Tokyo Japan

Description: Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis (東京都, Tōkyō-to), is the capital of Japan and one of the most populous cities in the world with a population of over 14 million residents as of 2023. The Tokyo metropolitan area, which includes Tokyo and nearby prefectures, is the world’s most-populous metropolitan area, with 40.8 million residents as of 2023, and is the second-largest metropolitan economy in the world after New York, with a 2022 gross metropolitan product estimated at US$2.08 trillion (US$51,124 per capita). Located at the head of Tokyo Bay, Tokyo is part of the Kantō region on the central coast of Honshu, Japan’s largest island. Tokyo serves as Japan’s economic center and the seat of both the Japanese government and the Emperor of Japan.

Population: 37,194,000

Demographics: Japanese 97.5%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnam 0.4%, South Korean 0.3%, other 1.2% (includes Filipino, Brazilian, Nepalese, Indonesian, American, and Taiwanese).

History: Tokyo was originally a village called Edo, in what was formerly part of the old Musashi Province. Edo was first fortified by the Edo clan, in the late twelfth century. In 1457, Ōta Dōkan built Edo Castle. In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved from Mikawa Province (his lifelong base) to the Kantō region. When he became shōgun in 1603, Edo became the center of his ruling. During the subsequent Edo period, Edo grew into one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century. Edo was renamed Tokyo (Eastern Capital) on September 3, 1868, as the new government was consolidating its power after the fall of the Edo shogunate. In 1943, the city of Tokyo merged with the prefecture of Tokyo to form the “Metropolitan Prefecture” of Tokyo. Since then, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government served as both the prefecture government for Tokyo, as well as administering the special wards of Tokyo, for what had previously been Tokyo City. After the war, Tokyo became the base from which the United States under Douglas MacArthur administered Japan for six years. Tokyo struggled to rebuild as occupation authorities stepped in and drastically cut back on Japanese government rebuilding programs, focusing instead on simply improving roads and transportation. Tokyo did not experience fast economic growth until the 1950s. After the occupation of Japan ended in 1952, Tokyo was completely rebuilt and was showcased to the world during the 1964 Summer Olympics, such as the Yoyogi National Gymnasium and the 0 Series Shinkansen, the first bullet train of its class in the world. The 1970s and the 1980s brought new high-rise developments. In 1978, Sunshine 60 – the tallest skyscraper in Asia until 1985, and in Japan until 1991 – and Narita International Airport were constructed, and the population increased to about 11 million in the metropolitan area. The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum has historic Japanese buildings that existed in the urban landscape of pre-war Tokyo. Tokyo’s subway and commuter rail network became one of the busiest in the world as more and more people moved to the area.

Elevation: 40 m

Climate: Humid subtropical climate. Average annual temperature in Tokyo is 19 C (67 F), the average for July is 26 C (79 F), the average for January is 5 C (41 F).

Attractions: Senso Ji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo Tower, Ueno Park, Tokyo Skytree, Ginza, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Decks

Airports: Haneda International Airport HND, Narita International Airport NRT

Distance To City Centre: 80 km

Commute Length: 90 min

Average Cost: 175 USD

Peak Times: 6am-10am, 3pm-8pm