Yurakucho
Encyclopedia
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
situated in between the Ginza
Ginza
is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most...
and Hibiya
Hibiya
is a geographic name covering a part of Chiyoda ward . The zone along the Hibiya Street from Yūrakuchō to Uchisaiwaichō is Hibiya district. There are many residence indications, but some indications using this word, Hibiya, like Hibiya Park and Hibiya Station...
Park, near the neighborhood of Shinbashi
Shinbashi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located south of Ginza, west of Tsukiji, east of Toranomon and north of Hamamatsucho.-History:Shinbashi was the Tokyo terminus of the first railway in Japan in 1872...
. Unlike its tonier neighbor Ginza, Yūrakuchō provides a glimpse of Japanese life from the early postwar period, with its many izakaya
Izakaya
An is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are popular, casual places for after-work drinking.-Name:...
(Japanese-style bars, denoted by their red lanterns known as akachochin
Traditional lighting equipment of Japan
The traditional lighting equipment of Japan includes the andon , the bonbori , the chōchin , and the tōrō .-Andon:...
) and outdoor yakitori
Yakitori
, grilled chicken, is commonly a Japanese type of skewered chicken. The term Yakitori can also refer to skewered food in general. Kushiyaki , is a formal term that encompasses both poultry and non-poultry items, skewered and grilled...
restaurants ("yakitoriya"), many of which are located under the train tracks serving Tokyo's JR Yamanote Line
Yamanote Line
The is commuter rail loop line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres, including the Yūrakuchō/Ginza area, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, with all but two of its...
. Because of its many traditional Japanese-style eating establishments
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
, as well as its location on the Yamanote Line with easy access to Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
, Yūrakuchō is a favorite drinking spot for businessmen on their way home from work.
Yūrakuchō is served by several train and subway stations, including Yūrakuchō Station
Yurakucho Station
is a train station located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.- History :The elevated JR station opened on June 25, 1910. The metro station opened on October 30, 1974.-Lines:Yūrakuchō is served by the following lines:*Tokyo Metro**Yūrakuchō Line...
on the JR Yamanote Line and Keihin-Tōhoku Line
Keihin-Tohoku Line
The , is a railway line in Japan which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company network. The line's name is derived from the characters for , and the...
, and Yūrakuchō Station on the Yūrakuchō subway line
Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
The is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line connects Wakōshi Station in Wakō, Saitama and Shin-Kiba Station in Kōtō, Tokyo. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color "gold" , and its stations are given numbers using the letter Y.The proper name as...
.
The neighborhood takes its name from Oda Nagamasu
Oda Nagamasu
was a Japanese daimyo who lived from the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period. Also known as Urakusai , he was a brother of Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasu converted to Christianity in 1588 and took the baptismal name of John....
(or Urakusai, 1547–1622), younger brother of Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. Nagamasu built his mansion here on land near the Sukiya-bashi Gate of Edo Castle
Edo Castle
, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
granted by Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
.
In 1707, the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
established the Minami-machi Bugyō-sho
Edo machi-bugyo
were magistrates or municipal administrators with responsibility for governing and maintaining order in the shogunal city of Edo. They were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyo, but this was amongst the senior...
, the office of one of the magistrates of Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, in this area.
The place name dates from the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
. It arises from an altered pronunciation of Urakusai.
In Yūrakuchō
DN Tower 21
DN Tower 21 is an office building in Tokyo, Japan. It includes the former Dai-Ichi Seimei Building, in which Douglas MacArthur had his headquarters during the occupation of Japan following World War II. The Government of Tokyo has designated DN Tower 21 as a historical building.-External links:*...
. Home of the The Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Company
The Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Company
, or Dai-ichi Life for short, is the third largest life insurer in Japan measured by revenue, only behind Japan Post Insurance and Nippon Life Insurance....
, the building, across the moat from the Imperial Palace
Kokyo
is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace , the emperor left Kyoto Imperial Palace for Tokyo...
, was the headquarters of Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
under Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
during the Occupation of Japan. Norinchukin Bank
Norinchukin Bank
The Norinchukin Bank is a Japanese cooperative bank serving over 5612 agricultural, fishing and forestry cooperatives from its headquarters in Tokyo. Its members include cooperative federations such as the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives and the Japan Fishery Cooperatives...
shares the facility.
The Yūrakuchō Center Building (Yūrakuchō Mullion) complex, featuring retail, performance halls, and parking, is also located here. The neighborhood has many theatres and cinemas, among them the Tokyo International Forum
Tokyo International Forum
The is a multi-purpose center in Tokyo, Japan.One of its halls seats 5,000. In addition to seven other halls, it includes exhibition space, a lobby, restaurants, shops, and other facilities....
, Yuraku-za, Nissei Hall, Subaru, Shante, Tokyo Takarazuka, Hibiya Scala, and Miyuki-za. The Hibiya Mitsui houses the home offices of the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
is a Japanese bank based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a member of the Sumitomo Group and Mitsui Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.-History:...
, the Japan Steel Works, Ltd., and Asahi Kasei
Asahi Kasei
is a Japanese company. The main products are chemicals and materials science. The company has around 25,000 employees and had consolidated sales of ¥ 1.7 trillion in 2008. It was founded in May 1931, using the paid in capital of Nobeoka Ammonia Fiber Co., Ltd, a Nobeoka, Miyazaki based producer of...
, while the Shin Yūrakuchō Building is home to Asahi Glass Co.
Asahi Glass Co.
is a Japanese manufacturing company. It is one of the core Mitsubishi companies.Founded in 1907 by Toshiya Iwasaki, the second son of the second president of the original Mitsubishi Zaibatsu. It was the first Japanese producer of sheet glass. Asahi Glass Co...
, Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd., and Nichiro Corporation. Toyota Tsusho
Toyota Tsusho
Toyota Tsusho Corporation , , based in Nagoya and Tokyo, is a sōgō shōsha , a member of the Toyota Group. It is one of the largest trading companies in Japan, and the 6th largest in the world...
and Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
have their headquarters in the neighborhood, and the Japan National Tourist Organization
Japan National Tourist Organization
The or JNTO provides information about Japan to promote travel to and in the country. Its headquarters are in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo. It operates Tourist Information Centers as well as a website. The JNTO disseminates information about transportation, lodging, food and beverage, and sight-seeing...
(JNTO) has both its headquarters and a Tourist Information Center in Yūrakuchō. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan was started in 1945 to provide infrastructure for foreign journalists working in Post-World War II Japan. Historically, the club has been located in the area around Ginza....
has its facilities in the Yūrakuchō Denki North Building.
Economy
TohoToho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
's headquarters, the , are in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
. The company moved into its current headquarters in April 2005.
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
operates a domestic and international flights ticketing office on the first floor of the Yurakucho Denki Building in Yūrakuchō.
At one time Japan Asia Airways
Japan Asia Airways
is a defunct subsidiary of Japan Airlines which existed between 1975 and 2008. JAA was headquartered in the Japan Airlines Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo....
had its headquarters in the Yurakucho Denki Building, and Galaxy Airlines had its headquarters in the district.