Urawa-ku, Saitama
Encyclopedia
is a ward
(pop. 137,500) of Saitama City
, Japan
. It is surrounded by Midori-ku
(to the east), Minami-ku
(south), Chūō-ku
(west), Ōmiya-ku
(north), and Minuma-ku
(northeast) of Saitama city.
It is a part of the Greater Tokyo Area
and located about 20 kilometers north of central Tokyo
.
Urawa-ku houses most of the city's administrative offices including the city hall of Saitama City, as well as the offices of Saitama Prefectural
government. Also, there are several newspaper branch offices and three broadcasting stations
. It is the governmental center of Saitama City.
At the same time, this area has developed itself to the second busiest commercial district in Saitama City after Ōmiya-ku
. Especially the west side area of Urawa Station
has many department stores and shops.
, the capital city of Saitama Prefecture
, Japan. It then merged with Ōmiya City and Yono City to form the new capital City, Saitama. In April 2003 Saitama became a city designated by government ordinance
, and now the area of former Urawa City comprises Sakura-ku
, Urawa-ku, Minami-ku
, and Midori-ku
of Saitama City.
The Urawa Red Diamonds
football (soccer)
club in the J. League
, arguably the biggest club in Japan and in Asia called the city home after strong support from its citizens. Although its official hometown recognised by the league is whole Saitama city and it is now the club is headquartered in Saitama Stadium in Midori-ku, the hometown support are strong in the area of former Urawa city. When the team has a match at Urawa Komaba Stadium
in Urawa-ku or Saitama Stadium, the town becomes more and more crowded with the supporters.
, Urawa-ku flourished as a posting station of national high way Nakasendō
, which connected Edo
(modern-day Tokyo
) to Kyoto
. But it was not so big a town as Iwatsuki
, which was the only castle town
in the area of modern-day Saitama City.
In 1869 (Meiji period
in Japan), the Prefectural Government of Urawa Prefecture was set up, and the Government's Office was located in Urawa Town. In 1871, Iwatsuki, Urawa, and Oshi Prefectures merged to form Saitama Prefecture
, and Urawa Town became the capital of this new Prefecture.
After the Great Kantō earthquake
in 1923, Tokyo
and many other cities near Tokyo were heavily damaged. Urawa Town is not so far from Tokyo, and yet was not so entirely damaged compared to Tokyo, Yokohama
, and other cities in southern Kanto
area, so many intellectuals, especially painters, moved to Urawa, and so this old posting station started to change into a modern city.
After that several neighboring villages were merged to Urawa, and in 1934, Urawa Town became a city.
The city existed up until the 2001 merger with Ōmiya
and Yono
to form Saitama.
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
(pop. 137,500) of Saitama City
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, 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...
. It is surrounded by Midori-ku
Midori-ku, Saitama
is one of the ten wards of Saitama located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.-Geography:Midori-ku is located at the south-eastern corner and covers an area part of former Misono Village and an eastern section of former Urawa City. A wide area of green farmland, Minuma Rice Paddies, forms the central...
(to the east), Minami-ku
Minami-ku, Saitama
is one of the ten wards of Saitama located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.On April 1, 1889, various mergers took place in Kitaadachi District. On the same date in 1932, further mergers resulted in the formation of the town of Urawa. This town became a city with the same name in 1934...
(south), Chūō-ku
Chuo-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Japan. It is surrounded by Sakura-ku , Minami-ku , Urawa-ku and Ōmiya-ku of Saitama city.It is a part of the Greater Tokyo Area and located about 20 kilometres north of central Tokyo....
(west), Ōmiya-ku
Omiya-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Greater Tokyo Area and about 25 km north of central Tokyo. Ōmiya-ku is surrounded by Nishi-ku , Kita-ku , Minuma-ku , Urawa-ku , Chūō-ku , and Sakura-ku of Saitama city.Ōmiya-ku is the most active commercial and business centre in...
(north), and Minuma-ku
Minuma-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, occupying the northeastern part of the city. It is surrounded by Iwatsuki-ku , Midori-ku , Urawa-ku , Ōmiya-ku , Kita-ku of Saitama city and cities of Ageo and Hasuda .-History:Until May 1, 2001 it was an eastern part of Ōmiya city...
(northeast) of Saitama city.
It is a part of the Greater Tokyo Area
Greater Tokyo Area
The Greater Tokyo Area is a large metropolitan area in Kantō region, Japan, consisting of most of the prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tokyo . In Japanese, it is referred to by various terms, including the , , and others....
and located about 20 kilometers north of central 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...
.
Urawa-ku houses most of the city's administrative offices including the city hall of Saitama City, as well as the offices of Saitama Prefectural
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
government. Also, there are several newspaper branch offices and three broadcasting stations
Mass media in Saitama Prefecture
This article lists and describes the features of mass media based in Saitama Prefecture of Japan. Most are based in the capital and most populous city Saitama City's Urawa ward. Unless mentioned otherwise the language isJapanese....
. It is the governmental center of Saitama City.
At the same time, this area has developed itself to the second busiest commercial district in Saitama City after Ōmiya-ku
Omiya-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Greater Tokyo Area and about 25 km north of central Tokyo. Ōmiya-ku is surrounded by Nishi-ku , Kita-ku , Minuma-ku , Urawa-ku , Chūō-ku , and Sakura-ku of Saitama city.Ōmiya-ku is the most active commercial and business centre in...
. Especially the west side area of Urawa Station
Urawa Station
is a railway stationlocated in Urawa-ku, Saitama, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is located near Saitama City Hall and Saitama Prefectural Government's Office and the Parliament...
has many department stores and shops.
Former Urawa city (1934-2001) and current Urawa-ku
Until May 1, 2001 it was a central area of former Urawa CityUrawa, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, until it merged into the city of Saitama together with two other cities, Omiya and Yono, on May 1, 2001. In 2003, the former area of Urawa became Urawa-ku, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku, which are wards of the city of Saitama...
, the capital city of Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, Japan. It then merged with Ōmiya City and Yono City to form the new capital City, Saitama. In April 2003 Saitama became a city designated by government ordinance
City designated by government ordinance (Japan)
A , also known as a or , is a Japanese city that has a population greater than 500,000 and has been designated as such by an order of the cabinet of Japan under Article 252, Section 19 of the Local Autonomy Law.-Overview:...
, and now the area of former Urawa City comprises Sakura-ku
Sakura-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, occupying the southwestern part of the city. It is surrounded by Nishi-ku, Ōmiya-ku , Chūō-ku , Minami-ku of Saitama city and cities of Asaka, Shiki and Fujimi ....
, Urawa-ku, Minami-ku
Minami-ku, Saitama
is one of the ten wards of Saitama located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.On April 1, 1889, various mergers took place in Kitaadachi District. On the same date in 1932, further mergers resulted in the formation of the town of Urawa. This town became a city with the same name in 1934...
, and Midori-ku
Midori-ku, Saitama
is one of the ten wards of Saitama located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.-Geography:Midori-ku is located at the south-eastern corner and covers an area part of former Misono Village and an eastern section of former Urawa City. A wide area of green farmland, Minuma Rice Paddies, forms the central...
of Saitama City.
The Urawa Red Diamonds
Urawa Red Diamonds
are a professional association football club playing in Japan's football league, J. League Division 1. One of Japan and Asia's best supported teams, the club has been able to boast the highest average crowds for thirteen of the J-League's twenty season history...
football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club in the J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
, arguably the biggest club in Japan and in Asia called the city home after strong support from its citizens. Although its official hometown recognised by the league is whole Saitama city and it is now the club is headquartered in Saitama Stadium in Midori-ku, the hometown support are strong in the area of former Urawa city. When the team has a match at Urawa Komaba Stadium
Urawa Komaba Stadium
is an athletic stadium in Urawa-ku, Saitama, Saitama, Japan. It accommodates 21,500 spectators.- Usage :The J. League football club Urawa Red Diamonds currently use this stadium for lower profile home matches while in the 2005 to 2007 J...
in Urawa-ku or Saitama Stadium, the town becomes more and more crowded with the supporters.
History
In the Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, Urawa-ku flourished as a posting station of national high way Nakasendō
Nakasendo
The , also called the , was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 stations between Edo and Kyoto, crossing through Musashi, Kōzuke, Shinano, Mino and Ōmi provinces...
, which 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...
(modern-day 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...
) to Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. But it was not so big a town as Iwatsuki
Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama
is a ward of Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan since April 1, 2005 when the city of Iwatsuki was incorporated into Saitama City.-Population and area:The first population count was held on July 1, 2006 and the ward had an estimated population of 111,723...
, which was the only castle town
Castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
in the area of modern-day Saitama City.
In 1869 (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 :...
in Japan), the Prefectural Government of Urawa Prefecture was set up, and the Government's Office was located in Urawa Town. In 1871, Iwatsuki, Urawa, and Oshi Prefectures merged to form Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
, and Urawa Town became the capital of this new Prefecture.
After the Great Kantō earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
in 1923, 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...
and many other cities near Tokyo were heavily damaged. Urawa Town is not so far from Tokyo, and yet was not so entirely damaged compared to Tokyo, Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, and other cities in southern Kanto
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
area, so many intellectuals, especially painters, moved to Urawa, and so this old posting station started to change into a modern city.
After that several neighboring villages were merged to Urawa, and in 1934, Urawa Town became a city.
The city existed up until the 2001 merger with Ōmiya
Omiya, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In 2001 it merged with two other cities to form the city of Saitama. Since 1 April 2003, the area of former Ōmiya city is Kita-ku, Minuma-ku, Nishi-ku, and Ōmiya-ku of Saitama city.-Origin and pre-modern history:...
and Yono
Yono, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The town of Yono began on April 1, 1889. On July 15, 1958, Yono became a city. The city existed between cities of Urawa and Ōmiya. On May 1, 2001 it merged with Ōmiya and Urawa to form the new capital City of Saitama...
to form Saitama.