Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital and most populous city of Japan. It sits on the central coast of Honshu, Japan's largest island. The city is located at the head of Tokyo Bay. This area belongs to the Kantō region.

Tokyo serves as Japan's economic center. It is also the seat of the Japanese government and the Emperor of Japan. The city is a massive urban area. Over 14 million people live in the city proper as of 2023. The Greater Tokyo Area is even larger. It includes Tokyo and parts of six neighboring prefectures. This metropolitan area has 41 million residents. It is the most populous metropolitan area in the world.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government administers the entire region. This includes 23 special wards in the center. These wards formerly made up Tokyo City. The government also manages western suburbs and two island chains. These are known as the Tokyo Islands.

The special wards are distinct areas within the metropolis. Chiyoda is the site of the National Diet Building and the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Shinjuku serves as the administrative center. Shibuya is a major hub for commerce and business. The governing structure functions more like a prefecture than a single city. This has been the case since 1943.

The history of Tokyo began long before its current name. The site has been inhabited since ancient times. Researchers have found Paleolithic period sites in the area. During the Jomon period, sea levels rose by 120 cm. This changed the coastline near the current Imperial Palace. In the 12th century, the Edo clan fortified the area. Later, Ōta Dōkan built Edo Castle in 1457. The city was originally known as Edo. The name refers to an estuary. This describes the meeting of the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay.

Edo rose to political prominence in 1603. This happened when it became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. During the Edo period, the city enjoyed the Pax Tokugawa. This was a long period of peace. The shogunate also followed a policy of seclusion. This prevented serious military threats to the city. Because of this peace, Edo grew very quickly. It evolved from a small fishing village into a massive city. By the mid-18th century, its population surpassed one million.

Major changes occurred during the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The imperial capital moved from Kyoto to Edo. The city was then renamed Tokyo, which means "Eastern Capital."

This change followed an East Asian tradition of naming capitals. The city underwent rapid modernization during this time. New institutions like the University of Tokyo and the Tokyo Stock Exchange were established. The first railway line in Japan also connected Shimbashi to Yokohama. Tokyo became the engine for the country's economic development.

Tokyo has survived significant destruction. The Great Kantō earthquake struck in 1923. This event and subsequent fires killed about 105,000 people. It also caused a loss of 37 percent of the national economic output.

Later, the city suffered damage from allied bombing raids during World War II.

Following the late 1940s, Tokyo began rapid reconstruction. This growth fueled the Japanese economic miracle. During this time, Japan's economy became the second-largest in the world. Tokyo is now home to 26 of the world's 500 largest companies.

Today, Tokyo is a global leader in finance and technology. The Tokyo Stock Exchange remains a top five major stock exchange. The city is also an international hub for research and development. It features the world's tallest tower, the Tokyo Skytree.

The transport network is also world-class. Tokyo Station is the hub for the Shinkansen high-speed rail. Shinjuku Station is the busiest train station in the world. Tokyo was also the first city in Asia to host the Summer Olympics. It hosted the games in 1964 and again in 2021.