Disunai

Disunai (ヂスナイ区) is one of the several wards of Toyokin, Takyoto. In English, it is known as "Disunai", although in Japanese the ward is called "Djisunai", since there is no exact di- in the language.

As of September 1, 2011, Disunai has an estimated population of 483,304. The population density of the ward was an estimated 4,700 residents per km² (12,000 residents per mi²). Over 60% of the population in Disunai are ages 50 and below. The ward's total area is 103.4 km² (39.9 sq mi).

Disunai is named loosely off of the Japanese word "dizunī" (ディズニー), which translates into "Disney" in English. It is named Disunai due to the location of Toyokin Disney Resort within the ward. The resort allows easy sister city relationships with other global cities home to Disney resorts and theme parks.

History
Before the Toyokin Disney Resort was constructed, Disunai was known as Kokkyō-ka (国境家). In the 17th century, Kokkyō-ka was originally founded to house the homes and headquarters for local public services and army soldiers. Many police officers that handled most of the southern areas of Toyokin were housed in Kokkyō-ka.

This generally remained the ideal usage of the city until 1867, when middle class residents started living in there too. Mid-rise apartments were constructed almost every few blocks, in order to handle the increasing population. However, in 1934, the demand and market for residences in Kokkyō-ka plummeted after the stock market in the country became unstable. Before the demand could return to normal, the ward was overcome by commercial development. Soon, The Walt Disney Company expressed interest in setting up a theme park in the ward in 1988. Construction on the resort began in 1989, and the ward was officially renamed to Disunai.

Geography
Disunai lies at the far southern tip of Toyokin. It is bordered only by Maruno and Tekunoka to the north. However, to the south, it borders Dainia, in the Shokitan Prefecture. There are very few noticeable geographic changes in landscape, being a mainly flat ward. However, the western shore that leads to Chōkōsō-wan Bay is dominated by boulders and rough, sandy shores.

Housing and employment
Housing used to be a major contributor to Disunai's economy from the 17th to 19th century. Urban sprawl has been the case for residential growth since 2004. Tall condominiums and apartments have since been a common sight near the coastal area of the ward. Another contributor to the economy was the stable rate of employment for residents, with many jobs available to different classes of residents. In 2007, the ward's rate of unemployment was low, at 1.18%. This rose at an average 0.2% over the next 3 years. Since then employment rates were soaring at percentages ranging from 87% to 91% over the past two years. The average apartment rent price in 2010 was around ₲3,186,326 or US$519,394.

Public safety services
Ever since its founding in the 17th century, Disunai has also been used as the major center for bases operated by the public safety services that serve the southern area of Toyokin. Major offices and response centers for emergency responders such as the police or fire services have been set up near the border between Disunai and Dainia. The Disunai Central Hospital is located about a mile from the Disney resort in the ward.

Tourism
The most vital source to the economy of Disunai is tourism. Disunai is the home of the Toyokin Disney Resort. Over 28 million visitors came to Disunai just to go to Toyokin Disney. In addition to theme parks, Disunai also hosts a few conventions about manga or personal living. The Disunai Convention Center is located along the southern shore of the ward.

The Toyokin Disney Resort consists of two theme parks, a shopping district, and 3 resort hotels. The main park is Toyokin Disneyland, while another park, Toyokin DisneyUniverse is located just across from the entrance to the former. Keikenhō is the shopping district, similar to that of Downtown Disney. The resort also features its own mode of transportation within the resort, and also has a monorail station that is utilized by the Dainia Monorail. Other theme parks have been considered, however, most plans have either been scrapped or declined by the government. The Disunai Convention Center is one of the largest in the country, and hosts 6 different conventions annually.

Hotels
Outside of the Toyokin Disney Resort, there are quite a few different hotel options for tourists. Options range from motels to premium hotels. However, the majority of hotels in Disunai are budget-friendly for families staying for just a few nights. Near the convention center and Toyokin Disney, a growing amount of middle-class hotel options are becoming available. There are many 4-5 star hotels in Disunai. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is the largest hotel operator in the ward, with over 25 different hotels scattered across the ward. It is under consideration whether a Waldorf Astoria is to be built or not.

Rail



 * Imperial Railway:
 * Kankō-joi Line (Disunai Station)
 * Toyosei Line (Disunai Station)
 * Djisofune Line (Disunai Station, Shiro-genba Station)
 * Chushiro Line (Shiro-genba Station)
 * Shiroguni Line (Shiro-genba Station)
 * Shokishima Island Rail:
 * Disubuku Line (Disunai Station)
 * AirRail Group:
 * Kyūmura Line (Disunai Station)
 * Tōdensha Monorail:
 * Sugure Line (Disunai Station