Special wards of Tokyo

are one of the basic local entities of Japan.Web-Japan.org,  "Local self-government," p. 1; retrieved 2012-12-19.  There are 23 municipalities in the core of the capital of Japan.Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), "Municipalities within Tokyo" ; retrieved 2012-3-26.  They are "special wards" because they are different from the  of other major Japanese cities.The special wards are not the same as the special cities of Japan.

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
 Name Kanji Population(2007) Density Area Major districts border|22px Adachi Adachi website ; retrieved 2012-3-26.  足立区   629,392  11,830.68   53.20 Ayase, Kitasenju, Takenotsuka border|22px Arakawa Arakawa website; retrieved 2012-3-26.  荒川区   194,777  18,262.25   10.20 Arakawa, Machiya, Nippori, Minamisenju border|22px Bunkyō Bunkyō website ; retrieved 2012-3-26.  文京区   194,933  16,009.28   11.31 Hongō, Yayoi, Hakusan border|22px Chiyoda Chiyoda website ; retrieved 2012-3-26.  千代田区    43,802   3,763.06   11.64 Nagatachō, Kasumigaseki, Ōtemachi, Marunouchi, Akihabara, Yūrakuchō, Iidabashi border|22px Chūō Chūō website; retrieved 2012-3-26.  中央区    104,997   10,344.53   10.15 Nihonbashi, Kayabachō, Ginza, Tsukiji, Hatchōbori, Shinkawa, Tsukishima, Kachidoki, Tsukuda, border|22px EdogawaEdogawa website ; retrieved 2012-3-26.  江戸川区   661,386  13,264.86   49.86 Kasai, Koiwa border|22px ItabashiItabashi website; retrieved 2012-3-27.  板橋区   529,059  16,445.72   32.17 Itabashi, Takashimadaira border|22px KatsushikaKatsushika website; retrieved 2012-3-27.   葛飾区   428,066  12,286.62   34.84 Tateishi, Aoto border|22px KitaKita website; retrieved 2012-3-27.  北区   330,646  15,885.67   20.59 Akabane, Ōji, Tabata border|22px KōtōKōtō website; retrieved 2012-3-27.  江東区  436,337  10,963.24   39.8 Kiba, Ariake, Kameido, Tōyōchō, Monzennakachō, Fukagawa, Kiyosumi, Shirakawa, Etchūjima, Sunamachi, Aomi border|22px MeguroMeguro website; retrieved 2012-3-27.  目黒区   267,798  18,217.55   14.70 Meguro, Nakameguro, Jiyugaoka border|22px MinatoMinato website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.  港区   205,196   10,088.30   20.34 Odaiba, Shinbashi, Shinagawa, Roppongi, Toranomon, Aoyama, Azabu, Hamamatsuchō, Tamachi border|22px NakanoNakano website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.  中野区   312,939  20,097.82   15.59 Nakano border|22px NerimaNerima website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.  練馬区   702,202  14,580.61   48.16 Nerima, Ōizumi, Hikarigaoka border|22px OtaŌtaŌta website; retrieved 2012-3-27.   大田区   674,590  11,345.27   59.46 Ōmori, Kamata, Haneda, Den-en-chōfu border|22px Setagaya   世田谷区   855,416  14,728.23   58.08 Setagaya, Kitazawa, Kinuta, Karasuyama, Tamagawa border|22px ShibuyaShibuya website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.   渋谷区   205,512  13,337.13   15.11 Shibuya, Ebisu, Harajuku, Hiroo, Sendagaya, Yoyogi border|22px Shinagawa  品川区   353,887  15,576.01   22.72 Shinagawa, Gotanda, Ōsaki, Hatanodai, Ōimachi border|22px ShinjukuShinjuku website; retrieved 2012-3-27.  新宿区   309,463  16,975.48   18.23 Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, Ōkubo, Kagurazaka, Ichigaya border|22px SuginamiSuginami website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.  杉並区   534,981  15,725.49   34.02 Kōenji, Asagaya, Ogikubo border|22px SumidaSumida website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.  墨田区   237,433  16,079.49   13.75 Kinshichō, Morishita, Ryōgoku border|22px TaitōTaitō website; retrieved 2012-3-27.  台東区   168,277  16,139.38   10.08 Ueno, Asakusa border|22px ToshimaToshima website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.  豊島区   256,009  19,428.44   13.01 Ikebukuro, Komagome, Senkawa, Sugamo Overall 8,637,098  13,890.25  621.81 

History of wards

{| class=wikitable 
|-
|colspan="2"|1889 - 1920(15 wards)
|colspan="2"|1920 - 1932(15 wards)
|1932 - 1936(35 wards)
|1936 - 1947(35 wards)
|23 special wardsof Tokyo Metropolis

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Kojimachi
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Chiyodawebsite ; retrieved 2012-3-27.

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Kanda

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Nihonbashi
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Chūōwebsite; retrieved 2012-3-27.

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Kyobashi

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Shiba
| rowspan="3" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Minato

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Azabu

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Akasaka

|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffff80| Yotsuya
| colspan="4" rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffff80| Yotsuya
| rowspan="7" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Shinjuku

|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Naito-shinjuku Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Ushigome

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Yodobashi town, Toyotama District
| rowspan="4" colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffff80| Yodobashi

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Okubo Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Totsuka Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Ochiai Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Koishikawa
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Bunkyō

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Hongo

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Shitaya
| rowspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00| Taitō

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Asakusa

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Honjo
| rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00| Sumida

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Terashima Town, Minami-Katsushika District
| colspan="2" rowspan="3" bgcolor="#ffff80| Mukojima

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Azuma Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Sumida Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="6" bgcolor="#ffff80| Fukagawa
| rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Kōtō

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Kameido Town, Minami-Katsushika District
| colspan="2" rowspan="3" bgcolor="#ffff80| Joto

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Ojima Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Suna Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Shinagawa Town, Ebara District
| colspan="2" rowspan="3" bgcolor="#ffff80| Shinagawa Shinagawa website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.
| rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00| Shinagawa

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Oi Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Osaki Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Ebara Town, Ebara District
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffff80| Ebara

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Meguro Town, Ebara District
| colspan="3" rowspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Meguro

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Hibusuma Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Omori Town, Ebara District
| colspan="2" rowspan="5" bgcolor="#ffff80| Ōmori
| rowspan="9" bgcolor="#00ff00|  ŌtaŌta website; retrieved 2012-3-27.

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Iriarai Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Magome Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Ikegami Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Higashi-Chofu Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Kamata Town, Ebara District
| colspan="2" rowspan="4" bgcolor="#ffff80| Kamata

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Yaguchi Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Rokugo Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Haneda Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Setagaya Town, Ebara District
| rowspan="4" bgcolor="#ffff80| Setagaya Setagaya website ; retrieved 2012-3-27. 
| rowspan="6" colspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Setagaya

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Komazawa Town, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Matsuzawa Village, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Tamagawa Village, Ebara District

|-
| colspan="5" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Kinuta Village, Kita-Tama District

|-
| colspan="5" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Chitose Village, Kita-Tama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Shibuya Town, Toyotama District
| colspan="3" rowspan="3" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Shibuya

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Sendagaya Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Yoyohata Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nakano Town, Toyotama District
| colspan="3" rowspan="2" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Nakano

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nogata Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Suginami Town, Toyotama District
| colspan="3" rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00| Suginami

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Wadabori Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Iogi Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Takaido Town, Toyotama District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Sugamo Town, Kita-Toshima District
| colspan="3" rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00| Toshima

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nishi-Sugamo Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nagasaki Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Takada Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Takinogawa Town, Kita-Toshima District
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#ffff80| Takinogawa
| rowspan="3" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Kita

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Ouji Town, Kita-Toshima District
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffff80| Oji

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Iwabuchi Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Minami-Senju Town, Kita-Toshima District
| colspan="3" rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Arakawa

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Mikawashima Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nippori Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Ogu Town, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Itabashi Town, Kita-Toshima District
| colspan="2" rowspan="9" bgcolor="#ffff80|  Itabashi Itabashi website; retrieved 2012-3-27.
| rowspan="4" bgcolor="#00ff00| Itabashi

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Kami-Itabashi Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Shimura Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Akatsuka Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nerima Town, Kita-Toshima District
| rowspan="5" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Nerima

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Kami-Nerima Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Nakaarai Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Shakujii Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Oizumi Village, Kita-Toshima District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Senju Town, Minami-Adachi District
| colspan="3" rowspan="10" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Adachi

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Umejima Town, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Nishiarai Town, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Kohoku Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Toneri Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Ikou Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Fuchie Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Higashi-Fuchie Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Hanahata Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Ayase Village, Minami-Adachi District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Honden Town, Minami-Katsushika District
| colspan="3" rowspan="7" bgcolor="#00ff00|  Katsushika

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Okudo Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Minami-Ayase Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Kameao Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Niijuku Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Kanamachi Town, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Mizumoto Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Komatsugawa Town, Minami-Katsushika District
| colspan="3" rowspan="7" bgcolor="#00ff00|  EdogawaEdogawa website ; retrieved 2012-3-27.

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Matsue Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Mizue Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Kasai Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Shikamoto Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#99CCFF| Shinozaki Village, Minami-Katsushika District

|-
| colspan="4" bgcolor="#66FFFF| Koiwa Town, Minami-Katsushika District

</TABLE>

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 
  ; graphic shows special wards of Tokyo compared with other Japanese city types at p. 1 



Category:Japan-related lists