Shinjuku Explained

Shinjuku
Official Name:Shinjuku City[1]
Settlement Type:Special ward
Pushpin Map:Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kantō
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Tokyo
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Kenichi Yoshizumi
Leader Title1:Tourism Ambassador
Leader Name1:Godzilla[2]
Area Total Km2:18.23
Population Total:349385
Population As Of:1 October, 2020[3]
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Japan Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Blank Name Sec1:City Symbols
Blank1 Name Sec1:- Tree
Blank1 Info Sec1:Zelkova serrata
Blank2 Name Sec1:- Flower
Blank2 Info Sec1:Azalea
Blank Name Sec2:Phone number
Blank Info Sec2:03-3209-1111
Blank1 Name Sec2:City Hall Address
Blank1 Info Sec2:Kabukichō 1-4-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8484

, officially called Shinjuku City, is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) as well as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administrative center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government., the ward has an estimated population of 346,235 and a population density of 18,232 people per km2. The total area is 18.23 km2.[4] Since the end of World War II, Shinjuku has become a major secondary center of Tokyo (fukutoshin), rivaling the original city center in Marunouchi.

"Shinjuku" is also commonly used to refer to the entire area surrounding Shinjuku Station. The southern half of this area and of the station are in fact located in the neighboring Shibuya ward.

History

In 1634, during the Edo period, as the outer moat of the Edo Castle was built, a number of temples and shrines moved to the Yotsuya area on the western edge of Shinjuku. In 1698, Naitō-Shinjuku had developed as a new (shin) station (shuku or juku) on the Kōshū Kaidō, one of the major highways of that era. Naitō was the family name of a daimyō whose mansion stood in the area; his land is now a public park, the Shinjuku Gyoen. In 1898, the Yodobashi Water Purification Plant, the city's first modern water treatment facility, was built in the area that is now between the park and the train station.[5]

In 1920, the town of Naitō-Shinjuku, which comprised large parts of present-day Shinjuku (the neighborhood, not the municipality), parts of Nishi-Shinjuku and Kabukichō was integrated into Tokyo City. Shinjuku began to develop into its current form after the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many skyscrapers.

The Tokyo air raids from May to August 1945 destroyed almost 90% of the buildings in the area in and around Shinjuku Station.[6] The pre-war form of Shinjuku and the rest of Tokyo was retained after the war because the roads and rails, damaged as they were, remained, and these formed the heart of Shinjuku in the post-war construction. Only in Kabuki-cho was a grand reconstruction plan put into action.[7]

The present ward was established on March 15, 1947 with the merger of the former wards of Yotsuya, Ushigome, and Yodobashi. It served as part of the athletics 50 km walk and marathon course during the 1964 Summer Olympics.[8] In the 1970s, the Yodobashi Water Purification Plant closed and was replaced by skyscrapers.[9]

In 1991, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government moved from the Marunouchi district of Chiyoda to the current building in Shinjuku (the Tokyo International Forum stands at the former site vacated by the government).

Geography

Shinjuku is surrounded by Chiyoda to the east; Bunkyo and Toshima to the north; Nakano to the west, and Shibuya and Minato to the south.[10]

The current city of Shinjuku grew out of several separate towns and villages, which have retained some distinctions despite growing together as part of the Tokyo metropolis.

"Shinjuku" is often popularly understood to mean the entire area surrounding Shinjuku Station, but the Shinjuku Southern Terrace complex and the areas to the west of the station and south of Kōshū Kaidō are part of the Yoyogi and Sendagaya districts of the special ward of Shibuya.

Naturally, most of Shinjuku is occupied by the Yodobashi Plateau, the most elevated portion of which extends through most of the Shinjuku Station area. The Kanda River runs through the Ochiai and Totsuka areas near sea level, but the Toshima Plateau also builds elevation in the northern extremities of Totsuka and Ochiai. The highest point in Shinjuku is Hakone-san in Toyama Park, 44.6 m above sea level.[12]

Districts and neighborhoods

Ushigome Area

 

 

 

Yodobashi Area
Yotsuya Area

Economy

The area surrounding Shinjuku Station is a major economic hub of Tokyo. Many companies have their headquarters or Tokyo offices in this area, including regional telephone operator NTT East, global camera and medical device manufacturer Olympus Corporation, electronics giant Seiko Epson,[13] video game developer Square Enix,[14] fast food chains McDonald's Japan and Yoshinoya,[15] travel agency H.I.S.,[16] Subaru Corporation (Subaru),[17] railway operator Odakyu Electric Railway, construction giants Taisei Corporation[18] and Kumagai Gumi,[19] medical equipment manufacturer Nihon Kohden,[20] Enoki Films,[21] navigation software company Jorudan,[22] instant noodle giant Nissin Foods,[23] automotive components manufacturer Keihin Corporation,[24] and regional airline Airtransse.[25] The station area also hosts numerous major retailers such as Isetan, Takashimaya, Marui, Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera and Yamada Denki.

Northeastern Shinjuku has an active publishing industry and is home to the publishers Shinchosha[26] and Futabasha.[27] The main store of the Books Kinokuniya bookstore chain is also located in Shinjuku.

Demographics

Resident nationalities[28]
Nationality Population (percentage) (2024)
305,943 (86.9%)
17,447 (5.0%)
9,089 (2.6%)
3,838 (1.1%)
2,642 (0.8%)
2,591 (0.7%)
Others 10,159 (2.9%)

By 2012 people of Chinese citizenship became the most numerous foreign citizens in Shinjuku. Previously the most common citizenship was collectively those of North and South Korea.[29]

Government and politics

Like the other special wards of Tokyo, Shinjuku has a status equivalent to that of a city. The current mayor is Kenichi Yoshizumi. The consists of 38 elected members; the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeitō Party together currently hold a majority. The Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party are also represented together with four independents. Shinjuku's is located on the southeastern edge of Kabukichō.

