Sumida, Tokyo


Sumida is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Sumida City.
As of 1 April 2025, the ward has an estimated population of 287,766 and a population density of 20,120 persons per km2. Its total area is 13.77 km2.
Sumida's city office is located in Azumabashi, while its commercial center is the area around Kinshicho Station in the south.

Geography

Sumida is in the north-eastern part of the mainland portion of Tokyo. The Sumida and Arakawa are the major rivers, and form parts of its boundaries. Its neighbors are all special wards: Adachi to the north; Arakawa to the northwest; Katsushika to the east; Edogawa to the southeast; Taitō to the west; Chūō to the southwest; and Kōtō to the south.

Landmarks

  • Asahi Breweries headquarters: The Asahi Beer Hall, with the Asahi flame created by French designer Philippe Starck in 1989, is one of Tokyo's most recognizable modern structures.
  • Edo-Tokyo Museum
  • Eko-in: Buddhist temple
  • Hokusai-dori, with a series of prints by famed Japanese artist Hokusai, who was born in the Kamezawa area of Sumida
  • Honjo Matsuzaka-cho Park: the residence of Kira Yoshinaka stood on this site. The Forty-seven rōnin killed him during the Genroku era.
  • Kinshicho Station
  • Ryōgoku Kokugikan
  • Sumida Triphony Hall, concert hall
  • Tobu Museum
  • Tokyo Irei-do : a memorial to unidentified people who died in the Great Kantō earthquake, the Bombing of Tokyo in World War II and other catastrophes; by Itō Chūta
  • Tokyo Skytree: A digital terrestrial television broadcasting tower used by NHK and other broadcasters. It is the third tallest tower in the world and the tallest man-made structure in Japan. The Tokyo Solamachi retail complex is adjacent to Skytree, with Sumida Aquarium on the 5th and 6th floors.
  • Yokoamicho Park, in the Yokoami district

    Places

  • In the north : Sumida, Tsutsumi-dori, Higashi Sumida, Yahiro, Mukojima, Higashi Mukojima, Tachibana, Bunka, Kyojima, Oshiage
  • In the center : Azuma-bashi, Higashi Komagata, Honjo, Narihira, Yokokawa
  • In the south : Yokoami, Ryogoku, Chitose, Ishiwara, Kamezawa, Midori, Tatekawa, Kikukawa, Taihei, Kinshi, Koto-bashi

    History

The ward was founded on March 15, 1947. It was previously the wards Honjo and Mukojima. Mukojima, formed in 1932, contained the former town of Sumida, which along with the river gave the ward its name.

Companies

  • Asahi Breweries has its headquarters in Azuma-bashi.
  • Japan Tobacco has a plant in Yokokawa.
  • Keisei Electric Railway has its headquarters in Oshiage.
  • Lion Corporation, the detergent and toiletries giant, has its home office in Honjo.
  • Tobu Railway has its headquarters in Oshiage.

    Politics

As of 2023, the mayor is Tōru Yamamoto. The council consists of 34 members.

Transport

Rail lines

Metropolitan high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
In addition, the metropolitan school district also operates a metropolitan junior high school:
Municipal kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools are operated by Sumida City Board of Education.
Municipal junior high schools:
  • Azumadaini Junior High School
  • Azumamatchibana Junior High School
  • Bunka Junior High School
  • Honjyo Junior High School
  • Kinshi Junior High School
  • Ryogoku Junior High School
  • Sakuratsutsumi Junior High School
  • Sumida Junior High School
  • Tatekawa Junior High School
  • Terashima Junior High School
Municipal elementary schools:
  • No. 1 Terajima
  • No. 2 Terajima
  • No. 3 Azuma
  • No. 3 Terajima
  • No. 4 Azuma
  • Chuwa
  • Futaba
  • Higashiazuma
  • Hikifune
  • Kikukawa
  • Kinshi
  • Kototoi
  • Koume
  • Midori
  • Nakagawa
  • Narihira
  • Oshiage
  • Ryogoku
  • Sotode
  • Sumida
  • Tachibana Azuma-no-Mori
  • Umekawa
  • Yahiro
  • Yanagashima
  • Yokokawa
Municipal kindergartens:
  • Daisanterajima
  • Hikifune
  • Kikukawa
  • Midori
  • Tachibana
  • Yahiro
  • Yanagishima
International schools:

Historical

  • Ryūnosuke Akutagawa lived in Mukojima
  • Enomoto Takeaki lived in Mukojima
  • Katsushika Hokusai was born in Kamezawa
  • Katsu Kaishū was born in Kamezawa
  • Kōda Rohan lived in Mukōjima
  • Matsuo Bashō lived in Honjō
  • Mori Ōgai lived in Mukōjima
  • Nezumi Kozō : a memorial is located at Eko-in

    Modern

  • Haruka Igawa: actress, model
  • Chosuke Ikariya: actor, comedian
  • Nana Kinomi: actress
  • Masakazu Morita, voice actor
  • Masao Ohba: former WBA flyweight champion
  • Sadaharu Oh: baseball player and manager
  • Kazuhito Tadano: Major League Baseball player
  • Suihō Tagawa: manga artist
  • Tetsuya Chiba: manga artist
  • Hisanori Takahashi: baseball player
  • Tomomi Takano: model and professional boxer
  • Yoshihiro Takayama: pro wrestler
  • Chisa Yokoyama: voice actor
  • Shunsuke Kazama, actor, voice actor and tarento

    International relations

Sumida maintains sister-city relationships with Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and with Shijingshan District, Beijing, China.

Works set in Sumida

  • Chushingura, the fictional account of the events surrounding the revenge of the Forty-seven Ronin
  • Bokuto Kitan, the novel by Nagai Kafu
  • You're Under Arrest manga series
  • Battle Kuma Oni. in Kachidoki Bridge 「東京激震! 新生莫斯科華撃団! Tōkyō Gekishin! Shinsei Mosukuba Kagekidan!」 Tokyo Trembles! The New Moscow Combat Revue! in Oji Hiroi's 2000 Sakura Wars TV Series Shin Sakura Taisen the Animation, 2020
  • Lycoris Recoil anime series
  • Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo, the horror visual novel directed and written by Takanari Ishiyama and published by Square Enix, 2023