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13116 ／としまく

Toshima Ward

An American missionary's 34-year home.

Zoshigaya Old Missionary House

Photo by Vetalapancavimsatika (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Natural monument

The work of a preservation society formed by Akita Ujakuand others led to the avenue's Tokyo designation.

In 1937, the ward writes, the approach to Kishimojin had 18 large zelkovas that gave it a solemn look. The society's work led to Tokyo Metropolitan designation in 1940. Young zelkovas are now gradually replacing the old ones, and only 4 large trees remain.

1937: 18 large zelkovas (ward)
Apr 18, 1940: Tokyo Metropolitan Natural Monument (Tokyo)
Only 4 large trees remain (ward)

02 ／ Modern architecture

Frank Lloyd Wright designed a school buildingkept low, hugging the ground.

Built in 1921 as the school building of Jiyu Gakuen, founded by the Hani couple, to a design by Frank Lloyd Wright. East and west classroom wings flank the central block in strict symmetry. It was Endo Arata who recommended Wright to the couple.

1921 (Taisho 10): built (central block)
May 29, 1997: National Important Cultural Property (central block, east and west wings, hall)
Hall: 1927 (Showa 2), designed by Endo Arata (ward)

03 ／ Ward-designated cultural property

A Somei nurseryman's gate is also said to bea rear gate moved from the Todo family's lower residence.

The ward writes that Somei has been known since the Edo period as a major plant-nursery district, and that the Niwa family was its leading nursery from the Tenmei era (1780s) to the end of the Meiji era. The Udegi-mon (bracket-arm gate) is simple yet dignified, and is estimated to date from the late Edo period.

Niwa family: leading Somei nursery from the 1780s to late Meiji (ward)
Estimated to date from the late Edo period (ward)
Aug 3, 2007: designated Toshima Ward Tangible Cultural Property (ward)

Toshima 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

24 minutes from Tokyo by the Yamanote Line.

about 300,000 people
30 min to a city centre

Ikebukuro Station is 24 minutes from Tokyo Station on the Yamanote Line, with no transfer (JR East timetable, October 2026). The ward guides visitors to Toshima Ward Office on a 9-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station.

People living here: 301,599people
Area: 13.01km²
Households: 183,819households
Rent (average for rentals): 91,320yen
Healthcare: 14 hospitals ／ 509 clinics

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

Children waiting for childcare: —49 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.

Toshima Ward in Japan35.726°N 139.717°E

to TokyoJR Yamanote Line24min

Travel times follow JR東日本の駅時刻表（timetables.jreast.co.jp・2610版）の池袋駅『山手線』（新宿方面）・『湘南新宿ライン』（大宮方面・下り）の平日表・土曜休日表の列車ページ（起点の発→池袋の着）を docs/handoff/tools/jr_count.py の写しで数えた値 (checked 2026-10-23). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 6 municipalities.

Territory of Toshima Ward

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

North to south

3.7km

Bunkyo Ward, Shinjuku Ward, Kita Ward, Itabashi Ward, Nerima Ward, Nakano Ward

Toshima Ward isthis kind of town.

01Zoshigaya Old Missionary House is a two-story wooden Western-style house that the American missionary McCaleb built in Meiji 40 (1907) as his own residence. The ward writes that he lived there for 34 years, until he returned home in 1941. It became a Tokyo Metropolitan Tangible Cultural Property in 1999
02The Kishimojin Daimon zelkova avenue lines the approach to Kishimojin Hall in Zoshigaya and was designated a Tokyo Metropolitan Natural Monument in 1940. Kishimojin Hall is a National Important Cultural Property, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs writes that its main hall was built in 1664. Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan is also a National Important Cultural Property
03Somei in Komagome, home of the former Niwa gate, has been known since the Edo period as a major plant-nursery district, the ward writes. In its introduction to Somei Yoshino Cherry Memorial Park, the ward writes that the Somei-yoshino cherry was created in this area of Komagome. Ikebukuro Station is 24 minutes from Tokyo on the Yamanote Line

See the town as it is now.

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

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Toshima Ward official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes