- Azabu
Azabu (麻布) is a district of Minato in
Tokyo ,Japan , built on a marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo. It is known as Tokyo's most prominent upscale residential district: many artists, businesspeople, and celebrities reside there.History
Until the early
Edo period , the area was agricultural. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited as far back as theJōmon period . The Juban Inari shrine (formerly known as Takechiyo Inari) was constructed in AD712 , the temple ofZenpuku-ji in824 , and the Hikawa Shrine in939 (on orders ofMinamoto no Tsunemoto ).The area became urbanized in the 1600s, after
Tokugawa Ieyasu established his seat of government in nearbyEdo . Azabu soon became home to the Juban Horse Grounds, Edo's largesthorse market. In1859 , the firstUnited States delegation in Japan was established at a temple in Azabu.Azabu (including the adjacent district of
Roppongi ) was a ward of Tokyo from 1878 to 1947. During the industrialization of theMeiji era , Azabu was connected to Tokyo by horse-drawn trams. The lowlands became light commercial areas, while the hilltops became prime residential areas. Later, during the [Taishō period] , Azabu was overrun with theaters, department stores, and red-light quarters, becoming one of Japan's best-known entertainment districts.Much of Azabu was destroyed during the firebombing of Tokyo in
1945 . Azabu's commercial areas were not revived after the war, and the area is mainly a residential district today. Following the merger of Azabu Ward into Minato Ward in1947 , the Azabu ward office located in Roppongi was converted into a branch office of the Minato ward government.This is the district of Tokyo where
manga artistNaoko Takeuchi resides, and the Azabu Jūban area is the setting of her fictional "Sailor Moon " series. The internationally acclaimed vocalistAyumi Hamasaki resides in a penthouse apartment in Minami Azabu. Azabu is also the location of many international embassies and consulates, as well as a large "gaijin " (foreign) population. Azabu Jūban also hosts the popular annual Azabu JūbanMatsuri , a food festival with a variety of local vendor stalls and carnival games which attract large crowds every summer.Places in Azabu
*Embassies of
Russia ,China ,Germany ,Austria ,Switzerland ,Taiwan ,Norway ,Finland ,South Korea ,Iran ,France andGreece
*Zenpuku-ji , a temple which housed the first legation of the United States in Japan during the 1800s.Companies based in Azabu
*
Fujifilm ubway stations
*
Akabanebashi Station (Toei Oedo Line)
*Azabu-Jūban Station (Namboku Line, Toei Oedo Line)
*Hiroo Station (Hibiya Line)Education
chools
The City of Minato operates local public elementary and junior high schools.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates local public high schools.Azabu High School , a private boys school, is in Azabu.Public libraries
The Azabu Library exists in Azabu. [http://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/e/liv/serv/com/com03.html]
Colleges and universities
Temple University Japan Campus is in Azabu.ee also
References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.