Article

13103 ／みなとく

Minato Ward

A hall called “100 mats” was built upstairs.

Former Kyodo Kaikan, Shibaura kenban

Photo by Doricono (CC BY 4.0)

01 ／ Longitude and latitude origin

Japan's reference point for longitudeand latitude sits in Azabudai 2-chome.

A Survey Act enforcement order fixes the Japanese Geodetic Datum Origin at the cross-point of the metal marker in Azabudai 2-chome, Minato Ward. In 1892 the center of the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory's meridian circle was set as the origin.

Set as the origin in 1892 (Meiji 25)
Center of the observatory's meridian circle
Ward-designated historic site

02 ／ Takanawa Embankment

The embankment's bridges were madeso boats could pass, at local request.

When the railway opened in 1872 (Meiji 5), about 2.7 km ran over the sea on an embankment. Bridges were built at local residents' request, because without them the embankment would block fishermen from putting out. Its stone walls reused stones from the Shinagawa Daiba forts.

About 2.7 km over the sea
Bridges built at residents' request
National historic site (added 2021)

03 ／ Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Gardens

The tidal pond that took in seawaterbecame a freshwater pond.

Land reclaimed from the sea around the Meireki era (1655-58) was granted to the senior councillor Okubo Tadatomo in 1678 (Enpo 6). The pond once took in seawater as a tidal pond but is now fresh water. Nebukawa stone from Odawara is used in the rock arrangements and stepping stones.

Granted in 1678 (Enpo 6)
National Place of Scenic Beauty (designated 1979)
Nebukawa stone rock arrangements

Minato Ward from the sky

Now and 1974–78. Tap a photo to zoom in.

Now1974–78

Wide (about 6 km across)

Close (about 1.5 km across)

Now (shot June–November 2019)Shot 1974–78

Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) GSI Tiles（全国最新写真（シームレス）／国土画像情報（第一期：1974〜1978年撮影））

Open in GSI Maps (now)Open in GSI Maps (1974–78)

Living here

Nagoya to Shinagawa in 86 minutes by Nozomi.

about 260,000 people
90 min to a city centre
Shinkansen stops here

By Nozomi shinkansen to Shinagawa Station, it takes 86 minutes from Nagoya and 134 minutes from Shin-Osaka (fastest daily service, October 2026 timetable). When the old Shiba, Azabu and Akasaka wards merged in 1947, “Higashi-Minato Ward” was the planned name, but it was pointed out that the sounds would repeat, so it became Minato Ward.

People living here: 260,486people
Area: 20.36km²
Households: 146,160households
Rent (average for rentals): 196,160yen
Healthcare: 13 hospitals ／ 953 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —47 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Minato Ward in Japan35.658°N 139.751°E

to NagoyaShinkansen Nozomi86min
to Shin-OsakaShinkansen Nozomi134min

Travel times follow JR東海『各駅の時刻表』（東海道・山陽新幹線上り）の名古屋駅・新大阪駅・品川駅の表。2026-10-22（木）・23（金）・24（土）・25（日）・26（月）・27（火）・28（水）の7日分を同じ表（railway.jr-central.co.jp の tokainr.cgi）から取り、同じ列車番号の『名古屋（新大阪）の発』と『品川の発』の差を数えた (checked 2026-10-22). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 3 municipalities.

Territory of Minato Ward

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (Administrative Area Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari.

North to south

6.6km

Chiyoda Ward, Chuo Ward, Shinagawa Ward

Minato Ward isthis kind of town.

01The former Kyodo Kaikan in Shibaura is a wooden building put up in 1936 as the kenban of the Shibaura geisha district. A kenban handled geisha bookings and settled bills; its master carpenter also worked on the Meguro Gajoen. Ward-designated tangible cultural property
02The Japanese Geodetic Datum Origin in Azabudai is fixed by a Survey Act enforcement order at the cross-point of a metal marker. In 1892 the center of the observatory's meridian circle was set as the origin. Ward-designated historic site
03About 2.7 km of the Takanawa Embankment ran over the sea, with bridges made at residents' request so fishermen could put out. The tidal pond of the Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Gardens has become a freshwater pond

See the town as it is now.

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Minato Ward official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes