Nakano (Japanese: 中野, Nakano) is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Nakano City (中野区, Nakano-ku).
As of January 1, 2024, the ward has an estimated population of 337,377, and a population density of 21,640 persons per km2. The total area is 15.59 km2. Nakano is the most densely populated city in Japan.
Contents
History
The ward was founded on October 1, 1932, when the towns of Nogata and Nakano were absorbed into the former Tokyo City as Nakano Ward. The present administration dates from March 15, 1947, when the Allied occupation reformed the administration of Tokyo-to.
1447: Ōta Dōkan defeated Toshima Yasutsune in a battle here.
1606: The Naruki Kaidō, predecessor of today's Ōme Kaidō (a road to Ōme) was established.
1695: In connection with the Shorui Awaremi no Rei (a law for the protection of animals), a facility for keeping wild dogs opened.
1871: The twelve villages that comprise present-day Nakano became part of Tokyo Prefecture.
1889: The Kofu Railway opens. The forerunner of today's Chūō Main Line included a station at Nakano en route from Shinjuku to Hachioji.
1897: Nakano becomes a village.
1932: Tokyo City expands to encompass the district that included Nakano.
1943: With the abolition of Tokyo City, Nakano becomes part of Tokyo-to.
1947: Nakano becomes one of the special wards under the new system.
1961: The Tokyo subway system extends to Nakano.
1973: Construction of Nakano Sun Plaza near Nakano Station reaches completion.
2016: Murder of Jiang Ge
Geography
Five special wards surround Nakano: Shinjuku, Suginami, Nerima, Shibuya, and Toshima. It lies just west of the bustling Shinjuku area.
Rivers include the Kanda, Myosho-ji and Zenpuku-ji Rivers, and the Aratama Waterway.
Places
Nakano Sun Plaza: concert hall, hotel facilities
Arai Yakushi Shingon Buddhist temple
Nakano Broadway: otaku building (several floors of arcades, manga, anime, idol, music, toy and subculture specialty shops, as well as a well-regarded Namco arcade)
GRIPS International House, apartment for foreign students studying at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Education
Public schools
Metropolitan senior high and combined junior-senior high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
Fuji High School and Junior High School
Minorigaoka High School
Musashigaoka High School
Nakano Technical High School
Saginomiya High School
Yotsuya Commercial High School
Municipal kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools are operated by the Nakano City Board of Education.
Municipal junior high schools:
No. 2 Junior High School (第二中学校)
No. 5 Junior High School (第五中学校)
No. 7 Junior High School (第七中学校)
Kita Nakano Junior High School (北中野中学校)
Meiwa Junior High School (明和中学校)
Merger of No. 4 Junior High School (第四中学校) and No. 8 Junior High School (第八中学校).
Midorino Junior High School (緑野中学校)
Minami Nakano Junior High School (南中野中学校)
Nakano Junior High School (中野中学校)
Nakano Higashi Junior High School (中野東中学校)
Private schools
Horikoshi Gakuen High School
Hosen Gakuen Junior and Senior High School - Has coeducational and girls' only sections
Jissen Gakuen Junior and Senior High School
Meiji Nakano Junior and Senior High School
Meisei High School
Nippon Wellness High School
Nitobe Bunka Gakuen Junior and Senior High School
Otsuma Nakano Junior and Senior High School - Girls' school
Toa Gakuen High School
Colleges and universities
Teikyo Heisei University Nakano Campus
Tokyo Polytechnic University
Meiji University Nakano Campus
University of Tokyo Nakano campus
Kokusai Junior College
Transportation
Rail
Nakano Ward is served by the JR East Chūō and Sobu lines, the Seibu Shinjuku Line, the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, and the Toei Oedo Line.
JR East
Chūō Line (Rapid), Chūō-Sōbu Line: Higashi-Nakano and Nakano Stations
Seibu Railway
Seibu Shinjuku Line: Arai Yakushi-mae, Numabukuro, Nogata, Toritsu-Kasei, Saginomiya Stations
Tokyo Metro
Marunouchi Line: Shin-Nakano, Nakano-Sakaue Stations
Honancho Branch Line: Nakano-Fujimicho, Nakano-Shimbashi, Nakano-Sakaue Stations
Tozai Line: Nakano, Ochiai (although the station is in Shinjuku, some entrances are in Nakano) Stations
Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation:
Toei Oedo Line: Nakano-Sakaue, Higashi-Nakano, Shin-egota Stations
Bus
A complicated bus network is constructed throughout Nakano Ward because most train lines only run east and west.
Kanto bus
Toei bus
Kokusai Kogyo bus
Keio bus
Roads
Shuto Expressway:
C2 Central Circular Route (Nakano-chōjabashi exit)
Prefectural road:
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 8 (Mejiro-dōri Ave., Shin-Mejiro-dōri Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 439 (Senkawa-dōri Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 440 (Shin-Ōme-kaidō Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 25 (Waseda-dōri Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 433 (Ōkubo-dōri Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 4 (Ōme-kaidō Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 14 (Hōnan-dōri Ave.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 317 (Yamate-dōri St.; 6th Beltway)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 420 (Nakano-dōri St.)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 318 (Kannana-dōri St.; 7th Beltway)
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 427 (Nakasugi-dōri St.)
Business and entertainment
Nakano-minamiguchi ekimae shōtengai – an outdoor arcade.
Soft On Demand – a Japanese adult video group of companies has its headquarters in Nakano.
MAPPA - a Japanese animation studio has its head office in Nakano.
TMS Entertainment - a Japanese animation studio owned by Sega Corporation has its headquarters in Nakano.
Benza series
The Benza is a 2019 Amazon Prime Video series about two foreigners (Christopher McCombs and Kyle Card) who are trying to fix their broken toilet seat (便座, benza) and are suddenly tasked with saving the world. The series takes place entirely in Higashi Nakano. Benza English is a 2020 spin-off series that also takes place in Higashi Nakano. The Benza RPG is a 2020 video game adaption available on iOS, Android, and Steam.
Notable people
Ryuichi Sakamoto, composer and musician
Kanako Yanagihara, comedian
Mayumi Kojima, singer and songwriter
Marika Matsumoto, voice actress, actress
Shoko Sawada, singer and songwriter
Yuji Tanaka, comedian
El Lindaman, Japanese professional wrestler
Yuhi Sekiguchi, Japanese racing driver
Daigo, Japanese singer-songwriter, actor, talent, and voice actor
Akiyoshi Nakao, Japanese actor
Eiji Iijima, Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 7-dan
Wataru Kamimura, Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 5-dan
Tsunemi Kubodera, Japanese zoologist (National Museum of Nature and Science)
Rieko Miura, Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and former member of the J-pop girlgroup Coco
Masaru Nashimoto, Japanese show-business and gossips reporter
Makoto Sasaki, Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 7-dan
Takahiro Sonoda, Japanese classical pianist
Michiko Yamamoto, Japanese writer and poet (Real Name: Michiko Furuya, Nihongo: 古屋道子, Furuya Michiko)