Area overview

Arakawa ward is in the north of Tokyo, extending west to east. It is bordered by the Sumida river to the north, and also borders Bunkyo, Taito, Sumida, Kita, and Adachi wards. It is mostly a flat plain with a higher plateau near Nippori. It gets its name from the river which runs through it, and the Arakawa river has been an important waterway. Arakawa became a ward on October 1st 1932 after the merger of several smaller towns and villages. Around 1945 it boasted the largest population in Tokyo. In the Meiji period, many factories were built here along the river, and now many apartment buildings have taken the place of the factories. In particular, the Minami-Senju area is thriving.

Things to see

Nippori in Arakawa is sometimes called "Nippori Casual", as it is home to many textile and fabric shops, as well as inexpensive clothing stores, and is a popular area. You can buy clothes, fabric, buttons, leather goods, etc. Also, roses grow alongside the Toden Arakawa line, which you can see blooming from May to October, or maybe even buy some roses.

Lifestyle

Arakawa has a population of 209,000 people. Many people who live here work and study in other Tokyo wards. Arakawa used to be an industrial area mostly with workers, but now that the factories are being replaced by apartments, it is more of a family type area. Many of these old industrial areas retain their Japanese-style downtown feel, especially around Minami-Senju. The population has only been increasing since 1995. Recently Arakawa has been focusing on producing fresh locally-grown vegetables, which are used in school lunches, and there are even agriculturally-focused high schools.

Machiya station is in Tokyo's Arakawa ward, and is served by the Keisei main line, Tokyo Metro Chiyoda line, and the Toden Arakawa line. The station originally opened as a stop along the former name of the Toden Arakawa line in 1913, and the Keisei station was built in 1931. The station gained its current name in 1977. The Chiyoda line portion opened in 1969. Average daily ridership for the metro subway is 61,000. On the Chiyoda line, the trains head toward either Otemachi and Yoyogi Uehara, or Kita-Senju and Ayase. The Toden Arakawa tram heads toward Minowabashi or Waseda.