How does Inokashira Park contribute to the identity of Kichijōji?

Inokashira Park is located south of Kichijōji Station and serves as the source of the Kanda River. The park features a large center lake, a petting zoo, and street performers, making it a favorite spot for springtime hanami or cherry-blossom viewing. The nearby Ghibli Museum in Mitaka adds to the park's allure and draws visitors from around the world.

Kichijōji: the story on HearLore

Common questions

What is the history of Kichijōji in Musashino, Tokyo?

Kichijōji originated after the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657 when the original Kichijō-ji Temple in Bunkyō City was destroyed. The shogunate provided substitute lands named Reno and Mureno for displaced residents, who established Kichijōji Village on the Musashino Plateau. The name honors the goddess Lakshmi, known as Kichijōten in Japan, preserving the memory of the destroyed temple.

Where is Kichijōji Station located and what surrounds it?

Kichijōji Station is located in the heart of Musashino, Tokyo, between Tachikawa and Shinjuku. The station is surrounded by Sun Road, a covered shopping street, and Inokashira Park to the south. Adult entertainment venues including cabarets and pink salons exist near the station alongside family-friendly attractions.

Why is Kichijōji famous for animation and creative industries?

Kichijōji is famous as the former home of Studio Ghibli, founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The area continues to host anime and manga companies like Coamix and Bee Train. It appears in media such as Shin Megami Tensei, Persona 5 Royal, Tokyo Ghoul, and Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu.

When did Kichijōji become the number one place to live in Japan?

Kichijōji has been ranked the number one place in Japan that Japanese people would like to live every year since the 1990s. This ranking comes from polls conducted by the magazine CNN GO. The area consistently wins this title due to its blend of traditional elements and modern entertainment.

What educational institutions are located in Kichijōji?

Kichijōji is home to Seikei University, which teaches from elementary school through university level. The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education operates public high schools, while Musashino City manages public elementary and junior high schools. Private institutions include Little Angels International School and Axis International School, which accept children from age one to the second year of university.

Kichijōji

In the heart of Musashino, Tokyo, a neighborhood known for its cherry blossoms and quiet streets, lies a hidden red-light district that has thrived for decades between Tachikawa and Shinjuku. This area, centered around Kichijōji Station, is home to numerous cabarets, bars, and pink salons, creating a stark contrast to the family-friendly image of the surrounding community. The juxtaposition of these adult entertainment venues with the serene Inokashira Park and the bustling shopping district of Sun Road creates a unique urban tapestry that has drawn both residents and visitors for generations. The history of this duality dates back to the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, when the original Kichijō-ji Temple was destroyed, forcing the relocation of its residents to the Musashino Plateau. The shogunate provided substitute lands named Reno and Mureno, and the new settlement was named Kichijōji Village, carrying forward the memory of the goddess Lakshmi, known as Kichijōten in Japan. This historical continuity of resilience and adaptation has shaped the neighborhood's identity, blending the sacred with the secular, the tranquil with the vibrant.

The Temple That Vanished

The name Kichijōji itself is a ghost of the past, derived from the Kichijō-ji Temple that once stood in Bunkyō City before being consumed by fire in 1657. The temple was named after the Hindu/Buddhist goddess Lakshmi, known as Kichijōten in Japan, and its destruction during the Great Fire of Meireki left a void that was filled by the resilience of its displaced residents. The shogunate rebuilt the area for daimyō residences, and the former residents of the temple's gate were granted rice stipends and house construction loans with a five-year limit. Among those who helped rebuild the eastern district of present-day Musashino were Kichijō-ji samurai Sato Sadaemon and Miyazaki Jinemon, who worked with local farmer Matsui Jurozaemon to establish the new community. The Tamagawa Aqueduct later transformed the previously poorly watered Musashino Plateau into vast farmland, and the neatly partitioned thin rectangular plots of land along Itsukaichi Kaidō became the foundation of the new Kichijōji Village. Despite the soil's lack of fertility, which turned all farmland into dry soil fields without wet rice fields, the residents' attachment to the former Kichijō-ji ensured the new fields retained the name Kichijōji Village, preserving a link to the past.

The Shopping Street That Never Sleeps

Sun Road, the covered shopping street extending north from Kichijōji Station, is the economic heart of the neighborhood, offering a full range of shops, restaurants, bars, and coffee houses. This well-organized and clean area has become a popular center for shopping and leisure in the Tokyo metropolitan area, drawing visitors from across the region. Halfway up this shopping street stands the Buddhist temple Gessō-ji, complete with a graveyard, while at the northern end are Shinto shrines that host occasional festivals featuring amusements such as fishing for goldfish, sweet food stalls, and typical dishes. The area's nightlife is equally vibrant, with many restaurants, bars, izakaya, and live houses surrounding the station on the north, east, and south sides. This commercial vitality has been bolstered by the presence of anime and manga companies like Coamix and Bee Train, whose headquarters are located in Kichijōji. The neighborhood's ability to blend traditional elements with modern entertainment has made it a model for urban development, earning it the title of the number one place in Japan that Japanese would like to live every year since the 1990s according to polls by the magazine CNN GO.

Common questions

What is the history of Kichijōji in Musashino, Tokyo?

Where is Kichijōji Station located and what surrounds it?

Why is Kichijōji famous for animation and creative industries?

When did Kichijōji become the number one place to live in Japan?

What educational institutions are located in Kichijōji?

Kichijōji

The Temple That Vanished

The Shopping Street That Never Sleeps

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How does Inokashira Park contribute to the identity of Kichijōji?

The Studio That Changed Animation

The Park That Defines a Neighborhood

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The Schools That Shape Futures