Azabu
Encyclopedia
is an area within Minato
in Tokyo
, Japan
, built on a marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo. Its coverage roughly corresponds to that of the former Azabu Ward, presently consisting of nine official districts: Azabu-Jūban, Azabudai
, Azabu-Nagasakachō
, Azabu-Mamianachō
, Nishi-Azabu, Higashi-Azabu, Minami-Azabu, Moto-Azabu and Roppongi
. It is known as Tokyo's most expensive upscale residential district; many artists, business people, and celebrities reside there.
, the area was agricultural. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited as far back as the Jōmon period
. The Juban Inari shrine (formerly known as Takechiyo Inari) was constructed in AD 712, the temple of Zenpuku-ji
in 824, and the Hikawa Shrine in 939 (on orders of Minamoto no Tsunemoto
).
The area became urbanized in the 17th century, after Tokugawa Ieyasu
established his seat of government in nearby Edo
. Azabu soon became home to the Juban Horse Grounds, Edo's largest horse
market. In 1859, the first United States
delegation in Japan was established at a temple in Azabu.
Azabu (including the adjacent district of Roppongi
) was a ward of Tokyo from 1878 to 1947. During the industrialization of the Meiji era, Azabu was connected to Tokyo by horse-drawn trams. The lowlands became light commercial areas, while the hilltops became prime residential areas. Later, during the Taishō period
, Azabu was overrun with theaters, department stores, and red-light quarters, becoming one of Japan's best-known entertainment districts.
Much of Azabu was destroyed during the firebombing of Tokyo in 1945. Azabu's commercial areas were not revived after the war, and the area is mainly a residential district today. Following the merger of Azabu Ward into Minato Ward in 1947, the Azabu ward office located in Roppongi was converted into a branch office of the Minato ward government.
This is the district of Tokyo where manga
artist Naoko Takeuchi
resides, and the Azabu Jūban area is the setting of her fictional Sailor Moon
series. The internationally acclaimed vocalist Ayumi Hamasaki
resides in a penthouse apartment
in Minami Azabu. Azabu is also the location of many international embassies and consulates, as well as a large "gaijin
" (foreign) population. Azabu Jūban also hosts the popular annual Azabu Jūban Matsuri, a food festival with a variety of local vendor stalls and carnival games which attract large crowds every summer.
operates local public high schools.
Azabu High School
, a private boys school, is in Azabu.
Nishimachi International School
, a private school located in the Azabujūban district.
Ohana International School in Tokyo, a small preschool in the centre of Azabujūban.
Minato, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, built on a marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo. Its coverage roughly corresponds to that of the former Azabu Ward, presently consisting of nine official districts: Azabu-Jūban, Azabudai
Azabudai, Minato, Tokyo
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It consists of 1 to 3-chōme....
, Azabu-Nagasakachō
Azabu-Nagasakacho, Minato, Tokyo
is a residential district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As of November 1, 2007, the total population is 152....
, Azabu-Mamianachō
Azabu-Mamianacho, Minato, Tokyo
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As of November 1, 2007, the total population is 276.Azabu-Mamianachō borders Azabudai on the north and east, Azabu-Nagasakachō on the west, and Higashiazabu on the south....
, Nishi-Azabu, Higashi-Azabu, Minami-Azabu, Moto-Azabu and Roppongi
Roppongi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area and an active night club scene. Many foreign embassies are located in Roppongi, and the night life is popular with locals and foreigners alike...
. It is known as Tokyo's most expensive upscale residential district; many artists, business people, and celebrities reside there.
History
Until the early Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, the area was agricultural. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited as far back as the Jōmon period
Jomon period
The is the time in Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.The term jōmon means "cord-patterned" in Japanese. This refers to the pottery style characteristic of the Jōmon culture, and which has markings made using sticks with cords wrapped around them...
. The Juban Inari shrine (formerly known as Takechiyo Inari) was constructed in AD 712, the temple of Zenpuku-ji
Zenpuku-ji
Zenpuku-ji , also known as Azabu-san , is a Jōdo Shinshū temple located in the Azabu district of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the oldest Tokyo temples, after Asakusa.Founded by Kūkai in 824, Zenpuku-ji was originally a Shingon temple...
in 824, and the Hikawa Shrine in 939 (on orders of Minamoto no Tsunemoto
Minamoto no Tsunemoto
was a samurai and Imperial Prince during Japan's Heian period, the progenitor of the Seiwa Genji branch of the Minamoto clan. He was the son of Sadazumi-shinnō and grandson of Emperor Seiwa....
