is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the eight central wards of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Located in the northern area of Tokyo, Toshima is bordered by the wards of

Nerima is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Nerima City. , the ward has an estimated population of 721,858, with 323,296 households and a population density of 15,013 persons per km2, while 15,326 f ...

Itabashi is a special ward located in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. In English, it calls itself Itabashi City. Itabashi has sister-city relations with Burlington, Ontario, in Canada; Shijingshan District of Beijing in the People's Republic of China; and ...

, and Kita in the north and Nakano,

Shinjuku is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration ...

, and Bunkyo in the south. The ward was founded on March 15, 1947, and reached a peak resident population of 370,000 in 1965. The population has continued to decline and as of May 1, 2015, the ward had an estimated population of 298,250, with a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

of 22,920 persons per km². During the day the population swells with commuters, resulting in a daytime population of around 378,475. The total land area of Toshima is 13.01 km², sitting on a moderate plateau with a difference of 28 m between the ward's highest and lowest points. Approximately 47% of Toshima's land is residential, and 20% is commercial and public areas. Although Toshima is a ward, it is referred to as a city. The ward offices are located in

Ikebukuro is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits. It is considered the second largest ...

, which is also the commercial and entertainment center of Toshima. With a non-Japanese population of 19,868, or 7.42% of the total, Toshima is one of the most international wards in Tokyo. Of the foreign population, 56% is of

Chinese descent Overseas Chinese () refers to people of Chinese birth or ethnicity who reside outside Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. As of 2011, there were over 40.3 million overseas Chinese. Terminology () or ''Hoan-kheh'' () in Hokkien, refe ...

, 20% is of Korean descent, with the rest being of primarily

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

and European descent.

History

Toshima was formed in 1932 by the merger of four towns, Sugamochō, Nishi-sugamochō, Takadachō, and Nagasakichō, bordered by the quickly expanding former city of Tokyo. The area evolved from a suburban agricultural district in the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

to the urban commercial center that it is today. The growth was fueled by the construction of various rail lines built in the Meiji and Taishō periods. The former Somei village, now part of Toshima, was a center of plant nurseries, and is the birthplace of the ''

Somei Yoshino Somei may refer to: * Somei Satoh (born 1947), Japanese classical composer * ''Somei...'', 2009 album by Merzbow * Somei village, part of Toshima, Japan See also

* Somei Yoshino, a hybrid Japanese cherry blossom tree {{disambiguation, given n ...

'', Japan's most popular variety of

sakura A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of Prunus, genus ''Prunus'' or Prunus subg. Cerasus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especia ...

(cherry blossom tree). The variety was developed at the end of the Edo period.

Politics and government

Toshima is run by a city assembly of 36 elected members. The current mayor is Yukio Takano, an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

backed by all major parties except the

Japanese Communist Party The is a left-wing to far-left political party in Japan. With approximately 270,000 members belonging to 18,000 branches, it is one of the largest non-governing communist parties in the world. The party advocates the establishment of a democr ...

. In April 2011,

Taiga Ishikawa is a Japanese politician and LGBT activist. He was elected to the House of Councillors in the 2019 Japanese House of Councillors election, becoming the first openly-gay man to be elected to either chamber of the National Diet. Previously, he bec ...

was elected to the Toshima assembly, becoming the first openly gay man to win an election in Japanese history.

Districts and neighborhoods

;Nagasaki Area * Chihaya * Kanamechō * Mejiro^a * Minaminagasaki * Nagasaki * Nishiikebukuro^b * Senkawa * Takamatsu ;Nishisugamo Area * Higashiikebukuro *

* Ikebukuro Honchō * Kamiikebukuro * Kitaōtsuka^c * Mejiro^d * Minamiikebukuro^e * Minamiōtsuka^f * Nishiikebukuro^g * Nishisugamo ;Sugamo Area * Kitaōtsuka^h * Komagome * Minamiōtsukaⁱ *

Sugamo is a neighborhood in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. It is home to , a shopping street popular among the older generation, earning it the nickname "Granny's Harajuku." It lies at the crossing point of the JR Yamanote Line and National Route 17. Availab ...

;Takada Area * Mejiro^j * Minamiikebukuro^k * Nishiikebukuro^l * Takada *

Zōshigaya Zōshigaya (, also ) is a neighborhood in Toshima, Tokyo. Zōshigaya includes Zōshigaya 1- chome though Zōshigaya 3- chome as well as parts of Minami-Ikebukuro. Major locations * Zōshigaya Cemetery, in Minami-Ikebukuro * Two sequential Tokyo ...

