35°39′16.7256″N139°44′13.5″E / 35.654646000°N 139.737083°E /35.654646000; 139.737083
Azabu (麻布) is an area inMinato,Tokyo,Japan. Built on a marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo, its coverage roughly corresponds to that of the former Azabu Ward, presently consisting of nine official districts:Azabu-Jūban,Azabudai,Azabu-Nagasakachō,Azabu-Mamianachō,Minami-Azabu,Nishi-Azabu,Higashi-Azabu,Moto-Azabu andRoppongi. It is known as one of Tokyo's most expensive and upscale residential districts with many artists, business people, and celebrities residing there. It is also known for its largeforeign population, due in part to a number of foreignembassies present in the area.
The name Azabu (麻布) literally means “hemp cloth.” It first appears in records from 1559 as “阿佐布,” with several variant writings used through theEdo period. The present form (麻布) came into regular use by the mid-17th century, and is thought to derive from local farmers in Moto-Azabu who produced hemp cloth.[1]
Until the earlyEdo period, the area was agricultural. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited as far back as theJōmon period. The Juban Inari shrine (formerly known as Takechiyo Inari) was constructed in AD 712, the temple ofZenpuku-ji in 824, and the Hikawa Shrine in 939 (on orders ofMinamoto no Tsunemoto).
The area became urbanized in the 17th century, afterTokugawa Ieyasu established his seat of government in nearbyEdo. Azabu soon became home to the Juban Horse Grounds, Edo's largesthorse market. In 1859, the firstUnited States delegation in Japan was established at Zenpuku-ji.
Azabu (including the adjacent district ofRoppongi) was a ward of Tokyo from 1878 to 1947. During the industrialization of theMeiji 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 theTaishō period, Azabu was overrun with theaters, department stores, andred-light districts, becoming one of Japan's best-known entertainment districts.
Much of Azabu was destroyed during thefirebombing of Tokyo in1945, although a special bunker created for theprivileged classes that lived there saved many lives, includingYoko Ono's.[2] 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 wheremanga artistNaoko Takeuchi resides, and the Azabu-Jūban area is the setting of her fictionalSailor Moon series. The internationally acclaimed vocalistAyumi Hamasaki resides in apenthouse apartment in Minami-Azabu. Azabu is also the location of many international embassies and consulates, as well as a large foreign population. Azabu-Jūban, with its unique cobbled high-street, also hosts the popular annual Azabu-JūbanMatsuri, a food festival with a variety of local vendor stalls and carnival games which attract large crowds every summer.
Azabu contains a concentration of foreign embassies including those ofAfghanistan,Russia,China,Germany,Austria,Switzerland,Slovakia,Taiwan,Norway,Philippines,Finland,South Korea,Iran,France,Romania,Greece andPortugal.
Among the area's historic religious sites isZenpuku-ji, a temple which housed the first legation of the United States in Japan during the 19th century. Nearby Hikawa Shrine serves as a focal point for local festivals.
Azabu also hosts major community institutions. TheMindan (Korean Residents Union in Japan) has its headquarters here, reflecting the area’s role as a hub for Tokyo’s Korean population. The district also contains the long-standing Azabu-Jūban shopping street, Azabu High School, and several international schools, contributing to its reputation as a cosmopolitan neighborhood.
The City of Minato (The Minato Ward) Board of Education operates local public elementary and junior high schools.Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates local public high schools.
