOD Company Data" (in Japanese). SOD. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
  5. ^ "Relocation Of Tokyo Head Office". MAPPA (in Japanese). October 1, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "The Benza Transformed Into A Free-to-Play Retro RPG". Tokyo Weekender. February 18, 2022.
  7. ^ "山本陽子". Nihon Tarento Meikan (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nakano, Tokyo.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Tokyo/Nakano.
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