Although Kōjimachi and Kanda were finally united as present-day Chiyoda-ku, they were, at one time, two worlds apart.

During the Edo period, the vast mansions of hatamoto, or high-ranking samurai, stood side by side in Kōjimachi. It had been the quintessential 'high city' and was an affluent, aristocratic part of the town. Even after the feudal system was abolished, the area retained its aristocratic atmosphere, as politicians and persons of wealth and culture moved in. Many government institutions were located in this area, including the Diet building. The area expanded further as a business district when Tokyo Station opened here in 1914.

Kanda was a unique mix of both 'high' and 'low'. In its northern hills stood the houses of nobles and rich tradesmen, while its lower planes were inhabited by those Edo townspeople who had little to spare. Kanda had, in fact, been famous for its tough gangsters and 'hot water women', or unlicensed prostitutes of the bathhouses. During the Meiji era, these lower regions became calm residential areas. On the hills, the Nikolai Cathedral was built, along with the first private universities and many bookstores, the core of present-day Jinbōchō. It became a haven for Tokyo's students and intellectuals.

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