Notes: * ^a - 4, 5-chōme * ^b - 4-chōme * ^c - 2, 3-chōme * ^d - 4-chōme * ^e - 1-chōme * ^f - 3-chōme * ^g - 1, 3-chōme * ^h - 1-chōme * ⁱ - 1, 2-chōme * ^j - 1, 2, 3-chōme * ^k - 2, 3, 4-chōme * ^l - 2-chōme

Sights

Sunshine 60 Ikebukuro Tokyo 20070304-03 cropped

* Sunshine City: The focal point of much of the entertainment in and around Ikebukuro, Sunshine City sports some of the best shopping and dining in Toshima. * The Ancient Orient Museum * Morikazu Kumagai Art Museum * Zoshigaya Missionary Museum *

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

Amlux Showroom building is located here *

Tokiwa-sō was an apartment building in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan famous for being the early living-quarters of many prominent manga artists. Description Tokiwa-sō was a Japanese style no-frills apartment building, two stories high, built of wood. It was one ...

, an apartment complex famous for being the early living-quarters of many prominent

manga artists A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist bef ...

. *

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1990 and is operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture. There is a concert hall with 1999 seats and a playhouse with 834 seats as ...

: Near

Ikebukuro Station Ikebukuro Station ( ja, 池袋駅, ) is a major railway station located in the Ikebukuro district of Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, shared by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Tokyo subway operator Tokyo Metro, and the two private railway operat ...

, this facility built in 1990 is one of the newer spots in Toshima and has a concert hall with regular performances and art exhibitions. There is a stage in the open space out front and it is a popular place for amateur musicians during the warmer months. * Myonichikan of Jiyu Gakuen Girls' School: Designed by famous American architect

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...

, this notable building was completed in 1922, shortly before he completed work on the

Imperial Hotel Imperial Hotel or Hotel Imperial may refer to: Hotels Australia * Imperial Hotel, Ravenswood, Queensland * Imperial Hotel, York, Western Australia Austria * Hotel Imperial, Vienna India * The Imperial, New Delhi Ireland * Imperial Hotel, D ...

. *

Jizodori: The shopping district known as "old ladies'

Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Harajuku is the common name given to a geographic area spreading from Harajuku Station to Omotesando, corresponding on official maps of Shibuya ward as Jingūmae 1 chōme to 4 chōme. In popular refer ...

Festivals

* Fukuro Matsuri: This festival started in 1968 and features a parade of

mikoshi A is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when ...

(portable shrines) and a yassa dance. It is held on September 14 and 15 of each year outside the west exit of Ikebukuro Station and attracts as many as 200,000 people. * Otsuka Awa Odori Dance: A large summer event gathering 150,000 people, this festival features groups performing and competing with colorful costumes and dancing in front of JR

Ōtsuka Station is a railway station in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Lines Ōtsuka Station is served by the circular Yamanote Line. A stop on the Tokyo Sakura Tram, named is located underneath Ōtsuka Station. St ...

. * Nagasaki Shishimai (

lion dance F Lion dance () is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New ...

): The lion dance is performed every year on the second Sunday of May at Nagasaki Shrine.

Economy

FamilyMart is a Japanese convenience store franchise chain. It is Japan's second largest convenience store chain, behind 7-Eleven. There are now 24,574 stores worldwide in Japan, Taiwan, China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Its ...

has its headquarters in

, Toshima.

Seiyu Group , or , is a Japanese group of supermarkets, shopping centers and department stores, headquartered in Akabane, Tokyo, Akabane (赤羽), Kita, Tokyo.

has its registered head office in Toshima.

Libro is a Japanese book retailer. A unit of the Seiyu Group, it is headquartered in the , Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest ...

, a bookstore chain, is headquartered in Toshima.

Itochu is a Japanese corporation based in Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka and Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo. It is one of the largest Japanese ''sogo shosha'' (general trading companies). Among Japanese trading companies, it is distinguished by not being descend ...

corporation and Seven & I Holdings Co., Ltd. has a presence in Toshima.

Taisho Pharmaceutical is a Japanese pharmaceutical company based in Tokyo. History Taisho was established in 1912 as Taisho Seiyakusho to produce over-the-counter drugs. In 1928 the company changed its name to Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and in 1955 moved into ...

