Minamitama (南多摩郡, ''Minamitama-gun'', South Tama) was a district or county (''gun'') of

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

(''Metropolis''/Prefecture),

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 ...

. It was created in the early Meiji era when the old Tama District of

Musashi Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Kawasaki and Yokohama. ...

was divided into four parts and split between Kanagawa and Tokyo. It lost its status as an administrative unit in the 1920s when county governments and councils were abolished across the country. As a geographical unit, it ceased to exist in 1971 when its last two remaining municipalities were promoted to

independent cities An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...

History

* Minamitama District was created in 1878 and initially consisted of more than 120 subdivisions. * When the modern municipality system was set up in 1889, Miniamitama District consisted of one

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

(the county seat of

Hachiōji is a Cities of Japan, city located in the Western Tokyo, western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 561,344, and a population density of 3,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is ...

) and 19

villages A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village ...

. * In 1893, Minamitama District was transferred from Kanagawa Prefecture to Tokyo Prefecture; alongside

Nishitama is a district located in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It comprises the village of Hinohara and the following three towns: * Hinode *Mizuho *Okutama * Historically, the cities of Ōme, Fussa, Hamura, and Akiruno were parts of Nishitama District but ...

(West Tama) and Kitatama (North Tama) Districts. Higashitama (East Tama) District had been part of Tokyo since its creation. Several villages within Minamitama were promoted to towns over the decades. * The first loss of territory came in 1917 when

was elevated city status (becoming the second city in Tokyo Prefecture after

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 1941, Komiyama was merged into Hachiōji followed by another six municipalities in 1955. * In 1958, Machida Town absorbed three villages to become Machida City. * In 1963,

Hino Hino may refer to: Places Estonia * Hino, Põlva County * Hino, Võru County ** Lake Hino Japan * Hino, Shiga * Hino, Tokyo * Hino, Tottori ** Hino District, Tottori ** Hino River Transportation * Hino Motors, a Japanese truck manufacturer own ...

Town was elevated to city status after previously merging with other villages. * In 1964, the merger of the village of Yugi into Hachiōji left Minamitama District with only two remaining municipalities: the towns of Tama and

Inagi 270px, Inagi City Hall is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 92,585 in 41,592 households, and a population density of 5200 persons per km². The total area of the city ...

. Both were elevated to city status on November 1, 1971.

Electoral district

An electoral district for the

Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly The is the Prefectures of Japan, prefectural parliament of Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis. Its 127 members are elected every four years in 42 districts by single non-transferable vote. 23 electoral districts equal the Special wards of Tokyo, special wa ...

is named Minamitama to the day. As of 2013, it still consists of the cities of Tama and Inagi and sends two members to the prefectural legislature. Inagi is also the last municipality in mainland Tokyo that maintains its own municipal fire department, Tama gave up its own fire department in 1975 and transferred the responsibility for fire protection to the

Tokyo Fire Department The Tokyo Fire Department (TFD) ( Japanese: 東京消防庁, ''Tōkyō Shōbōch''ō), Founded in 1948, is the fire department of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. The TFD is the largest urban fire department in the world with a total staff of 18,408. T ...

External links

Historical administrative divisions: Tokyo/Kanagawa/Musashi, Minamitama
{{authority control Former districts of Japan Geography of Tokyo History of Kanagawa Prefecture