, officially , is one of the 47
prefecturesThe prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
of
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and is located on the eastern side of the main island
Honshūor Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Strait...
. The twenty-three
special wards of TokyoThe are 23 municipalities that together make up the core and the most populous part of Tokyo, Japan. Together, they occupy the land that was the city of Tokyo before it was abolished in 1943. The special wards' structure was established under the Japanese Local Autonomy Law and is unique to...
, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the
city of Tokyowas a municipality in Japan which existed from May 1, 1889 until its merger with Tokyo Prefecture in July 1, 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by independent special wards.-History:...
in the eastern part of the prefecture, totaling over 8 million people. The population of the prefecture exceeds 12 million. The prefecture is the center of the
Greater Tokyo AreaThe Greater Tokyo Area is a large metropolitan area in Japan consisting of most of the prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tokyo . In Japanese, it is referred to by various terms, including the , , , and others....
, the world's most populous metropolitan area with 35 million people and the
world's largest metropolitan economy with a GDP of US$1.191 trillion at
purchasing power parityThe purchasing power parity theory uses the long-term equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their purchasing power...
in 2005.
Tokyo was described by
Saskia SassenSaskia Sassen is an American sociologist noted for her analyses of globalization and international human migration. She is currently a professor of sociology at Columbia University and at the London School of Economics. Sassen coined the term global city...
as one of the three "command centers" for the
world economyThe world economy can be evaluated in various ways, depending on the model used, and this valuation can then be represented in various ways...
, along with
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
and
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
. This city is considered an
alpha+ world cityA global city is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a...
, listed by the GaWC's 2008 inventory and ranked fourth among global cities by
Foreign PolicyForeign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel. Under the stewardship of editor-in-chief Moises Naim, Foreign Policy evolved from an academic quarterly in the 1990s to a bimonthly glossy, winning the 2009, 2007, and 2003 National...
's 2008
Global CitiesA global city is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a...
Index. In 2009 Tokyo was named the
world's most expensive city for expatriate employees, according to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting and
Economist Intelligence UnitThe Economist Intelligence Unit is part of the Economist Group.It is a research and advisory company providing country, industry and management analysis worldwide and incorporates the former Business International Corporation, a U.S. company acquired by the parent organization in 1986...
cost-of-living surveys and named the third Most Liveable City and the World’s Most Livable Megalopolis by international lifestyle magazine
Monocle.
Tokyo is the seat of the
Japanese government- Legislative branch :The National Diet of Japan is Japan's legislature. It consists of two houses: the House of Representatives of Japan and the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system....
and the
Imperial Palaceis the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda, Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains various buildings such as the main palace and the private residences of the imperial family. The total area including the gardens is 7.41 square kilometers...
, and the home of the
Japanese Imperial FamilyThe , also referred to as the Imperial Family, or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state and unity of the people...
.
Name
Tokyo was originally known as
Edo, literally: bay-door, "estuary", ), also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
, meaning estuary. Its name was changed to Tokyo (
Tōkyō:
tō (east) +
kyō (capital)) when it became the imperial capital in 1868. During the early Meiji period, the city was also called "Tōkei", an alternative pronunciation for the same Chinese characters representing "Tokyo". Some surviving official English documents use the spelling "Tokei"; however, this pronunciation is now obsolete.
History
Tokyo was originally a small fishing village named Edo. In 1457,
Ōta DōkanŌta Dōkan , also known as Ōta Sukenaga or Ōta Dōkan Sukenaga, was a Japanese samurai warrior-poet, military tactician and Buddhist monk. Ōta Sukenaga took the tonsure as a Buddhist priest in 1478, and he also adopted the Buddhist name, Dōkan, by which is known today...
built
Edo Castle, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
. In 1590,
Tokugawa Ieyasu
made Edo his base and when he became
shogun is a military rank and historical title for Hereditary Commanders in Chief of the Armed Forces of Japan. The modern rank is equivalent to a Generalissimo...
in 1603, the town became the center of his nationwide military government. During the subsequent
Edo periodThe , or , is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 and is the premodern era. The period marks the governance of the Edo or Tokugawa shogunate, which was officially established in 1603 by the first Edo shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period ended with the Meiji Restoration, the...
, Edo grew into one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century. It became the de facto capital of Japan even while the emperor lived in
Kyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area....
, the imperial capital.
