Minato, Tokyo

Minato 港区
Special ward
Minato City
The skyscrapers of Shiodome in Minato Ward
Flag
Location of Minato in Tokyo
Minato Location in Japan
Coordinates: 35°39′29.05″N 139°45′5.76″E / 35.6580694°N 139.7516000°ECoordinates: 35°39′29.05″N 139°45′5.76″E / 35.6580694°N 139.7516000°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Government
• Mayor	Masaaki Takei
Area
• Total	20.37 km^2 (7.86 sq mi)
Population (1 July 2015)
• Total	243,094
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
Website	www.city.minato.tokyo.jp

Minato (港区 Minato-ku, "Harbor") is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is also called Minato City in English.

As of 1 July 2015, it has an official population of 243,094,^[1] and a population density of 10,850 persons per km². The total area is 20.37 km².

Minato hosts a large number of embassies. It is also home to various domestic companies, including Honda, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, NEC, Sony,^[2] Fujitsu,^[3] and Toshiba, as well as the Japanese headquarters of a number of multi-national firms, including Google,^[4] Apple^[5] and Goldman Sachs.^[6]

Geography

Minato is located southwest of the Imperial Palace and has boundaries with the special wards of Chiyoda, Chūō, Kōtō (in Odaiba), Shinagawa, Shibuya, and Shinjuku.

Districts

• Akasaka
• Atago
• Azabudai
• Azabu-Jūban
• Azabu-Mamianachō
• Azabu-Nagasakachō
• Hamamatsuchō
• Higashi-Azabu
• Higashi-Shinbashi
• Kaigan
• Kita-Aoyama
• Kōnan
• Minami-Aoyama
• Minami-Azabu
• Mita
• Moto-Akasaka
• Moto-Azabu
• Nishi-Azabu
• Nishi-Shinbashi
• Daiba
• Roppongi
• Shiba Kōen
• Shiba
• Shibadaimon
• Shibaura
• Shinbashi
• Shiodome
• Shirokane
• Shirokanedai
• Takanawa
• Toranomon

History

The ward was founded on March 15, 1947 with the merger of Akasaka, Azabu, and Shiba Wards. The name minato means "port".

Politics and government

Minato is governed by mayor Masaaki Takei, an Independent supported by all major parties except the Japanese Communist Party. The city legislative assembly has 51 members and is dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party.

Elections

• Minato mayoral election, 2008

Education

Colleges and universities

Keio University

• Jikei University School of Medicine Nishi Shinbashi campus
• Kanazawa Institute of Technology Graduate school; Toranomon campus
• Keio University
• Kitasato University Shirokane campus
• Meiji Gakuin University Shirokane campus
• National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
• Shibaura Institute of Technology
• Temple University Japan Campus
• Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Shinagawa campus
• University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science

Primary and secondary schools

Mita Junior High School

The city's public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Minato City Board of Education.

Mita Junior High School (三田中学校) opened in 2001 after the merger of Minato Junior High School and Shibahama Junior High School.

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

• Akasaka High School (東京都立赤坂高等学校) (since merged with another school)
• Mita High School (東京都立三田高等学校)
• Roppongi High School
• Shiba Commercial High School (東京都立芝商業高等学校)

There are also a variety of private schools, including:

• Friends School, a Quaker school established in 1887.
• Meiji Gakuin Senior High School in Shirokane^[7]
• Russian Embassy School in Tokyo in Azabudai^[8]

Public libraries

The city operates the Minato Library, the Mita Library, the Azabu Library, the Akasaka Library, the Takanawa Library, and the Konan Library.^[9] The metropolis operates the Tokyo Metropolitan Library Central Library in Minato. The library opened in 1973.^[10]

Economy

Panorama view of Minato

Companies with headquarters in Minato include Air Nippon,^[11] All Nippon Airways (ANA),^[12][13] ANA & JP Express,^[14] All Nippon Airways Trading,^[15] Animax,^[16] Asmik Ace Entertainment,^[17] Cosmo Oil Company,^[18] Daicel,^[19] Dentsu,^[20] Fujifilm,^[21] Fuji Xerox,^[22] Fujitsu,^[23] Hazama Ando,^[24] Japan Tobacco,^[25] Kajima,^[26] Kaneka Corporation,^[27] Konami,^[28] KYB Corporation,^[29] Kyodo News,^[30] Mitsubishi Motors,^[31] Mitsui Chemicals,^[32] Mitsui O.S.K. Lines,^[33] Mitsui Oil Exploration Company,^[34] NEC,^[35] Nippon Sheet Glass,^[36] NYK Line,^[37] Obayashi Corporation,^[38] Pizza-La,^[39] The Pokémon Company,^[40] Sega Sammy Holdings,^[41] Sigma Seven,^[42] Sony,^[43] SUMCO,^[44] Toraya Confectionery,^[45] Toyo Suisan (owns the branch Maruchan),^[46] TV Tokyo,^[47] WOWOW,^[48] and Yazaki.^[49] In addition ANA subsidiary Air Japan has some offices in Minato.^[50]

