Azabu-Jūban, Minato, Tokyo
Azabu-Juban is a residential area in central Tokyo with a mixture of Japanese shops, restaurants and bars. The convenience of several supermarkets in a central location and the proximity of Hiroo and Roppongi make it one of the most trendy and sought after residential areas of Tokyo. The main street, a block away from a busy road junction, has a village-like feel with cobbled stoned paving in some places. This atmosphere is created by the narrow streets, slow moving traffic, and a mixture of stores operated by older owners. Even the McDonald's has been carefully designed to be architecturally sympathetic.
Azabu-Juban is known for being the main setting of the famous magical girls manga/anime series, Sailor Moon.
Azabu-Juban matsuri
In the middle of August (usually at the beginning or end of the Japanese Obon holiday), Azabu-Juban holds one of the most famous local summer festivals (matsuri) in Tokyo; The event takes place over two days on Saturday and Sunday with the streets being lined with local stalls and food vendors. Traffic is typically blocked from 3:00 to 9:00 pm on both days. During this time, large crowds of festival goers make the main streets largely impassable.
In 2011, this festival was cancelled, due to the practice of jishuku (自粛) - voluntary self-restraint - implemented after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.
Azabu-Juban hot spring
Until 2008, Azabu-juban had one of several natural onsen (ja:麻布十番温泉) in Tokyo. Every Sunday from 3:00 pm visitors could enjoy traditional Japanese songs (enka) and dancing. The site of the hot spring has since become a car park.
Education
Minato City Board of Education (港区教育委員会). operates public elementary and junior high schools. Azabu-Jūban 1-chōme, and 1-8 ban of 2-chōme, are zoned to Nanzan Elementary School (南山小学校). 9-21 ban of Azabu-Jūban 2-chōme and Azabu-Jūban 3-4-chōme are zoned to Higashimachi Elementary School (東町小学校). All of Azabu-Jūban is zoned to Roppongi Junior High School (六本木中学校).
Area high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education.
In popular culture
The protagonists of the manga and anime series Sailor Moon reside in this district.
The Ginger Root song Juban District refers to the district.
References
- ^ "港区立小・中学校通学区域一覧表（令和4年4月以降）" (PDF). City of Minato. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
- ^ Patrick Drazen (1 April 2014). Anime Explosion!: The What? Why? and Wow! of Japanese Animation, Revised and Updated Edition. Stone Bridge Press. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-61172-013-6.
- ^ Jolyon Baraka Thomas (2012). Drawing on Tradition: Manga, Anime, and Religion in Contemporary Japan. University of Hawaiʻi Press. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-8248-3654-2.
- ^ "Juban District, by Ginger Root". Ginger Root. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
35°39′17″N 139°44′07″E / 35.65459°N 139.73523°E
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