Remember the Edo period? Chuo cho 2 stands in a special ward in Tokyo. This ward is called Chuo City. It was created in 1947. The merger of Kyobashi and Nihonbashi wards formed it. This happened after Tokyo City became Tokyo Metropolis.
Chuo-ku combines Kyobashi and Nihonbashi. It is the heart of Shitamachi. Shitamachi means the original downtown of Edo-Tokyo. Chuo means Central Ward. It was historically Tokyo’s main commercial center. Shinjuku has challenged this since World War II.
Ginza is Chuo’s most famous area. It was built on a former silver mint. The gold mint was once at the Bank of Japan headquarters. This is also in Chuo.
In 2020 Chuo had 169179 residents. The population density was 16569 people per km2. The area is 10.21 km2. Many businesses are here. The daytime population grows to about 650000.
Chuo sits in central Tokyo. It is surrounded by five special wards. These are Chiyoda, Minato, Taito, Sumida, and Koto.
Administratively Chuo has three zones. These include Nihonbashi Kyobashi and Tsukishima. Nihonbashi and Kyobashi are commercial. They are east of Tokyo Station. They include Ginza and Tsukiji. Tsukishima is an island in Tokyo Bay. It features condominium towers.
Small rivers and canals once crossed the area. Boats used these for commerce. After World War II many waterways were filled. This made way for roads and buildings. The Sumida River is the ward’s eastern border.
Chuo is the second-smallest ward in Tokyo. Only Taito is smaller.
In 1612 Tokugawa Ieyasu planned Edo as Japan’s capital. He started a commercial district. It surrounded the eastern end of the Tokaido road. This road connected Tokyo and the Kansai region. During the Edo period this area was Edomachi. Edomachi means the town center of Edo.
In 1657 a fire consumed much of the city. The area was re-planned. It now had more canals for maritime commerce.
In 1869 a foreigners’ settlement was established in Tsukiji. It lasted until about 1899.
In 1872 another fire destroyed much of Ginza. Tokyo’s governor re-planned Ginza. It became a modern European-style commercial district. It ran between Shinbashi and Nihonbashi.
In 1878 Nihonbashi and Kyobashi wards were established. This was under Tokyo City’s government.
After Japan’s defeat in World War II buildings were taken over by SCAP. They served as supply centers. These included the Hattori Watch Company and the Matsuya department store. The buildings were returned to Japanese control by 1951.
Chuo Ward was founded on March 15 1947. It merged Nihonbashi and Kyobashi wards.
Remember Ginza? It is Tokyo’s most expensive shopping district. It has stores such as Matsuya and Mitsukoshi. The Kabuki-za theater is also here. At night Ginza shines with neon lights.
Tsukiji is home to the Chuo City Office. Many consider it a top sushi destination. It has a huge wholesale fish market.
Chuo’s population has doubled since 2000. This followed decades of decline.
Ricoh’s headquarters are in the Ricoh Building in Chuo. Sumitomo Corporation’s headquarters are in Chuo. Daiichi Sankyo’s headquarters are also here.
IBM has its Japan headquarters in Chuo.
Chuo is run by a city assembly of 30 members.
Six Shinkansen lines serve Chuo at Tokyo Station. Three Toei subway lines stop throughout the ward.
Chuo has one prefectural high school Harumi Sogo High School.