Takanawa

This name was later abbreviated into its present form. At the beginning of the Edo period, Takanawa was established as a town whose lands - along with the lands of Mita, Shiba and other surrounding areas - were occupied for the most part by the vast estates of samurai families, temples and shrines. The presence of a large number of embassies in the vicinity can be historically traced to the use of some of these temples as the earliest sites of numerous foreign embassies. Since the Meiji Restoration, Takanawa has been favored as a residential district for members of the royal family, government officials and private sector leaders thanks to the fine views of Tokyo Bay that this location commands and to the fact that its elevation ensures good exposure to sunlight and wafting breezes. While many of these homes were converted into public-sector and private-sector facilities and educational institutions after the Second World War, Takanawa remains a place where a serene, refined environment continues to be cultivated for use as a neighborhood of upscale homes.