Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama
Encyclopedia
is one of the 18 wards
of the city of Yokohama
in Kanagawa Prefecture
, Japan
. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population
of 230,401 and a density
of 9,650 persons per km². The total area was 23.88 km².
Ritsuryō
system, the area that is now Kanagawa Ward became part of Tachibana District in Musashi Province
. During the Edo Period
, the area was tenryō territory controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate
, but administered through various hatamoto
. The area prospered in the Edo period
as Kanagawa-juku
, a post station
on the Tōkaidō
connecting Edo
with Kyoto
. During the Bakumatsu period, Kanagawa was the location of the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa
, which ended Japan’s national isolation policy
and led to the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Japan. The subsequent Treaty of Amity and Commerce (United States–Japan) led to the establishment of a treaty port for foreign commerce and settlement, which was initially stipulated to be Kanagawa. However, for security reasons, the actual settlement was established at neighboring Yokohama (present day Naka Ward
). The Namamugi Incident
, which led to the 1863 Anglo-Satsuma War
, occurred in Kanagawa.
After the Meiji Restoration
, the area was transferred to the new Kanagawa Prefecture
in 1868. Kanagawa was connected to Yokohama and Tokyo by train in 1872, and was proclaimed a town on April 1, 1889. On April 1, 1901 it was absorbed into neighboring Yokohama. Kanagawa suffered severe damage from the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
. On October 1, 1927 it became Kanagawa Ward within the city of Yokohama. The area again destroyed during World War II
, first being bombed during the Dolittle Raid of 1942, and finally being completely devastated during the massive Yokohama air raid of May 29, l945. Kanagawa Ward soon rebuilt after the end of the war, although large portions of its territory remained until the control of the United States military until the 1970s.
, Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd., Nippon Flour Mills
, Showa Denko
, Asahi Glass Co.
Mazda
has a research and development center in Kanagawa-ku.
} –
} –
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
of the city of Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
in Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, 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...
. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 230,401 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 9,650 persons per km². The total area was 23.88 km².
Geography
Kanagawa is located in eastern Kanagawa Prefecture, and northeast of the geographic center of the city of Yokohama.Surrounding municipalities
- Tsurumi WardTsurumi-ku, Yokohamais one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 270,433 and a density of 8,140 persons per km²...
- Nishi WardNishi-ku, Yokohamais one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 93,027 and a density of 13,210 persons per km². The total area was 7.04 km².-Geography:...
- Kōhoku WardKohoku-ku, Yokohamais one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 325,568 and a density of 10,370 persons per km². The total area was 31.40 km²...
- Midori WardMidori-ku, Yokohamais one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 176,038 and a density of 6,900 persons per km². The total area was 25.42 km².-Geography:...
- Hodogaya WardHodogaya-ku, Yokohamais one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, Hodogaya Ward had an estimated population of 205,887 and a density of 9,400 persons per km². The total area was 21.91 km².-Geography:...
History
Under the Nara periodNara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
Ritsuryō
Ritsuryo
is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei"...
system, the area that is now Kanagawa Ward became part of Tachibana District in Musashi Province
Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
. During the Edo Period
Edo 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 tenryō territory controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, but administered through various hatamoto
Hatamoto
A was a samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the shogunates in Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred to as gokenin. However, in the Edo period, hatamoto were the upper vassals of the Tokugawa...
. The area prospered in the Edo period
Edo 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....
as Kanagawa-juku
Kanagawa-juku
was the third of the fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō. It is located in Kanagawa-ku in the present-day city of Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is close to Kanagawa Port...
, a post station
Shukuba
were post stations during the Edo period in Japan, generally located on one of the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. They were also called shukueki . These post stations were places where travelers could rest on their journey around the nation...
on the Tōkaidō
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
connecting 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...
with Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. During the Bakumatsu period, Kanagawa was the location of the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa
Convention of Kanagawa
On March 31, 1854, the or was concluded between Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the U.S. Navy and the Tokugawa shogunate.-Treaty of Peace and Amity :...
, which ended Japan’s national isolation policy
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
and led to the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Japan. The subsequent Treaty of Amity and Commerce (United States–Japan) led to the establishment of a treaty port for foreign commerce and settlement, which was initially stipulated to be Kanagawa. However, for security reasons, the actual settlement was established at neighboring Yokohama (present day Naka Ward
Naka-ku, Yokohama
is one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 146,563and a density of 7,080 persons per km². The total area was 20.86 km².-Geography:...
). The Namamugi Incident
Namamugi Incident
The was a samurai assault on foreign nationals in Japan on September 14, 1862, which resulted in the August 1863 bombardment of Kagoshima, during the Late Tokugawa shogunate...
, which led to the 1863 Anglo-Satsuma War
Bombardment of Kagoshima
The Bombardment of Kagoshima, also known as the , took place on 15–17 August 1863 during the Late Tokugawa shogunate. The British Royal Navy was fired on from the coastal batteries near town of Kagoshima and in retaliation bombarded the town...
