Western Tokyo

Western Tokyo
Located in the green highlights
Country	Japan
Island	Honshū
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Area
• 26 cities, 3 towns, 1 village	1,160 km2 (450 sq mi)
Population (October 1, 2016)
• 26 cities, 3 towns, 1 village	4,233,493
• Density	3,650/km2 (9,500/sq mi)

Western Tokyo, also known as the Tama area (多摩地域, Tama chiiki), Tama region (多摩地方, Tama-chihō) or toka (都下), consists of the part of Tokyo Prefecture to the west of the 23 special wards.

Overview

Whereas the special wards occupy the space that was formerly the city of Tokyo, western Tokyo consists of 26 cities, three towns, and one village occupying the area that were not part of the former city. They serve as commuter towns for those working in central Tokyo, although some of them have a local commercial and industrial base.

List of cities, towns and a village

No.	Flag	Name	Japanese	Population (as of October 2016)	Density (/km²)	Area (km²)
01		Hachiōji	八王子市	0577,072	03,100	0186.38
02		Tachikawa	立川市	0177,110	07,270	0024.36
03		Musashino	武蔵野市	0145,296	13,230	0010.98
04		Mitaka	三鷹市	0189,577	11,550	0016.42
05		Ome	青梅市	0136,581	01,320	0103.31
06		Fuchū	府中市	0261,991	08,900	0029.43
07		Akishima	昭島市	0111,482	06,430	0017.34
08		Chōfu	調布市	0232,573	10,780	0021.58
09		Machida	町田市	0433,720	06,040	0071.80
10		Koganei	小金井市	0122,977	10,880	0011.30
11		Kodaira	小平市	0191,406	09,330	0020.51
12		Hino	日野市	0187,262	06,800	0027.55
13		Higashimurayama	東村山市	0150,116	08,760	0017.14
14		Kokubunji	国分寺市	0123,290	10,760	0011.46
15		Kunitachi	国立市	0073,934	09,070	0008.15
16		Fussa	福生市	0058,505	05,760	0010.16
17		Komae	狛江市	0081,119	12,690	0006.39
18		Higashiyamato	東大和市	0084,876	06,320	0013.42
19		Kiyose	清瀬市	0075,072	07,340	0010.23
20		Higashikurume	東久留米市	0116,858	09,072	0012.88
21		Musashimurayama	武蔵村山市	0071,419	04,660	0015.32
22		Tama	多摩市	0147,280	07,010	0021.01
23		Inagi	稲城市	0089,217	04,960	0017.97
24		Hamura	羽村市	0055,620	05,620	0009.90
25		Akiruno	あきる野市	0080,787	01,100	0073.47
26		Nishitōkyō	西東京市	0200,652	12,740	0015.75
27		Mizuho	瑞穂町	0033,367	01,980	0016.85
28		Hinode	日の出町	0017,349	00618	0028.07
29		Hinohara	檜原村	0002,145	00020.3	0105.41
30		Okutama	奥多摩町	0005,132	00022.8	0225.53
Overall				4,233,493	03,650	1,160

The towns of Hinode, Mizuho, Okutama, and the village of Hinohara lie in Nishitama District.

The offshore islands of Tokyo (including the Bonin, Volcano, Izu island chains, and the uninhabited islands of Okinotorishima and Minamitorishima) are not considered part of Western Tokyo.

History

Under the Ritsuryō system, Western Tokyo was part of Musashi Province. The provincial capital was at Fuchū. The provincial temple (kokubunji) was at Kokubunji and the principal shrine (ichinomiya) was at Tama.

Western Tokyo previously consisted of three districts:

• Nishi-Tama District (西多摩郡, Nishi-Tama-gun) (lit. "Western Tama") encompassed the present-day cities of Akiruno, Fussa, Hamura, and Ōme; in addition to the four municipalities (3 towns and a village) that still remain a part of the district.
• Minami-Tama District (南多摩郡, Minami-Tama-gun) (lit. "Southern Tama") covered the area now occupied by Hachiōji, Hino, Inagi, Tama, and Machida. With the formation of Inagi (the last city to be created in Tokyo in 1971), Minamitama District ceased to exist.
• Kita-Tama District (北多摩郡, Kita-Tama-gun) (lit. "Northern Tama") consisted of the locations of the present-day cities of Akishima, Chōfu, Fuchū, Higashikurume, Higashimurayama, Higashiyamato, Kiyose, Kodaira, Koganei, Kokubunji, Komae, Kunitachi, Mitaka, Musashimurayama, Musashino, Nishitokyo, and Tachikawa, as well as some land now in Setagaya. With the establishment of the city of Musashimurayama in 1970, Kitatama District ceased to exist.

References