After about 263 years, the shogunate was overthrown under the banner of
restoring imperial ruleThe , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure...
. In 1869, the 17-year-old
Emperor MeijiThe or Meiji the Great was the 122
nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death....
moved to Edo. Tokyo was already the nation's political and cultural center, and the emperor's residence made it a de facto imperial capital as well with the former
Edo Castle, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
becoming the
Imperial Palaceis the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda, Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains various buildings such as the main palace and the private residences of the imperial family. The total area including the gardens is 7.41 square kilometers...
. The
city of Tokyowas a municipality in Japan which existed from May 1, 1889 until its merger with Tokyo Prefecture in July 1, 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by independent special wards.-History:...
was established, and continued to be the capital until it was abolished as a municipality in 1943 and merged with the "Metropolitan Prefecture" of Tokyo.
Central Tokyo, like
Osakais a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū.Osaka is a City in Japan and also is designated city under the Local Autonomy Law and the capital city of Osaka Prefecture...
, has been designed since about the turn of the century (1900) to be centered around major train stations in a high-density fashion, so suburban railways were built relatively cheaply at street level and with their own right-of-way. This differs from many cities in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, such as
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
, that are low-density and automobile-centric. Though
expresswaysis a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...
have been built in Tokyo, the basic design has not changed.
Tokyo went on to suffer two major catastrophes in the 20th century, but it recovered from both. One was the
1923 Great Kantō earthquakeThe struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes....
, which left 140,000 dead or missing, and the other was
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The
bombing of Tokyo in 1944 and 1945The bombing of Tokyo by the United States Army Air Forces took place at several times during the Pacific campaigns of World War II and included the most destructive bombing raid in history.-Doolittle Raid:...
, with 75,000 to 200,000 killed and half of the city destroyed, were almost as devastating as the atomic bombs of
Hiroshimais the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It became the first city in history assaulted by nuclear armament when the United States of America dropped an atomic bomb on it on August 6, 1945, near the culmination...
and Nagasaki combined. After the war, Tokyo was completely rebuilt, and showcased to the world during the
1964 Summer OlympicsThe 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organisation of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. The 1970s brought new high-rise developments such as
Sunshine 60is a 60-story, mixed-use skyscraper located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, adjoining the Sunshine City complex. At the time of its completion in 1978, the 239.7 m building was the tallest in East Asia, a title it held until 1985 when it was surpassed by the 63 Building in Seoul...
, a new and controversial
airportis an international airport located in Narita, Chiba, Japan, in the eastern portion of the Greater Tokyo Area. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east southeast of Narita Station....
at Narita in 1978 (some distance outside city limits), and a population increase to about 11 million (in the metropolitan area).
Tokyo's subwayThe Tokyo subway is an integral part of the world's most extensive rapid transit system in a single metropolitan area, Greater Tokyo. While the subway system itself is largely within the city center, the lines extend far out via extensive through services onto suburban railway lines.- Networks :As...
and commuter rail network became one of the busiest in the world as more and more people moved to the area. In the 1980s, real estate prices skyrocketed during a real estate and debt
bubbleThe was an economic bubble in Japan from 1986 to 1990, in which real estate and stock prices greatly inflated. The bubble's collapse lasted for more than a decade with stock prices bottoming in 2003, until hitting an even lower low amidst the current global crisis in 2008.- History :In the decades...
. The bubble burst in the early 1990s, and many companies, banks, and individuals were caught with mortgage backed debts while real estate was shrinking in value. A major recession followed, making the 1990s Japan's "
lost decadeThe Lost Decade is the time after the Japanese asset price bubble's collapse , which occurred gradually rather than catastrophically.The Lost Decade consists of the years 1991 to 2000....
" from which it is now slowly recovering.
Tokyo still sees new urban developments on large lots of less profitable land. Recent projects include
Ebisuis a neighborhood in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Conveniently near Roppongi and central Shibuya, Ebisu is easily accessed by the JR Yamanote and Hibiya lines via Ebisu Station...
Garden Place, Tennozu Isle,
ShiodomeShiodome is an area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located adjacent to Shinbashi and Ginza, near Tokyo Bay and the Hamarikyu Gardens. Formerly a railway terminal, Shiodome has been transformed into one of Tokyo's most modern areas...
,
Roppongi Hillsis one of Japan's largest integrated property developments, located in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo.Constructed by building tycoon Minoru Mori, the mega-complex incorporates office space, apartments, shops, restaurants, cafés, movie theaters, a museum, a hotel, a major TV studio, an...
,
Shinagawais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
(now also a
ShinkansenThe is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the now long network has expanded to link most major cities on the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū at speeds up to...
station), and the
MarunouchiMarunouchi is a commercial district of Tokyo located in Chiyoda between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat...
side of
Tokyo Stationis a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
. Buildings of significance are demolished for more up-to-date shopping facilities such as
Omotesando HillsOmotesando Hills was built in 2005, in a series of Tokyo urban developments by Mori Building. It occupies a two hundred and fifty meter stretch of Omotesandō, a famous shopping and residential road in Aoyama sometimes termed Tokyo's Champs-Élysées...
. Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the
Odaibais a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...
area, now a major shopping and entertainment center. Various plans have been proposed for transferring national government functions from Tokyo to secondary capitals in other regions of Japan, in order to slow down rapid development in Tokyo and revitalize economically lagging areas of the country. These plans have been controversial within Japan and have yet to be realized.
Geography and administrative divisions
The mainland portion of Tokyo lies northwest of
Tokyo Bayis a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Boso Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
and measures about 90 km east to west and 25 km north to south.
Chiba Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
borders it to the east,
Yamanashiis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
to the west,
Kanagawais a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Honshū, Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.- History :The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
to the south, and
Saitamais a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which floods of residents commute each day....
to the north. Mainland Tokyo is further subdivided into the special wards (occupying the eastern half) and the Tama area stretching westwards.
Also within the administrative boundaries of Tokyo Metropolis are two island chains in the
Pacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Tepre Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and...
directly south: the
Izu IslandsThe are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ōshima....
, and the
Ogasawara IslandsThe Bonin Islands, known in Japan as the are an archipelago of over 30 subtropical and tropical islands, some 1,000 km directly south of Tokyo, Japan. Administratively, they are part of Ogasawara Municipality of Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo...
, which stretch more than 1,000 km away from mainland Japan. Because of these islands and mountainous regions to the west, Tokyo's overall population density figures far underrepresent the real figures for urban and suburban regions of Tokyo.
Under
Japanese lawThe modernization of the Law of Japan was based on the European legal system. At the beginning of Meiji era, the system of Europe – especially the civil law of Germany and France - was the model of the Japanese court system and legal system. However, after the Second World War, the Japanese legal...
, Tokyo is designated as a
to , translated as
metropolisA metropolis is a big city, in most cases with over half a million inhabitants in the city proper, and with a population of at least one million living in its urban agglomeration. Big cities belonging to a larger urban agglomeration, but which are not the core of that agglomeration, are not...
. Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other
prefecturesThe prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
. Within Tokyo lie dozens of smaller entities, most of them conventionally referred to as cities. It includes
twenty-three special wardsThe are 23 municipalities that together make up the core and the most populous part of Tokyo, Japan. Together, they occupy the land that was the city of Tokyo before it was abolished in 1943. The special wards' structure was established under the Japanese Local Autonomy Law and is unique to...
( -ku) which until 1943 comprised the
city of Tokyowas a municipality in Japan which existed from May 1, 1889 until its merger with Tokyo Prefecture in July 1, 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by independent special wards.-History:...
but are now separate, self-governing municipalities, each with a mayor and a council, and having the status of a city. In addition to these 23 municipalities, Tokyo also encompasses 26 more cities (市 -shi), five towns ( -chō or machi), and eight villages ( -son or -mura), each of which has a local government. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its
headquartersThe , also referred to as Tokyo City Hall or Tochō for short, houses the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which governs not only the 23 wards, but also the cities, towns and villages that make up Tokyo as a whole....
are in the ward of
Shinjukuis one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world , and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo.Surrounding Shinjuku Station are department...
. They govern all of Tokyo, including lakes, rivers, dams, farms, remote islands, and national parks in addition to its famous neon jungle, skyscrapers and crowded subways.
The twenty-three special wards
The
special wardsThe are 23 municipalities that together make up the core and the most populous part of Tokyo, Japan. Together, they occupy the land that was the city of Tokyo before it was abolished in 1943. The special wards' structure was established under the Japanese Local Autonomy Law and is unique to...
(
tokubetsu-ku) of Tokyo comprise the area formerly incorporated as Tokyo City. On July 1, 1943, Tokyo City was merged with forming the current "metropolitan prefecture". As a result of this merger, unlike other
city wardsA is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
in Japan, these wards are not part of any larger incorporated city.
Each ward is a
municipalityJapan has three levels of government: national, prefectural, and municipal. The nation is divided into 47 prefectures. Each prefecture consists of numerous municipalities. There are four types of municipalities in Japan: cities, towns, villages and special wards...
with its own elected mayor and assembly like the other cities of Japan. The wards differ from other cities in having a unique administrative relationship with the prefectural government. Certain municipal functions, such as waterworks, sewerage, and fire-fighting, are handled by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. To pay for the added administrative costs, the prefecture collects municipal taxes, which would usually be levied by the city.
The special wards of Tokyo are as follows:
- Adachi
is one of the special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is located north of the heart of Tokyo. The ward consists of two separate areas: a small strip of land between the Sumida River and Arakawa River and a larger area north of the Arakawa River...
- Arakawa
is a special ward located in Tokyo, Japan. The ward takes its name from the river, the Arakawa. Its neighbors are the wards of Adachi, Kita, Bunkyo, Taito and Sumida. In English, the ward calls itself Arakawa City....
- Bunkyō
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there. The publishing, printing, and leading-edge...
- Chiyoda
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Chiyoda City. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a density of 3,912 persons per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
- Chūō
is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
- Edogawa
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It takes its name from the river that runs from north to south along the eastern edge of the ward. In English, it uses the name Edogawa City....
- Itabashi
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Itabashi City. Itabashi has sister-city relations with Burlington, Ontario in Canada; Shijingshan District in Beijing, People's Republic of China; and Bologna in Italy....
- Katsushika
is one of the special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It lies in the northeast of the ward area. The ward calls itself Katsushika City in English.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 429,289 and a density of 12,600 people per km²...
|
Kita is one of the special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself the City of Kita.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 332,140 and a density of 16,140 persons per km². The total area is 20.59 km².-Geography:...
Kōtōis one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 442,271 and a density of 11,070 persons per km². The total area is 39.48 km². The ward refers to itself as Kōtō City in English....
Megurois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It calls itself Meguro City in English.Meguro hosts fifteen foreign embassies and consulates. One of Tokyo's most exclusive residential neighborhoods is located in Meguro....
Minatois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
Nakanois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nakano City.As of 2005, the ward has an estimated population of 297,998 and a density of 19,110 persons per km². The total area is 15.59 km².-Geography:...
Nerimais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nerima City.Nerima has a sister-city relationship with Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. Nerima Gardens in Ipswich commemorates the tie...
Ōtais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 677,341 and a density of 11,360 persons per km²...
Setagayais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is also the name of a neighborhood within the ward. The ward calls itself the City of Setagaya in English...
|
Shibuyais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 208,371 and a density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
Shinagawais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
Shinjukuis one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world , and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo.Surrounding Shinjuku Station are department...
Suginamiis one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Suginami City.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 536,657 and a density of 15490 persons per km². The total area is 34.02 km².-Geography:...
Sumidais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It calls itself Sumida City in English.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 240,296 and a density of 17,480 persons per km²...
Taitōis one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Taito City .As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 175,346 and a density of 15,890 persons per km²...
Toshima |
The "three core wards" of Tokyo are
Chiyodais one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Chiyoda City. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a density of 3,912 persons per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
,
Chūōis one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
and
Minatois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
.
Western Tokyo
To the west of the special wards, Tokyo Metropolis consists of cities, towns and villages that enjoy the same legal status as those elsewhere in Japan.
While serving a role as "bed towns" for those working in central Tokyo, some of these also have a local commercial and industrial base. Collectively, these are often known as the Tama Area or
Western TokyoWestern Tokyo or consists of the part of Tokyo Prefecture on the island of Honshū to the west of the special wards. Whereas the special wards occupy the space that was formerly Tokyo City, western Tokyo consists of the 26 cities, three towns, and one village that were not part of the former city...
.
Cities
Twenty-six cities lie within the western part of Tokyo:
- Akiruno
Akiruno is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 81,475 and the density of 1,084.63 persons per km²...
- Akishima
Akishima is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 113,034 and the density of 6,314.31 persons per km². The total area is 17.33 km².The city was founded on May 1, 1954....
- Chōfu
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1955.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 210,428 and the density of 9,773.71 persons per km². The total area is 21.53 km²...
- Fuchū
is a city in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 236,491 and a population density of 8,060.36 persons per km². The total area is 29.34 km²....
- Fussa
Fussa is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 61,337 and the density of 5,989.94 persons per km². The total area is 10.24 km².The city was founded on July 1, 1970....
- Hachiōji
is a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo.As of 2007, the city has an estimated population of 542,712 and the density of 2,912.95/km². The total area is 186.31 km². It is the eighth largest city in the Greater Tokyo Area...
- Hamura
Hamura is a city located in the western suburbs of Tokyo, Japan. It flanks the Tama River about 30 miles upriver from the mouth. It has boundaries with Tokyo communities Ōme on the north and west, Mizuho on the east, Fussa on the south, and Akiruno on the west.As of 2003, the city has an...
- Higashikurume
Higashikurume is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 113,809 and the density of 8,808.75 persons per km²...
- Higashimurayama
Higashimurayama is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 143,737 and the density of 8,371.40 persons per km². The total area is 17.17 km²....
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Higashiyamato
Hino is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 171,309 and the density of 6,222.63 persons per km². The total area is 27.53 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1963....
Inagiis a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 81,134 and the density of 4,096.33 persons per km². The total area is 17.97 km².The city was founded on November 1, 1971.-History:...
Kiyoseis a city in Tokyo, Japan.-Demography:As of 1 July 2007, the city has an estimated population of 73,601 , the density of 7,222.87 persons per km² and there are 31,712 households in the city.-Geography:...
KodairaKodaira is a city located in the western region of Tokyo, Japan.The city has an estimated population of 181,560 and a density of 8,873.90 persons per km² as of January, 2007. The total area is 20.46 km²....
Koganeiis a city located in Tokyo, Japan. As of May 1, 2008, the city has an officially registered population of 113,355 and the density of 10,003.09 persons per km²...
Kokubunjiis a city in Tokyo, Japan.As of 1 June 2008, the city has an estimated population of 117,335 . The total area is 11.48 km². The city was founded on November 3, 1964.-Education:...
KomaeKomae is a municipality administered as a city, in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of 30 municipalities in the western portion of Tokyo metropolis known as the Tama Area....
Kunitachiis a city located in the western part of the metropolitan area of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 73,400.- History :Kunitachi was founded on January 1, 1967...
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Machidais a city located in the western part of the greater metropolis of Tokyo, Japan. The city was founded on February 1, 1958.As of April, 2007, the city has an estimated population of 413,398 and a population density of 5,772.10 persons per km². The total area is 71.63 km². The city is serviced by two...
Mitakais a city located in Tokyo, Japan. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 175,995 and a population density of 10,666.36 persons per km². The total area is 16.50 km²...
Musashimurayamais a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 66,150 and the density of 4,303.84 persons per km². The total area is 15.37 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1970.The new shopping center has been located in this city...
MusashinoMusashino is a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 136,326 and the density of 12,705.13 persons per km². The total area is 10.73 km².The city was founded on November 3, 1947...
Nishitōkyō
Ōmeis a city located in Tokyo, Japan.As of September 1st, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 140,433 and a density of 1,360 persons per km². The total area is 103.26 km².The characters 青梅 literally mean green ume, or Japanese apricot....
Tachikawais a city located in western Tokyo, Japan.As of 2004, the city has an estimated population of 174,605 and the density of 7,976 people per km². The total area is 24.38 km²...
Tamais a municipality classified as a city, located in Tokyo, Japan.Its southern half form part of the Tama New Town project, Japan's largest residential development, constructed in the 1970s....
|
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has designated Hachiōji, Tachikawa, Machida, Ōme and Tama New Town as regional centers of the Tama area, as part of their plans to disperse urban functions away from central Tokyo.
Districts, towns and villages
The far west is occupied by the district (
gun) of
Nishitamais a district in Tokyo, Japan encompassing the following towns and villages. The current area is 375.96km², and it is comprised of three towns and one village.*Hinohara*Hinode*Mizuho*Okutama...
. Much of this area is mountainous and unsuitable for urbanization. The highest mountain in Tokyo,
Mount Kumotoristands at the boundary of Tokyo, Saitama, and Yamanashi Prefectures on the island of Honshū, Japan. With an elevation of 2,017 m , its summit is the highest point in Tokyo. It separates the Okutama Mountains and the Okuchichibu Mountains...
