Gotanda

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Gotanda (五反田^?) is a busy neighbourhood in the Shinagawa ward of Tokyo, Japan. The name "Gotanda" can be literally translated as "a (rice) paddy of half-hectare's size". The district straddles the Meguro river, and is located between the Meguro and Ōsaki stations on the important JR Yamanote Line.

Gotanda Station.

The neighbourhood is centered on the Gotanda Station, which is served by the Toei Asakusa subway line and the elevated Tokyu Ikegami train line in addition to the Yamanote line.

The JR loop severs the neighbourhood into two districts. Higashi (East) Gotanda lies inside the Yamanote loop, while Nishi (West) Gotanda is outside the loop. Nishi-Gotanda is largely residential, with moderately-sized apartment buildings close to the JR station and quiet leafy streets in the outlying reaches. Higashi-Gotanda is home to Seisen University, NTT East Kanto Hospital, several temples and shrines and many office buildings. Higashi-Gotanda also has a substantial number of hotels, including some of the famed capsule hotel style. Some of the buildings making up the sprawling world headquarters of Sony are found along the eastern edge of Higashi-Gotanda.

One of Tokyo's busy major avenues (Sakurada dori—part of Japan's National Highway No. 1) passes through both halves of Gotanda, carrying traffic between the inner business districts ringing the Imperial Palace grounds and the outlying areas of Shinagawa-ku, Ōta-ku and beyond that the city of Yokohama.

Gotanda buildings

Services

Gotanda is served by a post office and a number of banks. It has a large Tsutaya (a large movie-rental chain). The area around the station is served by a Tokyu Store (grocery and department store) and the Tokyo Outlet Center. Kanto Medical Center is a large hospital to the north. Smaller clinics—including a dental clinic—are near the university.

Specialty services

Gotanda's specialty is the Korean barbecue restaurant, of which there are five around Gotanda station.^[1] They are generally quite good, and can be cheap as well, and are worth a visit for those who do not require service in English.

Embassies

Gotanda is home to the embassy of Indonesia. Peru maintains an office near the train station, as well — the latter being busy enough to attract a Peruvian restaurant.

References

Coordinates: 35°37′33″N 139°43′25″E / 35.62583°N 139.72361°E / 35.62583; 139.72361