is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Meguro City. The ward was founded on March 15, 1947. Meguro is predominantly residential in character, but is also home to light industry, corporate head offices, the Komaba campus of University of Tokyo as well as fifteen foreign embassies and consulates. Residential neighborhoods include, Jiyugaoka, Kakinokizaka, and Nakameguro. As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated

population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

of 277,171 and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

of 18,890 persons per km². The total area is 14.67 km². Meguro is also used to refer to the area around Meguro Station, which is not located in Meguro ward, but in neighboring Shinagawa's Kamiōsaki district.

History

The Higashiyama shell mound in the north of the ward contains remains from the

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...

, Jōmon,

Yayoi The Yayoi period (弥生時代, ''Yayoi jidai'') (c. 300 BC – 300 AD) is one of the major historical periods of the Japanese archipelago. It is generally defined as the era between the beginning of food production in Japan and the emergence o ...

, and Kofun periods. The area now known as Meguro was formerly two towns, Meguro proper and Hibusuma, all parts of the former Ebara District of Musashi Province. The two were merged into a Meguro ward for

Tokyo City was a Cities of Japan, municipality in Japan and capital of Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo Prefecture (or ''Tokyo-fu'') which existed from 1 May 1889 until the establishment of Tokyo Metropolis on 1 July 1943. The historical boundari ...

in 1932 and since then the ward has remained with no alterations to its territory. The name "Meguro", meaning "black eyes", derives from the Meguro Fudō (Black-eyed Fudō-myōō) of Ryūsenji. The Meguro Fudō was one of five Fudō-myōō statues placed at strategic points on the outskirts of Edo in the early seventeenth century by the abbot Tenkai, an advisor to

Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...

, to provide protection for the new capital of the Tokugawa shogunate. Each statue had eyes of a different color. ( Mejiro, a district in Toshima ward, is named for the white-eyed Fudō-myōō).

Geography

Four other special wards surround Meguro. They are

Shibuya is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial center, Shibuya houses one of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shibuya Station. As of January 1, 2024, Shibuya Ward has an estimated population of 230,60 ...

(to the northeast), Setagaya (to the west), Ōta (to the south), and Shinagawa (to the southeast).

Districts and neighborhoods

; Hibusuma area * Chūōchō * Haramachi * Higashigaoka * Himonya * Jiyūgaoka * Kakinokizaka * Megurohonchō * Midorigaoka * Minami * Nakane * Ōokayama * Senzoku * Tairamachi * Takaban * Yakumo * Hirachō ; Meguro area * Aobadai * Gohongi * Higashiyama * Kamimeguro * Komaba * Meguro * Mita * Nakachō * Nakameguro * Ōhashi * Shimomeguro * Yūtenji * Sanda

Politics and government

Meguro ward government is led by the city assembly with 36 elected members with current terms from May 1, 2011, to April 30, 2015. The chairman of the council is Yoshiaki Ito. The mayor is Eiji Aoki, an independent. His term lasts until April 24, 2016.

Elections

* 2007 Meguro local election * 2008 Meguro mayoral election

Sightseeing and local landmarks

Green spaces

* Meguro River * Komaba Park, Komaba * Komabano Park, Komaba * Komazawa Olympic Park * Rinshi-no-mori Park * Meguro Sky Garden, Ohashi Linear roof garden park spiraling 35 meters above street level covering the junction of two major expressways. * Saigoyama Park, Aobadai * Sugekari Park, Aobadai * Nakameguro Park and Nature Center * Himonya Park, Himonya

Cultural institutions

* Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography * Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo * Meguro Persimmon Hall, concert and performance arts venue * Meguro Parasitological Museum * Japanese Folk Crafts Museum * Chosenin Temple Contemporary Sculpture Museum * Meguro Gajoen, a landmark historic hotel

Religious institutions

* Himonya Catholic Church * St. Michael's Catholic Church (German Language) * Himonya Hachiman Shrine * Ōtori Shrine * Ryūsenji (Meguro Fudo temple) * Yūten-ji Temple * St. Paul's Church, Gohongi (

Anglican Church in Japan The ''Nippon Sei Ko Kai'' (), abbreviated as NSKK, sometimes referred to in English as the Anglican Episcopal Church in Japan, is the national Christianity, Christian church representing the Province of Japan (, ) within the Anglican Communion. ...

) * Masjid Indonesia Tokyo * Gohyaku Rakanji Temple

Transportation

Rail

* Tokyu Corporation ** Tōyoko Line: - - - - ** Ōimachi Line: Jiyugaoka - - ** Meguro Line: Ōokayama - ** Den-en-toshi Line: * Keio Corporation Keiō Inokashira Line: *Note: Meguro Station (

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and 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 in ...

, Tokyu Meguro Line,

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 off ...

, Toei Mita Line) is in Shinagawa, not Meguro.

Highways

* Route 3 (Shuto Expressway) Shibuya radial route (Tanimachi JCT – Yoga) * Central Circular Route C2. Completed in 2016 this deep level subterranean expressway connect the Yamate Tunnel as far as the

Bayshore Route The signed as Route B, is one of the routes of the Toll road, tolled Shuto Expressway system in the Greater Tokyo Area. The Bayshore Route is a stretch of toll highway that runs from the Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanazawa ward of Yokohama in th ...

in Shinagawa

Education

University of Tokyo - Komaba Campus - Building 1

Colleges and universities

* University of Tokyo Komaba Campus * Institute of Science Tokyo * Note:

Tokyo Gakugei University Tokyo Gakugei University (東京学芸大学, ''Tōkyō gakugei daigaku'') is a Japanese national university, national university in Koganei, Tokyo. Founded in 1873, it was chartered as a university in 1949. It is also known as ''Gakudai'' (学� ...

and Tokyo Metropolitan University were formerly in Meguro. * Tokyo College of Music

Public schools

Metropolitan high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. * (Kokusai means "International" in Japanese) * Komaba High School * Meguro High School *Geijutsu High School (Closed in 2012) In addition the metropolis operates a consolidated junior and senior high school in Meguro called Ōshūkan Secondary School. Municipal elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Meguro City Board of Education. Municipal junior high schools: * Meguro 1st Junior High School ( 第一中学校) * Meguro 7th Junior High School ( 第七中学校) * Meguro 9th Junior High School ( 第九中学校) * Meguro 10th Junior High School ( 第十中学校) * Higashiyama Junior High School ( 東山中学校) * Meguro Chuo Junior High School ( 目黒中央中学校) * Meguro Nishi Junior High School (目黒西中学校) * Otori Junior High School ( 大鳥中学校) Municipal elementary schools: * Aburamen Elementary School ( 油面小学校) * Dendo Elementary School (田道小学校) * Fudo Elementary School ( 不動小学校) * Gekkohara Elementary School (月光原小学校) * Gohongi Elementary School (五本木小学校) * Haramachi Elementary School ( 原町小学校) * Higashine Elementary School ( 東根小学校) * Higashiyama Elementary School ( 東山小学校) * Ishibumi Elementary School ( 碑小学校) * Kamimeguro Elementary School ( 上目黒小学校) * Karasumori Elementary School (烏森小学校) * Komaba Elementary School ( 駒場小学校) * Midorigaoka Elementary School (緑ケ丘小学校) * Miyamae Elementary School ( 宮前小学校) * Mukaihara Elementary School (向原小学校) * Naka Meguro Elementary School ( 中目黒小学校) * Nakane Elementary School ( 中根小学校) * Ookayama Elementary School ( 大岡山小学校) * Shimomeguro Elementary School ( 下目黒小学校) * Sugekari Elementary School ( 菅刈小学校) * Takaban Elementary School ( 鷹番小学校) * Yakumo Elementary School ( 八雲小学校)

International schools

* Aoba-Japan International School * Tokyo Indonesian School

Economy

Company headquarters

* Amazon Japan head office * Books Kinokuniya * Don Quijote discount store chain head office * LDH (Headquarters for

EXILE Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...

