Everything about Azabu totally explained
Azabu (麻布) is a district of
Minato Ward 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 the
Jōmon period. The Juban Inari shrine (formerly known as Takechiyo Inari) was constructed in AD
712, the temple of
Zenpuku-ji in
824, and the Hikawa Shrine in
939 (on orders of
Minamoto no Tsunemoto).
The area became urbanized in the 1600s, after
Tokugawa Ieyasu established his seat of government in nearby
Edo. Azabu soon became home to the Juban Horse Grounds, Edo's largest
horse market. In
1859, the first
United 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 the
Meiji 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
Taisho era, 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 in
1947, 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 artist
Naoko Takeuchi resides, and the Azabu Jūban area is the setting of her fictional
Sailor Moon series. The internationally acclaimed vocalist
Ayumi 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 Jūban
Matsuri, 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, Australia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Norway, Finland, South Korea, Iran, France and Greece
- Temple University Japan Campus
- Zenpuku-ji, a temple which housed the first legation of the United States in Japan during the 1800s.
Companies based in Azabu
Fujifilm
Subway stations
Akabanebashi Station (Toei Oedo Line)
Azabu-Jūban Station (Namboku Line, Toei Oedo Line)
Hiroo Station (Hibiya Line)Further Information
Get more info on 'Azabu'.
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