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13107 ／すみだく

Sumida Ward

Farmhouse and townhouse, in one house.

Former Koyama Residence

Photo by 漱石の猫 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Garden

An antiques dealer, Sahara Kyokyu,built a private flower garden with literati.

In the Bunka-Bunsei era (1804-1830), the antiques dealer Sahara Kyokyu built this privately run flower garden with the help of Edo's men of letters; it stayed private until 1938. Hanging at the entrance gate are couplets (wooden boards) written by Okubo Shibutsu. Poem monuments and stone pillars, including a Basho monument, total 29.

Bunka-Bunsei era (1804-1830)
Privately run flower garden
29 poem monuments and stone pillars

02 ／ Ward name

Most favored "Sumida," but the character for "sumi"was not in the Toyo kanji list.

In 1947 Mukojima Ward and Honjo Ward merged to form Sumida Ward. The name takes one character from Bokutei, the Sumida River embankment, and one from the river's name. At the time most opinions favored the form of "Sumida" using the character for "sumi," but it was not among the Toyo kanji and could not be used.

Formed 15 March 1947
Two characters taken from two names
"Sumi" was not a Toyo kanji

03 ／ Garden

A pond shaped like the character for heart,once drawn from the Sumida River.

The pond at the center, shaped like the character for "heart," took in water from the Sumida River; the garden is a tidal-pond stroll garden whose scenery changes with the tides. Today the tidal flow is recreated artificially. It was designated a Tokyo Metropolitan Place of Scenic Beauty in 1996.

Heart-shaped pond
Tidal-pond stroll garden
Metropolitan scenic site (1996)

Sumida 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

Tokyo to Kinshicho in 8 minutes by Sobu Rapid.

about 270,000 people
30 min to a city centre

On the JR Sobu Line (Rapid), it is 8 minutes from Tokyo Station to Kinshicho Station (October 2026 timetable). Ward Office is about a 5-minute walk from exit A3 of Honjo-azumabashi Station on the Toei Asakusa Line. In 1947 Mukojima Ward and Honjo Ward merged to form Sumida Ward.

People living here: 272,085people
Area: 13.77km²
Households: 145,768households
Rent (average for rentals): 91,777yen
Healthcare: 13 hospitals ／ 245 clinics

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

Children waiting for childcare: —55 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.

Sumida Ward in Japan35.711°N 139.802°E

to TokyoJR Sobu Line (Rapid)8min

Travel times follow JR東日本駅の時刻表（2610版）錦糸町駅総武線快速下り（平日 0609010・土曜休日 0609011）と、列車ごとの停車駅一覧（東京の発→錦糸町の着） (checked 2026-10-23). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 6 municipalities.

Territory of Sumida Ward

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

North to south

6.3km

Koto Ward, Taito Ward, Katsushika Ward, Edogawa Ward, Arakawa Ward, Adachi Ward

Sumida Ward isthis kind of town.

01The Former Koyama Residence at Tachibana Taisho Minkaen was built in 1917 and has a front of lattice doors, projecting lattice windows and black plaster walls; it combines farmhouse and townhouse traits and is a ward-designated tangible cultural property
02Mukojima-Hyakkaen was built as a private flower garden by the antiques dealer Sahara Kyokyu with the help of men of letters; couplets written by Okubo Shibutsu hang at its gate
03Sumida takes one character from Bokutei and one from the Sumida River; the Former Yasuda Garden has a heart-shaped pond that took in Sumida River water and is a Tokyo Metropolitan scenic site

See the town as it is now.

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

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Sumida Ward official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes