Kunitachi, Tokyo
Encyclopedia
is a city
located in the western part of the metropolitan area of Tokyo
, Japan
. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population
of 74,623.
, a Shinto shrine established in 903, is in Kunitachi.
The city lies along the historical Kōshū Kaidō
, a route that connected Edo
with Kofu in the province
of Kai
(present-day Yamanashi Prefecture
). Kunitachi is known for its broad main avenue, Daigaku Dori (University Avenue). This cherry
-tree-lined boulevard
stretches from Kunitachi Station
on the Chūō Line
toward the banks of the Tama River
.
The city is home to Hitotsubashi University
, which is regarded as one of Japan's leading public universities, particularly in the fields of social science, global studies, and commerce.
Also the city was originally home to Kunitachi College of Music
, which is Japan's largest private conservatory of music. The tertiary-level branch of the conservatory is now located far outside the city, but its attached high school and business affiliate, Kunitachi Gakki (Western Tokyo's largest community music center), remain in central Kunitachi.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education
operates public high schools in Kunitachi.
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
located in the western part of the metropolitan area of 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...
. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 74,623.
History
Kunitachi was founded on January 1, 1967. The Yaho Tenman-gūYaho Tenman-gu
is a Shinto shrine in Kunitachi, Tokyo. It is located next to the Kōshū Kaidō highway. According to legend, the shrine was constructed by the third son of Sugawara no Michizane in 903 to worship his father...
, a Shinto shrine established in 903, is in Kunitachi.
Geography
Koshu Kaido
The was one of the five routes of the Edo period and it was built to connect Edo with Kai Province in modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The route continues from there to connect with the Nakasendō's Shimosuwa-shuku in Nagano Prefecture...
, a route that connected 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...
with Kofu in the province
Provinces of Japan
Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni , usually known in English as provinces. Each province was divided into gun ....
of Kai
Kai Province
, also known as , is an old province in Japan in the area of Yamanashi Prefecture. It lies in central Honshū, west of Tokyo, in a landlocked mountainous region that includes Mount Fuji along its border with Shizuoka Prefecture....
(present-day Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
). Kunitachi is known for its broad main avenue, Daigaku Dori (University Avenue). This cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
-tree-lined boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
stretches from Kunitachi Station
Kunitachi Station
is a train station on the Chūō Main Line in Kunitachi, Tokyo, Japan. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company .-Layout:- Adjacent stations :...
on the Chūō Line
Chuo Main Line
The , commonly called the Chūō Line, is one of the major trunk railway lines in Japan. It runs between Tokyo and Nagoya, although it is the slowest direct railway connection between the two cities; the coastal Tōkaidō Main Line is slightly faster, while the Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the fastest rail...
toward the banks of the Tama River
Tama River
The is a major river in Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government....
.
Education
There are three big universities in Kunitachi: Hitotsubashi University, Kunitachi College of Music, and Yusei University.The city is home to Hitotsubashi University
Hitotsubashi University
is a national university specialised in the social sciences in Tokyo, Japan. The University has campuses in Kunitachi, Kodaira, and Kanda.Hitotsubashi is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It is ranked 25th in the world in 2011 by École des Mines de Paris.Hitotsubashi...
, which is regarded as one of Japan's leading public universities, particularly in the fields of social science, global studies, and commerce.
Also the city was originally home to Kunitachi College of Music
Kunitachi College of Music
The is a private music school in Tokyo, Japan. It was founded in 1926 as the Tokyo Conservatory of Music.It is located at Kashiwa-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo.-Notable alumni:*Masamichi Amano, composer*Ahn Eak-tai, composer and conductor...
, which is Japan's largest private conservatory of music. The tertiary-level branch of the conservatory is now located far outside the city, but its attached high school and business affiliate, Kunitachi Gakki (Western Tokyo's largest community music center), remain in central Kunitachi.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education is the board of education in Tokyo, Japan. The board manages the individual school systems within the metropolis. The board also directly manages all of the public high schools in Tokyo...
operates public high schools in Kunitachi.
- Kunitachi High School http://www.kunitachi-h.metro.tokyo.jp/
- Fifth Commercial High School http://www.daigoshogyo-h.metro.tokyo.jp/