Foreign companies

The Japanese division of CB&I,^[51] the Japanese division of Aramark and Aim Services,^[52] Google Japan,^[53] Yahoo! Japan,^[54] and the main Japanese offices of Hanjin and Korean Air are located there.^[55] Air France operates an office and ticketing counter in the New Aoyama Building in Minato.^[56] The Japanese division of Deutsche Post, DHL. Air France's Minato office handles Aircalin-related inquiries.^[57] Air China has operations in the Air China Building in Minato.^[58] Asiana Airlines operates a sales office on the sixth floor of the ATT New Tower Building.^[59] Hawaiian Airlines has its Japan offices in the Eagle Hamamatsuchō Building (イーグル浜松町ビル Īguru Hamamatsuchō Biru) in Minato.^[60] Iran Air has its Tokyo office in Akasaka.^[61]

Former economic operations

Japanese companies that formerly had headquarters in Minato include Air Next,^[62] Airtransse,^[63] Asatsu,^[64] Jaleco Holding,^[65][66] Ricoh,^[67][68] Toa Domestic Airlines (later Japan Air System and later Japan Air Lines),^[69][70][71]

On December 22, 2008 operations of Seiko Epson's Tokyo sales office began at Seiko Epson's Hino Office in Hino, Tokyo. Previously operations were at the World Trade Center in Minato.^[72][73]

Diplomatic missions

Embassy of the United States in Japan

Several countries operate their embassies in Minato.

Embassies

•  Argentina
•  Australia
•  Austria
•  Bahrain
•  Belarus
•  Belize
•  Bolivia
•  Botswana
•  Brazil
•  Canada
•  Cambodia
•  Chile
•  P.R. China
•  Costa Rica
•  Cuba
•  Dominican Republic
•  Ecuador
•  El Salvador
•  Eritrea
•  Ethiopia
•  Fiji
•  Finland
•  France
•  Germany
•  Ghana
•  Greece
•  Guatemala
•  Haiti
•  Honduras
•  Hungary
•  Iceland
•  Italy
•  Iraq
•  Iran
•  Jamaica
•  Kazakhstan
•  Kuwait
•  Laos
•  Liberia
•  Lithuania
•  Madagascar
•  Malawi
•  F.S. of Micronesia
•  Morocco
•  Mozambique
•  Netherlands
•  Nicaragua
•  Nigeria
•  Norway
•  Pakistan
•  Panama
•  Papua New Guinea
•  Philippines
•  Qatar
•  Romania
•  Russia
•  San Marino
•  Saudi Arabia
•  Singapore
•  Slovakia
•  Slovenia
•  South Korea
•  Spain
•  Sri Lanka
•  Sudan
•  Sweden
•   Switzerland
•  Syria
•  Republic of China (Taiwan)
•  Ukraine
•  United States
•  Uruguay
•  Venezuela
•  Zimbabwe

Consulates

•  Kiribati
•  Macedonia
•  Mauritius
•  Tuvalu

Places

Tokyo Tower

Roppongi Hills

• Akasaka: A large residential and commercial area in northern Minato which includes the Akasaka Palace, State Guest House and surrounding gardens, TBS radio and television studios, Ark Hills complex, National Art Center, and the embassy of the United States.
• Aoyama: Home to Aoyama Cemetery, one of Tokyo's largest graveyards, and the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.
• Atago Shrine, the highest point in all 23 wards of Tokyo.
• Azabu: One of Tokyo's more upscale residential areas, home to many embassies.
• Fushimi Sanpō Inari Jinja: A Shinto shrine in Shiba 3-chōme.
• Hamamatsuchō: Hamamatsucho Station is the terminal for the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport.
• Mita: Home to Keio University and a large number of small Buddhist temples.
• The National Art Center, Tokyo is a museum that opened in 2007.
• Odaiba: One of Tokyo's most popular entertainment areas, featuring the Fuji TV studios, Palette Town shopping complex, Dream Bridge, Tokyo Big Sight, and more. Located on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, it is connected to central Tokyo by the Yurikamome transit line over the Rainbow Bridge.
• Roppongi: Tokyo's best-known nightlife district, especially popular among foreigners; also home to the Roppongi Hills complex, which houses the studios of TV Asahi, the J-Wave radio station, the Tokyo Grand Hyatt Hotel, and a shopping complex.
• Shiba Park: Houses the Zojoji temple. Tokyo Tower is located one block away.
• Shinbashi: Shinbashi Station, the northern terminal of Japan's first railway line. Also home to the Shiosite office and entertainment complex, which houses Nippon Television studios.
• Shirokanedai: Home to Meiji Gakuin University.
• Takanawa: Home to the Sōtō temple of Sengaku-ji. Shinagawa Station, one of Tokyo's largest train stations, is located in Takanawa, although it is associated with Shinagawa to the south. An area of many 1980s hotels including the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, and Pacific Meridien Hotel.
• Toranomon: TV Tokyo studios and the Toranomon Station underground complex.
• Tsuki no Misaki is a plateau.