& other Dance Units) * Makino *

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...

head office * Ribera Steakhouse * Stanley Electric * TopTour Corporation * Unilever Japan, head office * Walt Disney Japan, head office

International relations

Friendship cities

* Dongcheng District,

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

(since 1991) *

Jungnang District Jungnang District () is one of the 25 ''gu'', or districts, of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River. It is characterized by a typical residential area with many natural green areas such as Yongma, Mangwoo, and B ...

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

Republic of Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

(since 2013)

Diplomatic missions in Meguro

Embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a Sovereign state, state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase ...

of the People's Democratic Republic of

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

(at Higashigaoka) * Embassy of the Republic of

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

(at Mita) * Embassy of the Arab Republic of

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

(at Aobadai) * Embassy of the

Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...

ese Republic (at Higashigaoka) * Embassy of the Republic of

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

(at Yakumo) * Embassy of the Islamic Republic of

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

(at Gohongi) * Embassy of the Federated States of

Micronesia Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of approximately 2,000 small islands in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: Maritime Southeast Asia to the west, Poly ...

(at Meguro) * Embassy of

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

(at Shimomeguro) * Embassy of the Independent State of

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...

(at Shimomeguro) * Embassy of the Republic of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

(at Mita) * Embassy of the Republic of

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

(at Aobadai) * Embassy of the Republic of the

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

(at Yakumo) * Royal Thai Embassy

Military Attaché A military attaché or defence attaché (DA),Defence Attachés
''Geneva C ...

Office (at Shimomeguro) * Embassy of the

Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

lese Republic (at Yakumo)

Notable people from Meguro

* Yumiko Fujita, actress * Waka Inoue, model, actress * Risa Tsubaki, voice actress * Toru Iwatani, arcade game designer, most notable for Pac-Man and

Pole Position In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the ra ...

* Shigeru Izumiya, folk singer, entertainer (born in

Aomori, Aomori , officially Aomori City (, ), is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 264,945 in 136,781 households, and a population density of 321 people per square kilometer spre ...

, but raised in Meguro) * Masako, Empress of Japan (born in Toranomon, but raised in Meguro) * Yukio Sakaguchi, mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler * Kazuo Tokumitsu, television presenter * Renhō, politician

Notable residents

Takuya Kimura is a Japanese actor, singer, and radio personality. He is regarded as a Japanese icon after achieving success as an actor. He was also a popular member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia. In the media, he is known as a huge hea ...

, singer and actor in male idol group SMAP * Shizuka Kudo, popular singer and wife of Takuya Kimura (Originally from Hamura, Tokyo) * Keisuke Kuwata, singer with

Southern All Stars , also known by the abbreviations and SAS, are a Japanese rock band formed in Kanagawa in 1974. The band is composed of Keisuke Kuwata (lead vocals and guitars), Yuko Hara (vocals and keyboards), Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (bass), (drums) and (pe ...

(Originally from Chigasaki, Kanagawa) * Nobuyo Ōyama, voices the anime character

Doraemon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Fujiko F. Fujio. First serialized in 1969, the manga's chapters were collected in 45 volumes published by Shogakukan from 1974 to 1996. The story revolves around an earless robotic ...

(Originally from Shibuya, Tokyo) * Miyu Uehara, gravure idol, found dead in her Meguro apartment (Originally from Tanegashima, Kagoshima) *Halca & Yucali of the

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

duo Halcali * Shori Sato, singer and actor in male idol group Sexy Zone * Suehiro Maruo, Manga artist, one of the best-known exponents of Ero Guro (Originally from

Nagasaki, Nagasaki , officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...

)

References

External links

Meguro City Official Website
{{Portalbar, Tokyo Wards of Tokyo