).
The area became urbanized in the 17th century, after Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
established his seat of government in nearby Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
. Azabu soon became home to the Juban Horse Grounds, Edo's largest horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
market. In 1859, the first United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
delegation in Japan was established at a temple in Azabu.
Azabu (including the adjacent district of Roppongi
Roppongi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area and an active night club scene. Many foreign embassies are located in Roppongi, and the night life is popular with locals and foreigners alike...
) was a ward of Tokyo from 1878 to 1947. During the industrialization of the Meiji era, Azabu was connected to Tokyo by horse-drawn trams. The lowlands became light commercial areas, while the hilltops became prime residential areas. Later, during the Taishō period
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...
, Azabu was overrun with theaters, department stores, and red-light quarters, becoming one of Japan's best-known entertainment districts.
Much of Azabu was destroyed during the firebombing of Tokyo in 1945. Azabu's commercial areas were not revived after the war, and the area is mainly a residential district today. Following the merger of Azabu Ward into Minato Ward in 1947, the Azabu ward office located in Roppongi was converted into a branch office of the Minato ward government.
This is the district of Tokyo where manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
artist Naoko Takeuchi
Naoko Takeuchi
is a Japanese manga artist who lives in Tokyo, Japan. Takeuchi's works have a wide following among anime and manga fans worldwide. Her most popular work, Sailor Moon, rose to become one of the most recognized manga and anime products to date.-Early life:...
resides, and the Azabu Jūban area is the setting of her fictional Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
series. The internationally acclaimed vocalist Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
resides in a penthouse apartment
Penthouse apartment
A penthouse apartment or penthouse is an apartment that is on one of the highest floors of an apartment building. Penthouses are typically differentiated from other apartments by luxury features.-History:...
in Minami Azabu. Azabu is also the location of many international embassies and consulates, as well as a large "gaijin
Gaijin
is a Japanese word meaning "non-Japanese", or "alien". This word is a short form of gaikokujin , which literally means "person from outside of the country". The word is composed of two kanji: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word technically means "outsider"...
" (foreign) population. Azabu Jūban also hosts the popular annual Azabu Jūban Matsuri, a food festival with a variety of local vendor stalls and carnival games which attract large crowds every summer.
Places in Azabu
- Embassies of RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... - Zenpuku-jiZenpuku-jiZenpuku-ji , also known as Azabu-san , is a Jōdo Shinshū temple located in the Azabu district of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the oldest Tokyo temples, after Asakusa.Founded by Kūkai in 824, Zenpuku-ji was originally a Shingon temple...
, a temple which housed the first legation of the United States in Japan during the 19th century.
Subway stations
- Akabanebashi StationAkabanebashi Stationis a Railway Station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. This station is served by the Toei Ōedo Line . The Station number is E-21.-Platforms:The platform is an island platform with 2 tracks...
(Toei Oedo Line) - Azabu-Jūban StationAzabu-Juban Stationis a subway station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.-Lines:This station is served by the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line and Toei Ōedo Line. The station number is N-04 for the Namboku Line and E-22 for the Ōedo Line.-Tokyo Metro:...
(Namboku Line, Toei Oedo Line) - Hiroo StationHiroo Stationis a subway station in Tokyo operated by Tokyo Metro.-Lines:Hiroo Station is served by the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line from to , with through-running services to and from the Tōbu Isesaki Line in the north and Tōkyū Tōyoko Line in the south...
(Hibiya Line)
Schools
The City of Minato operates local public elementary and junior high schools. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of EducationTokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education is the board of education in Tokyo, Japan. The board manages the individual school systems within the metropolis. The board also directly manages all of the public high schools in Tokyo...
operates local public high schools.
Azabu High School
Azabu High School
, referred to as "Azabu," is a private preparatory day school in Japan. It teaches boys between seventh and twelves grades. The campus of Azabu is located in the Azabu district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
, a private boys school, is in Azabu.
Nishimachi International School
Nishimachi International School
Nishimachi International School is a private school in Tokyo, Japan which was established in 1949. Located in the Azabu Juban area of Tokyo, it is one of the International Schools in the area. Nishimachi currently has students of over 50 nationalities attending, and has a very international...
, a private school located in the Azabujūban district.
Ohana International School in Tokyo, a small preschool in the centre of Azabujūban.