, a pharmaceutical company, also has its headquarters in the ward. In 1956, Asatsu Inc. established its headquarters in Mejiro, Toshima. In May 1967, the company's headquarters moved to

Shinbashi , sometimes transliterated Shimbashi, is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Name Read literally, the characters in Shinbashi mean "new bridge". History The area was the site of a bridge built across the Shiodome River in 1604. The river was la ...

, Minato.

Education

There are five Universities in Toshima. *

Gakushuin University is a private university in Mejiro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. It was re-established after World War II as an affiliate of the Gakushūin School Corporation. The privatized successor to the original Gakushūin University (or "Peers School") was estab ...

Tokyo College of Music is a private music school in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. It was founded as in Kanda, Tokyo, in 1907. History The college moved to Toshima in Tokyo in 1924 after the original campus was destroyed by the Great Kantō earthquake. Some notable gradu ...

Rikkyo University , also known as Saint Paul's University, is a private university, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan. Rikkyo is known as one of the six leading universities in the field of sports in Tokyo (東京六大学 "Big Six" — Rikkyo University, University of ...

or St. Paul's University *

Taisho University is a private university in Nishi-sugamo, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1885, and it was chartered as a university in 1926. Its school precepts are based on the Tendai school of Buddhism. The concept for t ...

Tokyo University of Social Welfare is a private university in with its main campus in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo; Kita, Tokyo; Naka-ku, Nagoya; and Isesaki, Gunma.University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

in Bunkyo and

Waseda University , abbreviated as , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the ''Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō'' by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. The university has numerou ...

bordering Shinjuku. Located

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education (東京都教育委員会 ''Tōkyō-to Kyōiku Iinkai'') is the board of education in Tokyo, Japan. The board directly manages all of the public high schools in all 23 special wards, the Western T ...

operates area public high schools. Toshima is also home to a number of accredited private schools: *

Rikkyo Ikebukuro Junior and Senior High School is private boys' junior and senior high school in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo. History Bishop Channing Moore Williams established Rikkyo Junior High School in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1896. The original building was destroyed by the Great Kantō earthquak ...

Toshima City Board of Education (豊島区教育委員会) operates public elementary and junior high schools. Municipal junior high schools: * Chitosebashi Junior High School ( 千登世橋中学校) * Ikebukuro Junior High School (池袋中学校) * Komagome Junior High School ( 駒込中学校) * Meiho Junior High School ( 明豊中学校) * Nishiikebukuro Junior High School (西池袋中学校) * Nishisugamo Junior High School (西巣鴨中学校) * Senkawa Junior High School ( 千川中学校) * Sugamokita Junior High School ( 巣鴨北中学校) Municipal elementary schools: * Asahi Elementary School (朝日小学校) * Chihaya Elementary School ( 千早小学校) * Fujimidai Elementary School ( 富士見台小学校) * Gyoko Elementary School ( 仰高小学校) * Hosei Elementary School (豊成小学校) * Hoyu Elementary School (朋有小学校) * Ikebukuro Elementary School (池袋小学校) * Ikebukuro Daiichi (No. 1) Elementary School (池袋第一小学校) * Ikebukuro Daisan (No. 3) Elementary School (池袋第三小学校) * Ikebukuro Honcho Elementary School ( 池袋本町小学校) * Kaname Elementary School (要小学校) * Komagome Elementary School ( 駒込小学校) * Konan Elementary School (高南小学校) * Mejiro Elementary School ( 目白小学校) * Minami Ikebukuro Elementary School (南池袋小学校) * Nagasaki Elementary School (長崎小学校) * Nishisugamo Elementary School (西巣鴨小学校) * Sakura Elementary School ( さくら小学校) * Seiwa Elementary School (清和小学校) * Shiinamachi Elementary School (椎名町小学校) * Sugamo Elementary School (巣鴨小学校) * Takamatsu Elementary School (高松小学校) Municipal kindergartens: * Ikebukuro Kindergarten (池袋幼稚園) * Minami Nagasaki Kindergarten (南長崎幼稚園) * Nishisugamo Kindergarten (西巣鴨幼稚園)

Transportation

Rail

The main hub for rail transportation in Toshima ward is

, the second busiest train station in Japan. The rail lines which run through or terminate in Toshima are: *

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

(JR East) **

Saikyō Line The Saikyō Line ( ja, 埼京線, ) is a Japanese railway line operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Ōsaki Station in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and Ōmiya Station in Saitama Prefecture. The line's name is an abbreviation of ...

