are one of the basic local entities of Japan.  There are 23 municipalities in the core of the capital of Japan.  They are "special wards" because they are different from the  of other major Japanese cities.

History
In 1889, 15 wards were established in the city of Tokyo.  The number of wards grew to 35 in 1932.  The number of wards became 23 in 1947.

The traditional districts of Tokyo evolved as the city grew during the Edo period. There are many districts in Tokyo's special wards.

List of special wards

History of wards

          1889 - 1920(15 wards)
      1920 - 1932(15 wards)
      1932 - 1936(35 wards)
      1936 - 1947(35 wards)
      23 special wardsof Tokyo Metropolis
    
          Kojimachi
       Chiyoda
    
          Kanda
    
          Nihonbashi
       Chūō
    
          Kyobashi
    
          Shiba
       Minato
    
          Azabu
    
          Akasaka
    
          Yotsuya
      Yotsuya
       Shinjuku
    
          Naito-shinjuku Town, Toyotama District
    
          Ushigome
    
          Yodobashi town, Toyotama District
      Yodobashi
    
          Okubo Town, Toyotama District
    
          Totsuka Town, Toyotama District
    
          Ochiai Town, Toyotama District
    
          Koishikawa
       Bunkyō
    
          Hongo
    
          Shitaya
      Taitō
    
          Asakusa
    
          Honjo
      Sumida
    
          Terashima Town, Minami-Katsushika District
      Mukojima
    
          Azuma Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Sumida Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Fukagawa
       Kōtō
    
          Kameido Town, Minami-Katsushika District
      Joto
    
          Ojima Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Suna Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Shinagawa Town, Ebara District
      Shinagawa
      Shinagawa
    
          Oi Town, Ebara District
    
          Osaki Town, Ebara District
    
          Ebara Town, Ebara District
      Ebara
    
          Meguro Town, Ebara District
       Meguro
    
          Hibusuma Town, Ebara District
    
          Omori Town, Ebara District
      Ōmori
       Ōta
    
          Iriarai Town, Ebara District
    
          Magome Town, Ebara District
    
          Ikegami Town, Ebara District
    
          Higashi-Chofu Town, Ebara District
    
          Kamata Town, Ebara District
      Kamata
    
          Yaguchi Town, Ebara District
    
          Rokugo Town, Ebara District
    
          Haneda Town, Ebara District
    
          Setagaya Town, Ebara District
      Setagaya 
       Setagaya
    
          Komazawa Town, Ebara District
    
          Matsuzawa Village, Ebara District
    
          Tamagawa Village, Ebara District
    
          Kinuta Village, Kita-Tama District
    
          Chitose Village, Kita-Tama District
    
          Shibuya Town, Toyotama District
       Shibuya
    
          Sendagaya Town, Toyotama District
    
          Yoyohata Town, Toyotama District
    
          Nakano Town, Toyotama District
       Nakano
    
          Nogata Town, Toyotama District
    
          Suginami Town, Toyotama District
      Suginami
    
          Wadabori Town, Toyotama District
    
          Iogi Town, Toyotama District
    
          Takaido Town, Toyotama District
    
          Sugamo Town, Kita-Toshima District
      Toshima
    
          Nishi-Sugamo Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Nagasaki Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Takada Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Takinogawa Town, Kita-Toshima District
      Takinogawa
       Kita
    
          Ouji Town, Kita-Toshima District
      Oji
    
          Iwabuchi Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Minami-Senju Town, Kita-Toshima District
       Arakawa
    
          Mikawashima Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Nippori Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Ogu Town, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Itabashi Town, Kita-Toshima District
       Itabashi
      Itabashi
    
          Kami-Itabashi Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Shimura Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Akatsuka Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Nerima Town, Kita-Toshima District
       Nerima
    
          Kami-Nerima Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Nakaarai Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Shakujii Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Oizumi Village, Kita-Toshima District
    
          Senju Town, Minami-Adachi District
       Adachi
    
          Umejima Town, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Nishiarai Town, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Kohoku Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Toneri Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Ikou Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Fuchie Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Higashi-Fuchie Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Hanahata Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Ayase Village, Minami-Adachi District
    
          Honden Town, Minami-Katsushika District
       Katsushika
    
          Okudo Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Minami-Ayase Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Kameao Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Niijuku Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Kanamachi Town, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Mizumoto Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Komatsugawa Town, Minami-Katsushika District
       Edogawa
    
          Matsue Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Mizue Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Kasai Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Shikamoto Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Shinozaki Village, Minami-Katsushika District
    
          Koiwa Town, Minami-Katsushika District

Related pages

 Capital of Japan
 Administrative division
 Urban area
 Municipalities of Japan
 Wards of Japan

References

Other websites

 Tokyo Metropolitan Government, http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/PROFILE/overview06.htm 
 Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Local Government in Japan 
 "Large City System of Japan"; graphic shows special wards of Tokyo compared with other Japanese city types at p. 1 [PDF 7 of 40]

 
 
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