, occurred in Kanagawa.
After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, the area was transferred to the new Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
in 1868. Kanagawa was connected to Yokohama and Tokyo by train in 1872, and was proclaimed a town on April 1, 1889. On April 1, 1901 it was absorbed into neighboring Yokohama. Kanagawa suffered severe damage from the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
. On October 1, 1927 it became Kanagawa Ward within the city of Yokohama. The area again destroyed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, first being bombed during the Dolittle Raid of 1942, and finally being completely devastated during the massive Yokohama air raid of May 29, l945. Kanagawa Ward soon rebuilt after the end of the war, although large portions of its territory remained until the control of the United States military until the 1970s.
Economy
Kanagawa Ward is a regional commercial center and bedroom community for central Yokohama and Tokyo. The coastal area is part of the Keihin Industrial Zone, and is the most industrialized region within Yokohama. Major factories are operated by Nissan, JVCJVC
, usually referred to as JVC, is a Japanese international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927...
, Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd., Nippon Flour Mills
Nippon Flour Mills
is a Japanese company which derives most of its revenue from milling flour and produces flour related products such as noodles. It was established in 1896.Nippon Flour Mills is listed on the Nikkei 225 stock market index. It is part of the Mitsui Group....
, Showa Denko
Showa Denko
is a leading Japanese chemical engineering firm.Formed in 1939 by the merger of Nihon Electrical Industries and Showa Fertilizers, Showa Denko K.K. manufactures chemical products and industrial materials. SDK's products serve a wide array of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic...
, Asahi Glass Co.
Asahi Glass Co.
is a Japanese manufacturing company. It is one of the core Mitsubishi companies.Founded in 1907 by Toshiya Iwasaki, the second son of the second president of the original Mitsubishi Zaibatsu. It was the first Japanese producer of sheet glass. Asahi Glass Co...
Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
has a research and development center in Kanagawa-ku.
Railroads
- East Japan Railway CompanyEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
–Yokohama Line
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- East Japan Railway CompanyEast Japan Railway Companyis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
- Keihin-Tohoku LineKeihin-Tohoku LineThe , is a railway line in Japan which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company network. The line's name is derived from the characters for , and the...
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- Keihin Electric Express RailwayKeihin Electric Express Railway, also known as or, more recently, , is a private railroad that connects inner Tokyo to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokosuka and other points on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture. It also provides rail access to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. means the Tokyo - Yokohama area. The company's railway...
- Keikyū Main Line- - - -
- Tokyu Corporation - Tōkyū Tōyoko Line
- - -
- Yokohama City Transportation BureauYokohama City Transportation BureauThe is the administrative agency in charge of public transportation services in the city of Yokohama, Japan.-Subway operations:The Yokohama Municipal Subway consists of the following lines:...
– Blue LineBlue Line (Yokohama)The is a line in the Yokohama Municipal Subway system of Yokohama, Japan, operated by Yokohama City Transportation Bureau. Line 3 runs from Azamino to Kannai, and Line 1 runs from Kannai to Shōnandai. All the trains join these two lines.-History:...
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Highways
- Daisan KeihinRoute 466 (Japan)National Route 466 is a national highway of Japan connecting Setagaya, Tokyo and Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama in Japan, with a total length of 18.4 km ....
- Shuto ExpresswayShuto Expresswayis a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...
- Route 1Route 1 (Japan)National Route 1 is a major highway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It connects Chūō, Tokyo in the Kantō region with the city of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region, passing through the Chūbu region en route. It follows the old Tōkaidō westward from Tokyo to Kyoto, and the old Kyo Kaidō...
- Japan National Route 15Japan National Route 15National Route 15 is a national highway connecting Tokyo and Yokohama in Japan.-Route Data:*Length: 29.2 km *Origin: Nihonbashi, Chūō, Tokyo...
Prefecture roads
- Kanagawa Prefecture Road 2
- Kanagawa Prefecture Road 21
- Kanagawa Prefecture Road 13
- Kanagawa Prefecture Road 111
Noted people from Kanagawa Ward
- Hiroshi AbeHiroshi Abe (actor)is a Japanese model and actor.He began his career as a model, but he successfully made the transition to acting, becoming one of the most regularly visible presences in Japanese media. He is a 1988 graduate of Chuo University.-Career:...
, actor - Tetsurō DegawaTetsuro Degawais a Japanese comedian.- Character :Representative of the so-called "reaction entertainers." In vocational school, he was a classmate of Masato Irie and Utchan Nanchan, the owarai comedy duo.He is known for his thick voice...
, comedienne - Keiko Kishi, actress
- Kaori TakahashiKaori TakahashiKaori Takahashi is a Japanese actress.-External links:**x...
, actress - Tetsuya YamaguchiTetsuya Yamaguchiis a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League. He was playing in the Missoula Osprey before he was drafted by Giants in 2005....
, professional baseball player