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Tokyo

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Tokyo is the capital city of Japan. It sits on the central coast of Honshu, which is the largest island in the country. The city lies at the head of Tokyo Bay. This area is part of the Kantō region.

Tokyo Skyline20210123
Tokyo Skyline20210123

Tokyo is a very busy place with many people. Over 14 million people live in the city itself. The Greater Tokyo Area is even bigger. It includes parts of six neighboring prefectures. This area has 41 million residents. It is the most populous metropolitan area in the world.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 2012 Ⅱ
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 2012 Ⅱ

Tokyo works as a major center for the whole country. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Emperor. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government looks after the city. This includes 23 special wards in the center. It also manages suburbs in the west and two island chains. These are the Tokyo Islands.

Map of Izu Islands
Map of Izu Islands

You can see different areas like Chiyoda or Shinjuku. Chiyoda holds the National Diet Building and the Imperial Palace. Shinjuku is the center for administration. Shibuya is a famous place for business.

Map of Izu Islands
Map of Izu Islands

Long ago, the city had a different name. It was known as Edo. It began as a small fishing village. In 1603, it became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. By the mid-18th century, Edo was one of the largest cities in the world. It had more than one million people by then.

Hiroshige, Sugura street
Hiroshige, Sugura street

In 1868, the capital moved from Kyoto to Edo. The name was changed to Tokyo. This name means "Eastern Capital."

Hiroshige, Sugura street
Hiroshige, Sugura street

Tokyo has faced many hard times. A huge earthquake hit the city in 1923. This was the Great Kantō earthquake.

Metropolitan Police Office after Kanto Earthquake
Metropolitan Police Office after Kanto Earthquake

The city was also damaged by bombing raids during World War II.

Tokyo 1945-3-10-1
Tokyo 1945-3-10-1

After the late 1940s, the city began to rebuild very fast. This helped the Japanese economy grow quickly. Tokyo is now home to 26 of the world's 500 largest companies. It is a top place for research and big universities.

Tokyo Skyline20210123
Tokyo Skyline20210123

Today, Tokyo is a world leader in many ways. It was the first city in Asia to host the Summer Olympics. This happened in 1964 and again in 2021.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games- Monument of Olympic Rings
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games- Monument of Olympic Rings

The city has amazing transport. Tokyo Station is a hub for the Shinkansen high-speed trains. Shinjuku Station is the busiest train station on Earth. You can also visit the Tokyo Skytree. It is the tallest tower in the world.

Tokyo Skyline20210123
Tokyo Skyline20210123
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🖼️ Images & Media (85)
File:Hiroshige, Sugura street.jpg
Hiroshige, Sugura street.jpg
File:Metropolitan Police Office after Kanto Earthquake.jpg
Metropolitan Police Office after Kanto...
File:Tokyo 1945-3-10-1.jpg
Tokyo 1945-3-10-1.jpg
File:Tokyo Skyline20210123.jpg
Tokyo Skyline20210123.jpg
File:Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games- Monument of Olympic Rings.jpg
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games- Monument of...
File:Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 2012 Ⅱ.JPG
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 2012 Ⅱ.JPG
File:Tokyo Nishitama District Area Map.svg
Tokyo Nishitama District Area Map.svg
File:Map of Izu Islands.png
Map of Izu Islands.png
File:Ogasawara islands.png
Ogasawara islands.png
File:Flag of Adachi, Tokyo.svg
Flag of Adachi, Tokyo.svg
File:Flag of Arakawa, Tokyo.svg
Flag of Arakawa, Tokyo.svg
File:Flag of Bunkyo, Tokyo.svg
Flag of Bunkyo, Tokyo.svg

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