Naka Ward is located in eastern Kanagawa Prefecture, and east of the geographic center of the city of Yokohama. Its name means "middle ward." In the low-lying Northern district, commonly referred to as Kannai, it hosts the Yokohama city hall and the headquarters of the Kanagawa prefectural government. The central part of the ward includes elevated ground; this area, known as Yamate, has long been a residential area. Along the shore lies reclaimed land upon which port facilities, part of the Minato Mirai 21 complex, and Yamashita Park were built. To the south are the piers, oil refineries and the central port of Yokohama. The Nakamura River, a branch of the Ōoka River, cuts across the northern part of the ward. The northernmost and southernmost points are upland.
In the Edo period, the area of present-day Naka-ku was part of the tenryō territory in Musashi Province controlled directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, but administered through various hatamoto. Before 1667 much of the area in Naka-ku and Minami-ku was submerged and a part of a lagoon. In that year, a large scale reclamation project, the Yoshida Shinden was completed. During this period Naka-ku developed into a largely agricultural area compromised reclaimed paddy fields for rice production.[1] In the Bakumatsu Period, the signing of the Kanagawa Treaty provided for the opening of treaty ports, and the area of what is now central Naka Ward was designated as open to foreign settlement in 1859. The Yokohama Cricket Club (now known as the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club) was established in 1868. Yokohama Chinatown was also established during this period.
After the Meiji Restoration, the area was transferred to the new Kuraki District in Kanagawa Prefecture. Yokohama's wards were established on October 10, 1927, with this area becoming Naka Ward. The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake devastated downtown Yokohama. Yamashita Park was established in 1930 with landfill from the earthquake rubble. In December 1943, Minami Ward was separated from Naka Ward, which also gave up some territory to Kanagawa Ward and Hodogaya Ward. Nishi Ward was separated from Naka Ward in 1944. During World War II, the Yokohama Air Raid of May 29, 1945 left 14,157 people dead, injured, or missing. After the surrender of Japan, some 74% of the land, 90% of port area in Naka Ward was occupied by the American military. The last of this territory was not returned to Japan until March 31, 1982.
Economy
Naka Ward is a regional commercial center and the old main business district of Yokohama.
Yokohama's day labourers concentrate in the Kotobuki-cho ward near the Ishikawachō Station.[2] Historically, most used to work at the harbour, with 5500 labourers in 1982.[2]
Additionally, the zones of Azuma Elementary School (東小学校), Ishikawa Elementary School (石川小学校), Minami Yoshida Elementary School (南吉田小学校), Minatomiraihoncho Elementary School (みなとみらい本町小学校), and Negishi Elementary School (根岸小学校), all with campuses outside of Naka-ku, include portions of Naka-ku.[5]
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