Azabu

A district in the central-west of Minato Ward, Tokyo, bordering Aoyama to the north and Roppongi to the northeast. It consists of Higashi-Azabu, Nishi-Azabu, Moto-Azabu, Azabu-Juban, Minami-Azabu, etc. It was also part of the former Azabu Ward until 1947 (Showa 22). The name of the area comes from the fact that it was once an area where hemp was cultivated and cloth was woven, and during the Keicho era (1596-1615) it was called Azabu no Hara. It was also written as Asabu and Asafu. It occupies part of the Yamanote Plateau, and in the Edo period it was used as the site of a feudal lord's residence and temples and shrines, but after the Meiji period it was changed into a high-class residential area and the site of foreign embassies such as Germany, France, and Switzerland. The former Nanbu (Morioka) clan residence site became the site of the Arisugawanomiya family, and is now the Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park and the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library. The plateau has been carved into many valleys, and in contrast to the wide residential areas on the plateau, the narrow valleys are densely packed with houses. There are many slopes, such as Nanbuzaka, Kitsunezaka, and Kurayamizaka, and the topography changes significantly. In addition to the Metropolitan Expressway Inner Circular Route, Route 2, and Route 3, the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Namboku Line, and Toei Subway Oedo Line run through the area.

[Kiyoshi Sawada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東京都港区中西部、北は青山、北東は六本木に接する一地区。東麻布、西麻布、元麻布、麻布十番、南麻布などからなる。また、1947年（昭和22）までは旧麻布区の一部であった。かつてアサを栽培し、布を織った地であることが地名の由来で、慶長(けいちょう)年間（1596～1615）には、麻布の原とよばれた。また、阿佐布、阿佐婦とも書かれた。山手(やまのて)台地の一部を占め、江戸時代は大名屋敷地や寺社地に利用されたが、明治以後は高級住宅地やドイツ、フランス、スイスなど、外国大使館の用地へと変わった。旧南部(なんぶ)（盛岡）藩屋敷地跡は、有栖川宮(ありすがわのみや)家の用地になり、現在は有栖川宮記念公園、都立中央図書館となっている。台地は多くの侵食谷で刻まれ、台地上の広い住宅地と対照的に狭い谷は住宅が密集している。南部坂、狐(きつね)坂、暗闇(くらやみ)坂など坂が多く、地形の変化が著しい。首都高速道路都心環状線、2号線、3号線のほか、東京地下鉄日比谷(ひびや)線、南北線、都営地下鉄大江戸線が通っている。

［沢田　清］

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