Kawasaki-ku (川崎区) is one of the seven wards of the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, the ward had an estimated population of 216,826 and a density of 5,530 persons per km2. The total area was 39.21 square kilometres (15.14 sq mi). Kawasaki-ku has the home to the second largest Koreatown in Japan.
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Geography
Kawasaki Ward is located in northeastern Kanagawa Prefecture, in the northeast portion of the city of Kawasaki, bordering on the Tama River and Tokyo to the north and Tokyo Bay to the south and east. Much of the land area of the Ward is reclaimed land
Surrounding municipalities
Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki
Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama
Ōta-ku, Tokyo
History
Under the Nara period Ritsuryō system, what is now Kawasaki Ward became part of Tachibana District Musashi Province. In the Edo period, it was administered as tenryō territory controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, but administered through various hatamoto, and prospered as Kawasaki-juku, a post station on the Tokaido highway connecting Edo with Kyoto.
After the Meiji Restoration, the area urbanized with the development of Kawasaki Station on the Tokaido Main Line and became a center for heavy industry. The area was largely destroyed by the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923 and during American bombing during World War II.
Kawasaki Ward was established with the division of the city of Kawasaki into wards on April 1, 1972. Long associated with grime, labor unrest, organized crime and pollution-related diseases, the local government undertook extensive efforts in the 1990s to revamp the area image.
Economy
The economy of Kawasaki Ward continues to be dominated by industry.
Fuji Electric
JFE Steel - Operates several major plants near Tokyo Bay. JFE's main plant for eastern Japan is located on the border of Kawasaki-ku and Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama.
Mitsubishi Chemical
Showa Electric
Showa Shell Oil
Tokyo Electric Power
Kao Corporation
Ajinomoto
Education
The Kawasaki City Board of Education (川崎市育委員会) operates municipal elementary and junior high schools, as well as Kawasaki High School and Affiliated Junior High School.
Municipal junior high schools:
Municipal elementary schools:
Former elementary schools:
There is a North Korean school, Kawasaki Korean Primary School (川崎朝鮮初級学校).
Transportation
Rail
JR East – Tokaido Main Line
Kawasaki Station
JR East – Nambu Line
Kawasaki Station
JR East – Nambu Branch Line
Hatchōnawate - Kawasaki-Shimmachi - Hama-Kawasaki
JR East – Tsurumi Line
Musashi-Shiraishi Station - Hama-Kawasaki - Shōwa - Ōgimachi
JR East – Tsurumi Branch Line
Ōkawa
Keihin Electric Express Railway - Keikyū Main Line
Keikyū Kawasaki - Hatchōnawate
Keihin Electric Express Railway - Keikyū Daishi Line
Keikyū Kawasaki - Minatochō - Suzukichō - Kawasaki-Daishi - Higashi-Monzen - Daishibashi - Kojimashinden
Tōkaidō Freight Line (freight only)
Kanagawa Rinkai Railway (freight only)
Road
Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
Bayshore Route
Japan National Route 15 (Dai-ichi Keihin)
Japan National Route 132
Route 357 (Japan)
Route 409 (Japan)
Kanagawa Prefectural Road 1 (Shuto Expressway)
Kanagawa Prefectural Road 6 (Shuto Expressway)
Kanagawa Prefectural Road 9
Kanagawa Prefectural Road 101
Kanagawa Prefectural Road 140
Local attractions
Kawasaki Daishi
Noted people from Kawasaki Ward
Kaoru Abe, musician
Hirokazu Ibata, professional baseball player
Kyu Sakamoto, singer