Ōta, Tokyo Explained

Ōta, Tokyo should not be confused with Ōta, Gunma.

Ōta
Official Name:Ōta City
Native Name Lang:ja
Settlement Type:Special ward
Pushpin Map:Japan Tokyo city#Japan Tokyo#Japan Kanto#Japan
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:35.5614°N 139.7161°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Japan
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Kantō
Subdivision Type2:Prefecture
Subdivision Name2:Tokyo Metropolis
Subdivision Type3:District
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Akimasa Suzuki
Leader Title1:Vice Mayor
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:59.46
Population Total:744,849
Population As Of:March 1, 2024[1]
Population Density Km2:12041
Timezone1:JST
Utc Offset1:+09
Blank Name Sec1:Symbols
Blank Info Sec1: 
Blank1 Name Sec1:• Tree
Blank1 Info Sec1:Cinnamomum camphora
Blank2 Name Sec1:• Flower
Blank2 Info Sec1:Prunus mume
Blank3 Name Sec1:• Bird
Blank3 Info Sec1:Cettia diphone
Blank Name Sec2:City office
Blank Info Sec2:Kamata 5-13-14, Ōta-ku, Tokyo 144-8621

is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The ward refers to itself in English as Ōta City. It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Ōmori and Kamata following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The southernmost of the 23 special wards, Ōta borders the special wards of Shinagawa, Meguro and Setagaya to the north, and Kōtō to the east. Across the Tama River in Kanagawa Prefecture is the city of Kawasaki, forming the boundaries to the south and west.

Ōta is the largest special ward in Tokyo by area, spanning 59.46 square kilometres (22.96 sq mi). As of 2024, the ward has an estimated population of 744,849, making it the third largest special ward by population, with a population density of 12,041 inhabitants per square kilometre (31,190/sq mi).

Notable neighborhoods and districts of Ōta include Kamata, the administrative center of the ward where the Ward Office and central Post Office is located, and Den-en-chōfu, known for its wealthy residents and luxury homes. Haneda Airport, the busiest airport in Japan by passenger traffic is located in the ward.

History

The ward was founded on March 15, 1947, merging the old wards of Ōmori and Kamata. The ward's name originates from the combination of letters of the two merging wards, Ōmori (森) and Kamata (蒲), combined into 大田 (Ōta). The ward was previously second behind Setagaya in terms of being the largest special ward in Tokyo by area, but due to land reclamation in the Tokyo Bay for the expansion of the Haneda Airport, Ōta overtook Setagaya for first place.

Haneda Airport, now one of the two main domestic and international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area (the other one being Narita Airport in Narita, Chiba) was first established as Haneda Airfield in 1931 in the town of Haneda, Ebara District of Tokyo Prefecture. Following Japan's surrender in 1945, the airfield was turned into the Haneda Army Air Base under the control of the United States Army. In the same year, Allied occupational authorities ordered the expansion of the airport, evicting people from the surroundings on 48 hours' notice. With the end of the occupation, the Americans returned part of the facility to Japanese control in 1952, completing the return in 1958. Haneda Airport first handled international traffic for Tokyo for the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Following the opening of Narita Airport in 1978, almost all international flights (with the exception of Taiwanese airlines) moved its operations to Narita Airport. International flights resumed in 2010 following the construction of a new International terminal.

Geography

Districts and neighborhoods

Former Ōmori Ward
  • Former Kamata Ward
  • Politics and government

    Ōta is run by a city assembly of 50 elected members. The current mayor is Akimasa Suzuki since 2023, an independent affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party.

    Ōta is represented in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly by the Ōta district with seven representatives, while it is represented in the House of Representatives by the Tokyo 3rd and Tokyo 4th single-member districts.

    Ōta Ward Assembly

    As of April 2024, the current composition of the assembly is:[2]

    Governing parties: (30 seats)

    Opposition parties: (11 seats)

    Non-aligned parties (9 seats)

    Elections

    Landmarks

    Transportation

    See main article: Transportation in Greater Tokyo.

    Air

    Rail

    Heiwajima, Ōmorimachi, Umeyashiki, Keikyū-Kamata, Zōshiki, Rokugōdote Stations

    Keikyū-Kamata, Kojiya, Ōtorii, Anamori-inari, Tenkūbashi, Haneda Airport Terminal 3, Haneda Airport Terminal 1·2 Stations

    Tamagawa, Numabe, Unoki, Shimomaruko, Musashi-nitta, Yaguchinowatashi, Kamata Stations

    Nagahara, Senzoku-ike, Ishikawa-dai, Yukigaya-ōtsuka, Ontakesan, Kugahara, Chidorichō, Ikegami, Hasunuma, Kamata Stations

    Kita-Senzoku, Ookayama Stations

    Den-en-chōfu, Tamagawa Stations

    Ookayama, Den-en-chōfu, Tamagawa Stations

    Magome, Nishi-magome Stations

    Ryutsu Center, Shōwajima, Seibijō, Tenkūbashi, Haneda Airport Terminal 3, Shin Seibijō, Haneda Airport Terminal 1, Haneda Airport Terminal 2 Stations

    Highways

    Economy

    The following companies have their headquarters in Ōta.

    Former operations

    Namco, best known for video game franchises such as Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Ace Combat, were headquartered in Ota.[13] The company moved its operations there in 1985, using the funds generated from the successful Family Computer port of Xevious to fund the construction of its office.[14] [15] The building was taken over by Namco Bandai Games after it absorbed Namco in 2006, and later by an unrelated Namco company that focused on video arcades and theme parks. The newer Namco company moved out of the building in 2014 and it was demolished two years later.[14]

    Prior to the merger with Japan Airlines,[16] Japan Air System had its headquarters at Haneda Airport in Ōta.[17]

    In 2000 All Nippon Airways was headquartered by Tokyo International Airport in Ōta.[18] In 2002 Air Nippon was headquartered on the fifth floor of the at Haneda Airport in Ōta.[19] The ANA subsidiary Air Nippon Network was also based at the airport.[20]

    Before its dissolution, Galaxy Airlines was headquartered in the ARC Building on the airport grounds.[21]

    Sega and its parent company Sega Sammy Holdings, best known for its Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, was originally headquartered in Ōta. However, Sega Sammy Holdings announced in April 2017 that it would relocate its head office functions and domestic subsidiaries to Shinagawa-ku by January 2018. This was to consolidate scattered head office functions including Sega Sammy Holdings, Sammy Corporation, Sega Holdings, Sega Games, Atlus, Sammy Network, and Dartslive. After the relocation to Shinagawa was complete, Sega's previous headquarters in Ōta was later sold in February 2019 and will likely be torn down.

    Gakken was headquartered in Ōta from 1962 until 2008 when they moved their headquarters to Shinagawa.[22]

    Education

    Colleges and universities

    Public High schools

    The following public high schools are located in Ōta, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.

    Private High Schools

    Elementary and junior high schools

    Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by (大田区教育委員会).

    Municipal elementary schools:[24]

    International schools

    The Deutsche Schule Tokyo was previously located in Ōta before relocating to Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1970.[26]

    Public libraries

    Ōta operates several public libraries, including:[27]

    Sister cities

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Population by District. Tokyo Statistical Yearbook. en. 2022-07-15.
    2. Web site: 大田区議会 . 2024-03-31 . www.city.ota.tokyo.jp . ja.
    3. "会社概要." ANA Wings. Retrieved on March 27, 2015. "本社所在地 〒144-8515 東京都大田区羽田空港3-3-2"
    4. "Company Info:Network." Alps Electric Corporation. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
    5. "Corporate Profile ." Canon. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
    6. "Corporate Outline." Disco Corporation. Retrieved on September 23, 2017.
    7. "Corporate Data ." Ebara. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
    8. "Company Profile:Office locations ." Ikegami. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
    9. "About Us." Skymark Airlines. Retrieved on May 7, 2009.
    10. "Corporate Profile." Takasago International Corporation. Retrieved on April 23, 2019.
    11. "Company Profile ." Toyoko Inn. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
    12. "Company History ." Toyoko Inn. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
    13. Web site: Namco 1999 Annual Report . Namco WonderPage . Namco . December 21, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040719195031/http://www.namco.co.jp/an/finance/pdf/annual/annual-1999.pdf . July 19, 2004 . March 1999.
    14. Web site: Anderson . John . The Demolition of Japan's Videogame History . Kill Screen . 24 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190615214447/https://killscreen.com/articles/the-demolition-of-japans-videogame-history/ . June 15, 2019 . March 24, 2016.
    15. News: Edge Staff . Namco: Leader of the Pac . February 9, 2020 . . 8 . . May 1994 . United Kingdom . 54–61.
    16. "A tale of many tails: the merger of Japan Airlines and Japan Air System makes perfect business sense, but commonality of equipment is a different matter." Air Transport World. April 1, 2003. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
    17. "COMPANY INFORMATION." Japan Air System. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
    18. "Corporate Information." All Nippon Airways. April 8, 2000. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
    19. "会社案内." Air Nippon. February 7, 2002. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
    20. "会社概要" (Archive). Air Nippon Network. Retrieved on May 20, 2009. "本社所在地 東京都大田区羽田空港3-3-2"
    21. "Head Office & Regional Office Information." Galaxy Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
    22. Web site: Overview Gakken Holdings . ghd.gakken.co.jp . 20 December 2020.
    23. Web site: 中学校一覧. Ota City. 2022-11-07.
    24. Web site: 小学校一覧. Ota City. 2022-11-07.
    25. Web site: http://www.chongryon.com/j/cr/link3.html . ja:ウリハッキョ一覧 . . October 14, 2015 . December 19, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151219132215/http://www.chongryon.com/j/cr/link3.html . live . .
    26. "Deutscher Bundestag 4. Wahlperiode Drucksache IV/3672" (Archive). Bundestag (West Germany). 23 June 1965. Retrieved on 12 March 2016. p. 35/51. "Deutsche Schule Tokyo 1847 2-chome, Sanno Ota-ku"
    27. "Libraries." City of Ota. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.
    28. Web site: Tokyo Metropolitan Government - The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) . 2024-03-31 . www.clair.or.jp.
    29. Web site: 2022-11-26 . 2023 Adult Trip to Ota! - Salem-Ota Cultural Exchange . 2024-03-31 . en-US.