Marunouchi

In front of the Marunouchi exit of Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building after renovation completed in 2012
Skyline of Marunouchi district, viewed from Imperial Palace gardens

Marunouchi (丸の内) is a central commercial district of Tokyo located in Chiyoda between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat. It is also Tokyo's financial district and the country's three largest banks are headquartered there.

History

In 1590, before Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo Castle, the area now known as Marunouchi was an inlet of Edo Bay and had the name Hibiya. With the expansion of the castle, this inlet was filled, beginning in 1592.

A new outer moat was constructed, and the earlier moat became the inner moat. The area took the name Okuruwauchi (御曲輪内, "within the enclosure") around 1629, when Edo Castle was completed.[1]

Daimyo, particularly shinpan and fudai, constructed their mansions here, and with 24 such estates, the area also became known as daimyō kōji (大名小路 "daimyo alley"). The offices of the North and South Magistrates, and that of the Finance Magistrate, were also here.

Following the Meiji Restoration, Marunouchi came under control of the national government, which erected barracks and parade grounds for the army.

Those moved in 1890, and Iwasaki Yanosuke, brother of the founder (and later the second leader) of Mitsubishi, purchased the land for 1.5 million yen. As the company developed the land, it came to be known as Mitsubishi-ga-hara (the "Mitsubishi Fields").

Much of the land remains under the control of Mitsubishi Estate, and the headquarters of many companies in the Mitsubishi Group are in Marunouchi.

The government of Tokyo constructed its headquarters on the site of the former Kōchi han in 1894. They moved it to the present Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku in 1991, and the new Tokyo International Forum and Toyota Tsusho Corporation now stands on the site. Nearly a quarter of Japan's GDP is generated in this area.

Tokyo Station opened in 1914, and the Marunouchi Building in 1923. Tokyo Station was reopened on 1 October 2012 after a 5-year refurbishment.[2]

Places in Marunouchi

Pre-1923 postcard with a view of the Mitsubishi headquarters in Marunouchi and its environs, looking towards the Imperial Palace
Tokyo international forum

Companies based in Marunouchi

Calbee has its headquarters in the Marunouchi Trust Tower Main.[3] Konica Minolta has its headquarters in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi.[4]

Marunouchi also houses the Japan offices of Aeroméxico (Pacific Century Place Marunouchi),[10] Citigroup, Nikko Cordial, Nikko Citigroup, Banca Commerciale Italiana, Rabobank, JPMorgan Chase, Bank Negara Indonesia, Bank of India, Bayerische Landes Bank, Bloomberg, BT Asia Securities, First National Bank of Boston, KPMG, Latham & Watkins, Mellon Bank, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Morrison & Foerster, Overseas Union Bank, Philadelphia National Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ropes & Gray, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Royal Insurance, Standard Chartered Bank, Standard & Poor's,[11] Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Bain & Company.

Japan Airlines used to have its headquarters in the Tokyo Building in Marunouchi.[12]

Rail and subway stations

References

  1. ↑ "前史（江戸時代～明治２３年）".
  2. ↑ Nakata, Hiroko, "Tokyo Station's Marunouchi side restored to 1914 glory", Japan Times, 23 October 2012, p. 3
  3. ↑ "Corporate Information." Calbee. Retrieved on March 27, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Company Overview." Konica Minolta. Retrieved on May 12, 2009.
  5. ↑ "About The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd." The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. Retrieved on December 7, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Fact Sheet." Mitsubishi Corporation. Retrieved on September 28, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Corporate Profile." Tokio Marine Nichido. Retrieved on July 24, 2011. "Address of Head Office 2-1 Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo"
  8. ↑ "Company Profile." Asahi Glass. Retrieved on April 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Company Profile." Furukawa Electric. Retrieved on March 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ "com03.jpg." Aeroméxico. Retrieved on October 13, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Office Locations Asia." Standard & Poor's. Retrieved on August 12, 2011. "Japan 28 F Marunouchi Kitaguchi Bldg 1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, Japan 100-0005 "
  12. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. 88." Retrieved on June 17, 2009.
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Coordinates: 35°40′52.87″N 139°45′51.67″E / 35.6813528°N 139.7643528°E / 35.6813528; 139.7643528

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