** Shōnan-Shinjuku Line **

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line ( ja, 山手線, Yamanote-sen) is a loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban ...

Seibu Railway is a conglomerate based in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, with principal business areas in railways, tourism, and real estate. Seibu Railway's operations are concentrated in northwest Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture; the name "Seibu" is an abbreviati ...

Seibu Ikebukuro Line The is a railway line of the Japanese private railway operator Seibu Railway. It originates at Ikebukuro Station, a large railway junction in north-western Tokyo, extending to northwest suburbs as far as Tokorozawa, Saitama, and nominally term ...

Tobu Railway is a Japanese commuter railway and ''keiretsu'' holding company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. Excluding the Japan Railways Group companies, Tobu's rail system is the second longes ...

** Tōjō Line *

Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation The , also known as , is a bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government which operates public transport services in Tokyo. Among its services, the Toei Subway is one of two rapid transit systems which make up the Tokyo subway system, the other b ...

(Toei) **

Tokyo Sakura Tram The , branded as the , is a hybrid light rail/tram line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system. It is one ...

Also known as the Arakawa Metropolitan Streetcar Line, it is Tokyo's only remaining

Tokyo Toden The or simply Toden, is the tram network of Tokyo, Japan. Of all its former routes, only one, the Tokyo Sakura Tram, remains in service. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates the Toden. The formal legal name is ''Tokyo-to Den ...

streetcar system. **

Toei Subway The is one of two subway systems in Tokyo, the other being Tokyo Metro. The Toei Subway lines were originally licensed to the Teito Rapid Transit Authority (the predecessor of Tokyo Metro) but were constructed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government ...

: ***

Toei Shinjuku Line The is a rapid transit line in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). The line runs between Motoyawata Station in Ichikawa, Chiba in the east and Shinjuku Station in the west. At Shinju ...

***

Mita Line The is a subway line of the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei) network in Tokyo, Japan. The line runs between Nishi-Takashimadaira in Itabashi and Meguro in Shinagawa. Trains continue with direct service into the Meguro Line o ...

***

Toei Ōedo Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei). It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12. T ...

Tokyo Metro The is a major rapid transit system in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo Metro Co. With an average daily ridership of 6.84 million passengers, the Tokyo Metro is the larger of the two subway operators in the city; the other being the Toei ...

Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line The is a subway line in Japan owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line connects Wakōshi Station in Wakō, Saitama and Shin-Kiba Station in Kōtō, Tokyo. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color "gold" (), and ...

Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by Tokyo Metro. The line runs in a U-shape between Ogikubo Station in Suginami and Ikebukuro Station in Toshima, with a branch line between Nakano-Sakaue Station and Hōnanchō Station. The offi ...

Tokyo Metro Namboku Line The is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro in Tokyo, Japan. The line runs between Meguro in Shinagawa and Akabane-Iwabuchi in Kita. The Namboku Line was referred to as Line 7 during the planning stages, thus the seldom-used officia ...

Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line The , formally the , is a subway line operated by Tokyo Metro in west-central Tokyo and Wako, Saitama, Japan. The newest line in the Tokyo subway network, it opened in stages between 1994 and 2008. On average, the Fukutoshin line carries 362,654 ...

Famous people

Tatsuro Yamashita , occasionally credited as Tatsu Yamashita or Tats Yamashita, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer, who is known for pioneering the style of Japanese adult-oriented rock/soft rock music. His most well-known song is "Christmas E ...

, singer-songwriter and record producer *

Kō Shibasaki is a Japanese actress and singer who has performed in television shows, movies, and commercials. She is managed by Stardust Promotion. Biography Acting career Shibasaki debuted in 2000, when she portrayed Mitsuko Souma in '' Battle Royale.'' S ...

, singer and actress *

Jun Matsumoto Jun or JUN may refer to: People and anthroponymy * Jun (given name), a common Japanese given name * Jun (singer), a member of South Korean boy band U-KISS * Tomáš Jun, Czech footballer * A spelling of common Korean family name Jeon (Korean surn ...

, singer, actor, and member of

Arashi is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15, 1999 ...

Mone Inami (born 29 July 1999) is a Japanese professional golfer. She plays on the LPGA of Japan Tour where she has 12 wins. Inami competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics. At those games, Inami shot a final round 65 and defeated Lydia Ko Lydia Ko (bor ...

, professional golfer

References

External links

Toshima City Official Website
{{Authority control Wards of Tokyo