Shinjuku is also the location of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The governor's office, the metropolitan assembly chamber, and all administrative head offices are located in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Technically, Shinjuku is therefore the prefectural capital of Tokyo; but according to a statement by the governor's office, Tokyo (the – as administrative unit: former – Tokyo City, the area of today's 23 special wards collectively) can usually be considered the capital of Tokyo (prefecture/"Metropolis") for geographical purposes. The Geographical Survey Institute (Kokudo Chiriin) names Tōkyō (the city) as capital of Tōkyō-to (the prefecture/"Metropolis").[30]

Elections

Public institutions

Libraries

Shinjuku operates several public libraries, including the Central Library (with the Children's Library), the Yotsuya Library, the Tsurumaki Library, Tsunohazu Library, the Nishi-Ochiai Library, the Toyama Library, the Kita-Shinjuku Library, the Okubo Library, and the Nakamachi Library. In addition there is a branch library, Branch Library of Central Library in the City Office, located in the city office.[31]

Hospitals

There are several major hospitals located within the city limits.

Cultural centers

Museums

Halls

Transportation

Shinjuku is a major urban transit hub. Shinjuku Station sees an estimated 3.64 million passengers pass through each day, making it the busiest station in the world. It houses interchanges to three subway lines and three privately owned commuter lines, as well as several JR lines.

Rail

A list of railway lines passing through and stations located within Shinjuku includes:

Roads

Shuto Expressway

National highways

Other major routes:

Education

Colleges and universities

Moved:

Schools

High schools

Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

Closed:

Private schools:

Elementary and junior high schools

See main article: article and List of municipal schools in Shinjuku. Public elementary and junior high schools in Shinjuku are operated by the Shinjuku City (the Shinjuku Ward) Board of Education (新宿区教育委員会).

Notable people from Shinjuku-ku

Sister cities

Shinjuku has sister city agreements with several localities:[32]

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.city.shinjuku.tokyo.jp/foreign/english/aramashi/gaiyou/gaiyou.html Shinjuku City
  2. News: Izadi . Elahi . Terrifying monster named Tokyo's new tourism ambassador . 15 September 2018 . The Washington Post . 9 April 2015.
  3. Web site: Population by District. Tokyo Statistical Yearbook. en. 2022-07-15.
  4. http://www.city.shinjuku.tokyo.jpn/foreign/english/aramashi/gaiyou/gaiyou.html Shinjuku City
  5. Web site: Water Supply in Tokyo . Bureau of Waterworks, Tokyo Metropolitan Government . 15 February 2021.
  6. http://www.city.shinjuku.tokyo.jp/foreign/english/aramashi/rekishi/rekishi.html History of Shinjuku
  7. Ichikawa, 2003
  8. http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1964/or1964v2pt1.pdf 1964 Summer Olympics official report.
  9. Web site: Shinjuku Then and Now . Real Estate Japan . 7 October 2015 . GPlus Media Inc . 15 February 2021.
  10. [:File:TokyoSpecialWardsMap.svg|Tokyo Special Wards Map]
  11. http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=430&pID=1874 japanvisitor.com
  12. Web site: IV．資 料 . 新宿区.
  13. "Head Office & Japanese Facilities." Seiko Epson. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
  14. Web site: We tour Square Enix's awesome HQ since you probably never will. vulturebeat.com. 26 March 2015. 20 December 2016.
  15. Web site: http://www.yoshinoya.com/company/data/index.html . ja:会社概要 . . February 25, 2010.
  16. "Company Info." H.I.S. Retrieved on March 11, 2010.
  17. "http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/outline/inoutline/domestic/index.html ." Fuji Heavy Industries and Subaru.
  18. "Corporate Data ." Taisei Corporation. Retrieved on February 20, 2012. "Head Office 1-25-1, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0606"
  19. "Corporate Profile ." Kumagai Gumi. Retrieved on August 30, 2017. "Headquarters 2-1, Tsukudo-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8557"
  20. "Key Facts." Nihon Kohden. Retrieved on August 9, 2015.
  21. "Home." Enoki Films. Retrieved on March 23, 2014. "Enoki Bldg., No. 2, 1-30-10 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022 Japan"
  22. "Headquarter." Jorudan. Retrieved on January 7, 2011. "ZIP 160-0022 2-1-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan" (map)
  23. "Company Profile." Nissin Foods. Retrieved on August 15, 2009.
  24. "Company Overview ." Keihin Corporation. Retrieved on May 23, 2018.
  25. Web site: http://www.airtransse.com/company.html . ja:会社概要 . . May 20, 2009.
  26. Web site: http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/info/ . ja:会社情報 . . June 17, 2011 . "".
  27. Web site: http://www.futabasha.co.jp/company/index.html . ja:会社概要 . . January 7, 2011 . "". (GIF map of location) (PDF of location)
  28. Web site: Resident nationalities of Shinjuku. June 21, 2024. (in Japanese)
  29. Web site: Obe. Mitsuru . Sakura. Yusuke . Chinatowns and Little Indias take shape in Tokyo . Nikkei Shimbun. 2018-07-25. 2022-11-08.
  30. Tokyo Metropolitan Government, governor's office: About Tokyo's prefectural capital
  31. Web site: Information on Everyday Living for Foreign Residents of Shinjuku City . 2008-08-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080514035922/http://www.city.shinjuku.tokyo.jp/foreign/english/guide/shisetsu/shisetsu_2.html . 2008-05-14 .
  32. http://www.city.shinjuku.lg.jp/foreign/english/aramashi/toshi/index.html Friendship cities

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