Transportation

Rail

Yurikamome

• Keikyu Main Line (Shinagawa Station)
• Toei Subway:
  • Toei Asakusa Line (Shimbashi Station, Daimon Station, Mita Station, Sengakuji Station, Takanawadai Station)
  • Toei Oedo Line (Shiodome Station, Daimon Station, Akabanebashi Station, Azabu-juban Station, Roppongi Station, Aoyama-itchome Station)
  • Toei Mita Line (Uchisaiwaicho Station, Onarimon Station, Shiba-koen Station, Mita Station, Shirokane-Takanawa Station, Shirokanedai Station)
• Tokyo Metro:
  • Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Akasaka Station, Nogizaka Station, Omotesando Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Ginza Line (Shimbashi Station, Toranomon Station, Tameike-sanno Station, Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Aoyama-itchome Station, Gaienmae Station, Omotesando Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line (Aoyama-itchome Station, Omotesando Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (Kamiyacho Station, Roppongi Station, Hiroo Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line (Akasaka-mitsuke Station)
  • Tokyo Metro Namboku Line (Tameike-sanno Station, Roppongi-itchome Station, Azabu-juban Station, Shirokane-Takanawa Station, Shirokanedai Station)
• East Japan Railway Company (JR East)
  • Keihin-Tohoku Line/Yamanote Line (Shimbashi Station, Hamamatsucho Station, Tamachi Station, Shinagawa Station)
  • Tōkaidō Main Line (Shimbashi Station, Shinagawa Station)
  • Yokosuka Line (Shimbashi Station, Shinagawa Station)
• Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central)
  • Tōkaidō Shinkansen (Shinagawa Station)
• Tokyo Monorail (Hamamatsucho Station)
• Yurikamome (Shimbashi Station, Shiodome Station, Takeshiba Station, Hinode Station, Shibaura-futo Station, Odaiba-kaihin-koen Station, Daiba Station)

Road

Rainbow Bridge connecting central Tokyo to Odaiba

Tokyo Cruise Ship Himiko

• Shuto Expressway:
  • No. 1 Haneda Route (Edobashi JCT – Iriya)
  • No. 2 Meguro Route (Ichinohashi JCT – Togoshi)
  • No.11 Daiba Route (Shibaura JCT – Ariake JCT)
  • B Bayshore Route (Namiki – Kawasaki-ukishima JCT)
  • C1 Inner Loop (Edobashi – Takaracho – Kyobashi – Ginza – Shiodome – Hamazakibashi – Shiba Park – Tanimachi – Kasumigaseki – Daikanmachi – Edobashi)
• National roads:
  • Route 1 (Sakurada-dori)
  • Route 15 (Dai-Ichi Keihin)
  • Route 246 (Aoyama-dori)
• Other major roads:
  • Atago-dori
  • Kaigan-dori
  • Kyu-kaigan-dori
  • Gaien-higashi-dori
  • Gaien-nishi-dori
  • Hibiya-dori
  • Roppongi-dori

Ferry

Tokyo's main ferry terminal is located adjacent to Takeshiba Station on the Yurikamome, due east of JR Hamamatsucho Station.

Notable people from Minato

• Hirohito, the 124th Emperor of Japan
• Takeichi Nishi, an Imperial Japanese Army officer, equestrian show jumper, and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics
• Kanoko Okamoto (1889–1939), poet, born in Akasaka Ward (present-day Minato)^[74]
• Sho Sakurai, actor and singer, affiliated with Arashi

References

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45. "Privacy Policy." Toraya Confectionery. Last updated on October 11, 2005. Retrieved on November 20, 2010. "4-9-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN."
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External links

• Minato City official website (English)
• Minato Travel Guide (English)