Suginami-ku, Special ward in Tokyo, Japan
Suginami is a special ward in the western part of Tokyo that includes several residential neighborhoods such as Asagaya, Koenji, and Ogikubo. The Chuo railway line connects these districts and runs through the entire area.
The ward received its name during the Edo period when Lord Tadayoshi Okabe planted cedars to mark the boundaries of his property. These trees gave the area its name, which derives from the Japanese words for cedar and seedling.
Every August, Asagaya fills with colored lanterns and paper wishes hanging between the streets during the Tanabata Festival. More than 70 animation studios work here daily on Japanese cartoons and films shown around the world.
Three major railway lines cross the ward and connect it to the rest of the city: the JR East Chuo Main Line, the Keio Line, and the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line. Stations sit near residential neighborhoods with shops and restaurants.
In 1954, residents here launched the Suginami Appeal against nuclear weapons, which became known across Japan. The initiative gathered signatures throughout the country and became a symbol of the postwar Japanese peace movement.
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