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is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. As of 2005, the ward has an estimated population of 43,954 and a density of 3776 persons per km². The total area is 11.64 km², of which the Imperial Palace takes up 12 percent.
Chiyoda consists of the Palace and a surrounding radius of about 1 km. It inherited the name, literally meaning "field of a thousand generations," from Edo Castle. Many government institutions, such as the Diet, Prime Minister's residence, and Supreme Court, are located in Chiyoda, as are Tokyo landmarks such as Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo Station, and the Budokan. Fifteen embassies are located within the ward. Chiyoda is also home to over 36,000 businesses employing over 888,000 people.

Contents

History

Geography

Politics and Government

Districts

Attractions

Transportation

Famous people

Points of historical interest

Education

External links

History

Chiyoda was founded on March 15, 1947 by the unification of Kanda Ward (the northeast corner of present-day Chiyoda, around Akihabara Station) and Kojimachi Ward (comprising the rest of Chiyoda).

★ In 1860, the assassination of Ii Naosuke took place outside the Sakurada Gate of the Imperial Palace.

★ In 1932, assassins attacked and killed Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi.

★ In 1936, an attempted coup d'etat, the February 26 Incident, occurred.

★ In 1995, members of Aum Shinrikyo carried out the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway.

Geography

Chiyoda is located in the center of central Tokyo. Much of the ward is ocupied by the Imperial Palace. The east side of the ward, bordering Chūō, is mostly occupied by Tokyo Station. The south side, bordering Minato, encompasses Hibiya Park and the National Diet Building. The west and northwest are primarily residential; the Yasukuni Shrine is also there. To the north and northeast are several residential neighborhoods and also the Akihabara commercial district.

Politics and Government

Chiyoda in run by a city assembly of 25 elected members. The current mayor is Ishikawa Masami, an independent.
The ward is also home to the Diet of Japan, the Supreme Court of Japan and the residence of the Prime Minister of Japan and is the political nerve center of Japan.

Districts

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★ Kojimachi Area (麹町地区)

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★ Hayabusacho (隼町) - Houses the Supreme Court of Japan and the National Theater.

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★ Hibiya (日比谷) - Best known for Hibiya Park, a large park south of the Imperial Palace.

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★ Iidabashi (飯田橋)

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★ Kasumigaseki (霞ヶ関) - The nerve center of Japan's administrative agencies.

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★ Kioicho (紀尾井町)

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★ Kojimachi (麹町) - Older residential and commercial neighborhood on the west side of the Imperial Palace, home to the embassies of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Israel.

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★ Kudanshita (九段下) - Northwest side of the Imperial Palace, home to Yasukuni Shrine.

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★ Marunouchi (丸の内) - Located between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, one of Tokyo's traditional commercial centers.

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★ Nagatacho (永田町) - The location of the Diet of Japan; also houses the Hiei Shrine.

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★ Otemachi (大手町) - North of Marunouchi, part of the Tokyo Station business district.

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★ Yurakucho (有楽町) - South of Marunouchi, part of the Tokyo Station business district.

★ Kanda Area (神田地区)

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★ Jinbocho (神保町)

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★ Soto-kanda (外神田) - The northern corner of Chiyoda, home to the famous Akihabara electronics district.

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★ Surugadai (駿河台) - Home to the famous Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral.

Attractions

★ Hibiya Park

★ Imperial Palace

★ Kitanomaru Park

★ National Diet Building

★ Nippon Budokan

★ Tokyo International Forum

★ Tokyo Station

★ Tokyo Takarazuka Theater

Transportation

Home to the massive Tokyo station with a multitude of subways, railways and long-distance services.

Famous people

★ Sada Abe

★ Koshiji Fubuki (Actress, singer)

★ Heinosuke Gosho (Film director)

★ Noriko Hidaka (Seiyu)

★ Meiko Kaji (Actress)

★ Rohan Koda (Author)

★ Yuji Miyake (Actor)

★ Kichiemon Nakamura II (Kabuki, television actor)

★ Megumi Ogata (Seiyuu)

★ Torahiko Terada (Physicist and author)

Points of historical interest

Education

Public elementary and junior high schools in Chiyoda are operated by the Chiyoda Board of Education. Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy is located in the National Center of Sciences in Hitotsubashi.

External links

★ Chiyoda official website in Japanese

★ Chiyoda official website in English

★ Wikitravel: Tokyo/Chiyoda