Bunkyō (文京区, Bunkyō-ku) is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there. Bunkyō is home to the Tokyo Dome, Judo's Kōdōkan, and the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus.
It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Hongo and Koishikawa wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The modern Bunkyo ward exhibits contrasting Shitamachi and Yamanote geographical and cultural division. The Nezu and Sendagi neighborhoods in the ward's eastern corner are attached to the Shitamachi area in Ueno. On the other hand, the remaining areas of the ward typically represent Yamanote districts.
As of 2022, the ward has a population of 240,069 (including about 8,500 foreign residents), and a population density of 21,263 inhabitants per square kilometre (55,070/sq mi). The total area is 11.29 square kilometres (4.36 sq mi).
Contents
History
Bunkyo was formed in 1947 as a merger of Hongo and Koishikawa wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis.
Geography
Districts and neighborhoods
There are approximately twenty districts in the area and these are as follows:
Politics and government
Bunkyo is governed by Mayor Hironobu Narisawa, an independent supported by the Liberal Democratic Party, Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito. The city council has 34 elected members.
Economy
The publishing company Kodansha has its headquarters in the ward, and Kodansha International has its headquarters in the Otowa YK Building in the ward. The drugstore chain Tomod's has its headquarters in the ward. Penta-Ocean, the construction firm specializing in marine works and land reclamation also has its headquarters in Bunkyo.
The automobile manufacturer Toyota has its Tokyo headquarters in the ward.
Demographics
By 2025, increasing numbers of Chinese immigrant families, of wealthy backgrounds, were moving to the ward to enroll their children in local elementary schools.
Cityscape
In 2025, real estate agency worker Bun Kaito stated that "The ward is also renowned for safety, often ranked as the safest in statistics."
Landmarks
Chinzan-so Garden
Denzū-in Temple
Gokoku-ji Temple
Harimasaka Sakura Colonnade
Hatoyama Hall
Kisshō-ji
Kodansha Noma Memorial Museum
Kodokan Judo Institute
Koishikawa Botanical Garden
Koishikawa Kōrakuen
Nezu Shrine
Nippon Medical School
Rikugien Garden
Shin-Edogawa Garden
Tokyo Cathedral (St. Mary's Cathedral)
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome City
Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery
Toyo University
Tōyō Bunko "Oriental Library", Japan's largest Asian studies library
University of Tokyo
Yanaka Cemetery
Yushima Seidō
Education
As of 2025 Bunkyo built up a reputation as having strong educational facilities, and this stems from institutions being established in the Meiji era in former samurai estates.
Universities and colleges
Institute of Science Tokyo Yushima Campus
Ochanomizu University
University of Tsukuba Ōtsuka Campus
University of Tokyo Hongō Campus
Atomi University
Juntendo University
Takushoku University
Chuo University Engineering department
Tokyo Woman's Christian University
Toyo University
Toyo Gakuen University
Nippon Medical School
Japan Women's University
Bunkyo Gakuin University
Bunkyo Gakuin College
International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies
Primary and secondary schools
Nationally-operated high schools:
Ochanomizu University High School
Junior and Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba
Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education.
The metropolis operates the Koishikawa Secondary Education School.
The metropolis operates the Bunkyo School for the Blind.
Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by Bunkyo Board of Education.
Municipal junior high schools:
Municipal elementary schools:
Four of those elementary schools (Kubomachi, Seishi, Sendagi, and Showa) are known as "3S1K", as having a very prominent status; by 2025 many Chinese immigrant families, looking for strong educational facilities, moved to the attendance zones of those schools to enroll their children there.
Culture
In 2025 Kaito highlighted that Koishikawa-Kōrakuen made the ward attractive to Chinese families.
Museums
Bunkyo Museum
Eisei Bunko Museum
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
Kodansha Noma Memorial Museum
Koishikawa Annex
Koishikawa Ukiyo-e Art Museum
Orugoru no Chiisana Hakubutsukan
Printing Museum, Tokyo
The University Museum, The University of Tokyo
Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum
Yayoi Museum
Transportation
Train stations
Toei Mita Line: Sengoku, Hakusan, Kasuga, Suidōbashi
Toei Ōedo Line: Iidabashi, Kasuga, Hongō Sanchōme
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line: Sendagi, Nezu, Yushima
Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line: Shin-Ōtsuka, Myōgadani, Kōrakuen, Hongō Sanchōme, Ochanomizu
Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line: Gokokuji, Edogawabashi
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line: Kōrakuen, Tōdaimae, Honkomagome
Highways
Shuto Expressway
No.5 Ikebukuro Route (Takebashi JCT—Bijogi JCT)
Sister cities
Bunkyō has a sister-city relationship with Kaiserslautern in the Rhineland-Palatinate of Germany.
Notable people from Bunkyō
Hayao Miyazaki (Nihongo: 宮崎 駿, Miyazaki Hayao), Japanese animator, director, producer, screenwriter, author, manga artist and one of the co-founders of Studio Ghibli
Makiko Tanaka (Nihongo: 田中 眞紀子, Tanaka Makiko), Japanese politician and daughter of Kakuei Tanaka (former Prime Minister of Japan)
Osamu Noguchi (Nihongo: 野口 修, Noguchi Osamu), the creator of Kickboxing
Kaito Ishikawa (Nihongo: 石川 界人, Ishikawa Kaito), Japanese voice actor
Yukio Hatoyama (Nihongo: 鳩山 由紀夫, Hatoyama Yukio), Japanese politician and former Prime Minister of Japan
Shinichiro Kobayashi (Nihongo: 小林 伸一郎, Kobayashi Shin'ichirō), Japanese photographer
Teiichi Matsumaru (Nihongo: 松丸 貞一, Matsumaru Teiichi), Japanese football player
Hiroto Muraoka (Nihongo: 村岡 博人, Muraoka Hiroto), Japanese football player
Yu-ki Matsumura (Real Name: Noriyuki Matsumura, Nihongo: 松村 憲幸, Matsumura Noriyuki), Japanese actor and singer
Yūko Minaguchi (Nihongo: 皆口 裕子, Minaguchi Yūko), Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator
Yukio Tsuchiya (Nihongo: 土屋 征夫, Tsuchiya Yukio), Japanese football player (Tokyo 23 FC)