Bunkyō


Bunkyō is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there. Bunkyō is home to the Tokyo Dome, Judo's Kōdōkan, and the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus.
It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Hongo and Koishikawa wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The modern Bunkyo ward exhibits contrasting Shitamachi and Yamanote geographical and cultural division. The and neighborhoods in the ward's eastern corner are attached to the Shitamachi area in Ueno. On the other hand, the remaining areas of the ward typically represent Yamanote districts.
As of 2022, the ward has a population of 240,069, and a population density of. The total area is.

History

Bunkyo was formed in 1947 as a merger of Hongo and Koishikawa wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis.

Geography

Districts and neighborhoods

There are approximately twenty districts in the area and these are as follows:
;Koishikawa Area
;Hongō Area
Bunkyo is governed by Mayor Hironobu Narisawa, an independent supported by the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito. The city council has 34 elected members.

Economy

The publishing company Kodansha has its headquarters in the ward, and Kodansha International has its headquarters in the Otowa YK Building in the ward. The drugstore chain Tomod's has its headquarters in the ward. Penta-Ocean, the construction firm specializing in marine works and land reclamation also has its headquarters in Bunkyo.
The automobile manufacturer Toyota has its Tokyo headquarters in the ward.

Demographics

By 2025, increasing numbers of Chinese immigrant families, of wealthy backgrounds, were moving to the ward to enroll their children in local elementary schools.

Cityscape

In 2025, real estate agency worker Bun Kaito stated that "The ward is also renowned for safety, often ranked as the safest in statistics."

Landmarks

Bunkyo built up a reputation as having strong educational facilities, and this stems from institutions being established in the Meiji era in former samurai estates.

Universities and colleges

National

  • Institute of Science Tokyo Yushima Campus
  • Ochanomizu University
  • University of Tsukuba Ōtsuka Campus
  • University of Tokyo Hongō Campus

    Private

  • Atomi University
  • Juntendo University
  • Takushoku University
  • Chuo University Engineering department
  • Tokyo Woman's Christian University
  • Toyo University
  • Toyo Gakuen University
  • Nippon Medical School
  • Japan Women's University
  • Bunkyo Gakuin University
  • Bunkyo Gakuin College
  • International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies

    Primary and secondary schools

Nationally-operated high schools:
Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
  • Koishikawa High School
The metropolis operates the Koishikawa Secondary Education School.
The metropolis operates the.
Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by Bunkyo Board of Education.
Municipal junior high schools:
  • No. 1 Junior High School
  • No. 3 Junior High School
  • No. 6 Junior High School
  • No. 8 Junior High School
  • No. 9 Junior High School
  • No. 10 Junior High School
  • Bunrin Junior High School
  • Hongodai Junior High School
  • Meidai Junior High School
  • Otowa Junior High School
Municipal elementary schools:
  • Aoyagi Elementary School
  • Hayashicho Elementary School
  • Hongo Elementary School
  • Kagomachi Elementary School
  • Kanatomi Elementary School
  • Kohinata Daimachi Elementary School
  • Komamoto Elementary School
  • Kubomachi Elementary School
  • Meika Elementary School
  • Nezu Elementary School
  • Otsuka Elementary School
  • Rekisen Elementary School
  • Sasugaya Elementary School
  • Seishi Elementary School
  • Sekiguchi Daimachi Elementary School
  • Sendagi Elementary School
  • Shiomi Elementary School
  • Showa Elementary School
  • Yanagicho Elementary School
  • Yushima Elementary School
Four of those elementary schools are known as "3S1K", as having a very prominent status; by 2025 many Chinese immigrant families, looking for strong educational facilities, moved to the attendance zones of those schools to enroll their children there.

Culture

In 2025 Kaito highlighted that Koishikawa-Kōrakuen made the ward attractive to Chinese families.

Museums

Train stations

Toei subway lines

  • Toei Mita Line: Sengoku, Hakusan, Kasuga, Suidōbashi
  • Toei Ōedo Line: Iidabashi, Kasuga, Hongō Sanchōme

    Tokyo Metro subway lines

  • Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line: Sendagi, Nezu, Yushima
  • Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line: Shin-Ōtsuka, Myōgadani, Kōrakuen, Hongō Sanchōme, Ochanomizu
  • Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line: Gokokuji, Edogawabashi
  • Tokyo Metro Namboku Line: Kōrakuen, Tōdaimae, Honkomagome

    Highways

  • No.5 Ikebukuro Route

    Sister cities

Bunkyō has a sister-city relationship with Kaiserslautern in the Rhineland-Palatinate of Germany.

Notable people from Bunkyō