– ICLEI Japan Member Information –

Sumida City

Message from the Mayor of Sumida City

Tooru Yamamoto

Surrounded by rivers, Sumida has had a deep connection with rain and water since ancient times. The city has nurtured this connection through a variety of relationships and is dotted with historical sites such as shrines and monuments related to rain and water.

Rainwater causes urban flooding due to typhoons and torrential rains, but it can also be reclaimed as a water resource through effective use. In our city, we are promoting the storage and use of rainwater. In addition to the city office and other city facilities, rainwater harvesting tanks have been installed in the Tokyo Sky Tree®, and are also widely used in ordinary houses for flushing toilets, sprinkling water on plants, and water for fire prevention.

As an advanced location for rainwater harvesting, Sumida will continue to promote urban development using rainwater and will make efforts to publicize the benefits of rainwater harvesting to as many people as possible. If you are interested in rainwater harvesting, please come visit Sumida City!

Overview of Sumida City

Sumida City is located in the eastern part of Tokyo and is surrounded by the Sumida River, the Arakawa River, and many other bodies of water. It is characterized by a harmonious mix of residential, industrial, and commercial land use.

It is a manufacturing town but has a downtown atmosphere nurtured by the history and culture of the Edo period. There are many famous places, traditional arts, and historic sites as well as technology. Furthermore, Tokyo Sky Tree®, the world’s tallest freestanding radio tower, was built with the best of modern technology, and the city is on its way to becoming an international tourist city that fuses manufacturing and tourism.

Basic Information

288,556

Population
(As of 1 July 2025)

13.77㎢

Area

Sumida City Website

Environmental Initiatives

In October 2009, Sumida declared itself as the Sumida Environmental District, and has been implementing environmental measures against global warming to realise an environmentally friendly city. The city has a particularly long history of rainwater utilization, starting with a request for rainwater utilization during the construction of the Ryogoku Kokugikan in 1982 to prevent urban flooding caused by the backflow of sewage during heavy rains. These rainwater utilization promotion projects were highly evaluated by ICLEI, and Sumida received the International Municipal Environment Award in 2000.

In the future, Sumida will continue to work together with its residents and businesses to realize an environmentally friendly city, including rainwater harvesting.

Sumida Environmental Policy Division Website

Sumida City’s Path to Circular and Resilient Urban Water Management

Sumida City showcases how urban water systems can become more circular and resilient by integrating water reuse, flood management, and climate adaptation. The case highlights local innovation in strengthening water infrastructure while improving resource efficiency and urban resilience in a dense metropolitan setting.

Return to ICLEI Member List

Associate Partnership

Tabs Opener

About
Rates and Dues
Application Form
Contact

Associate Partnership is available to non-governmental organizations, universities, state and national government agencies and not-for-profit research institutions. The purpose of Associate Partnership is to facilitate dialogues between local governments and these partners, to provide knowledge transfer in line with ICLEI’s Mission and Charter, and an avenue for which partners can support ICLEI’s work and mandate.

HARNESS the power of the ICLEI Network! " Governments need to give (the sense of) direction, as Business leaders we don't make the wind, we sail the boats. So policy should set the winds in the right directions if you want the boat going fast to the right harbor." Philippe Joubert Senior Advisor, World Business Council
on Sustainable Development

Click here to view a full list of our associate partners

All India Institute of Local Self Government
Center for Environmental Studies Foundation
Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board
China Center for Urban Development (CCUD)
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Council of Wards in Tokyo
Fondation Biladi pour le Developpement Durable
German Federal Association for Sustainability
The Guangzhou Award
ICDI - International Climate Development Institute
IGOB-lnteressengemeinschaft okologische Beschaffung
International Association for Medina-Mary
Local Government Network-LG Net
National Institute of Urban Affairs
National Procurement Ltd.- Denmark
Natureparif
North-West University, Potchefstroom
RADP - Rural Area Development Programme
Selenyi Kirov
Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition
Taiwan Environmental Action Network
TCO Development
The Ideas Bank Foundation
VITO-Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek
Water Research Commission

First benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.
Second benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.
Third benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.
Fourth benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.

Rates and Dues

Application Form

Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org

Want to be a model?

First benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.
Second benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.
Third benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.
Fourth benefit point
Sed ut perspiciatis uncle omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem.

Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org

ICLEI membership online application form

Tabs Opener

Apply Now
Fee Structure
Benefits
Contact

[contact-form-7 id="3549" html_class="steps-form"]

Fee Structure

Benefits

Eva Madeira Head of ICLEI Global Membership & Governance

Got any questions? I will be happy to assist. Please contact me at iclei(at)iclei.org