, is 2,017 m high; other mountains in Tokyo include Takasu (1737 m), Odake (1266 m), and
Mitakeis a mountain in Tokyo, Japan. It stands tall. On the mountain is a Shinto shrine.It is one of the many highlights of the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park, which covers more than of forested mountains, hills, gorges and some rural towns in the prefectures of Yamanashi, Saitama, Nagano and...
(929 m).
Lake Okutamais in Tokyo and Yamanashi Prefectures in Japan. Lying above the Ogōchi Dam, it is also known as the Ogōchi Reservoir. The lake occupies part of the town of Okutama in Nishitama District, Tokyo and the village of Tabayama in Kitatsuru District, Yamanashi...
, on the
Tama RiverThe is a major river in Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government....
near
Yamanashi Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, is Tokyo's largest lake.
- Hinode
is a town in Nishitama District, Tokyo, Japan. As of 2005, it had a population of 16,023 and an area of 28.08 km², with a population density of 570.6/km².-Geography:The highest mountain is Mount Hinode at 902 m. The Hirai and Ōguno Rivers drain the town...
- Mizuho
is a town in Nishitama District, Tokyo, Japan. It was established on November 10, 1940, resulting from the merger of four villages and acquired additional land in 1958.
...
- Okutama
is a town in Nishitama District, Tokyo. As of August 1, 2007, the town had a population of 6712 people, which 3280 were men and 3432 were women. With an area of 225.63 km², it is the largest community in Tokyo. Mount Kumotori, Tokyo's highest peak at 2017 m, divides Okutama from the...
- Hinohara
is a municipality in Nishitama District, Tokyo, Japan. It is the only administrative unit left in the non-insular area of Tokyo that is still classified as a village. Hinohara has population of 3,043 , an area of 105.42 km², and a population density of 28.9/km².-Geography:Hinohara lies in the...
Islands
Tokyo has numerous outlying islands, which extend as far as 1850 km from central Tokyo. Because of the islands' distance from the administrative headquarters of the metropolitan government in Shinjuku, local offices administer them.
The
Izu IslandsThe are a group of volcanic islands stretching south and east from the Izu Peninsula of Honshū, Japan. Administratively, they form two towns and six villages; all part of Tokyo. The largest is Izu Ōshima, usually called simply Ōshima....
are a group of volcanic islands and form part of the
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Parkis a national park in Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures, and western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It consists of Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands....
. The islands in order from closest to Tokyo are
Izu Ōshimais a volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Japan, lies about 100 km south of Tokyo, 22 km east of the Izu Peninsula and 36 km southwest of Bōsō Peninsula. serves as the local government of the island...
,
Toshima, a volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Japan, lies south of Tokyo and east of the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture. Toshima forms part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. serves as the local government of the island.The island, at 4.12...
, Niijima,
ShikinejimaShikinejima a volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Japan, lies south of Tokyo and east of the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture....
,
Kozushimais a volcanic island in the Izu Islands, Japan. Administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, it lies south of Tokyo and east of the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture. serves as the government of the island....
,
Miyakejimais an island in the Izu group, southeast of Honshū, Japan, administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, with an area of 55.50km². The island, 180km south of Tokyo, is located at 34.5N and 139.34E. As of January 1, 2006, the population of the island is 2884...
,
Mikurajimathumb|Mikurajima as seen from [[Kōzushima]] is a volcanic island in the Izu Archipelago, in Japan, and is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Mikurajima lies south of Tokyo and south-east of the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture....
,
Hachijojimais a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, administered by Tokyo and located 300 kilometers south of the Special Wards of Tokyo. Hachijō Town governs the island....
, and
Aogashimais a village located in Tokyo, Japan.As of April 1, 2008, the village, which covers the island of Aogashima, had a population of 198 people and an area of 5.98km². Aogashima is the least populous municipality in the whole of Japan...
. Izu Ōshima and Hachijojima are towns. The remaining islands are six villages, with Niijima and Shikinejima forming
one villagea volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Japan, lies south of Tokyo and east of the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture. serves as the local government of Niijima.-Geography:...
.
The
Ogasawarais a village in Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo, Japan, that governs the Bonin Islands, Volcano Islands and three remote islands .-Geography:...
Islands include, from north to south,
Chichi-jima, formerly known as Peel Island, is the largest island in the Ogasawara archipelago. Chichi-jima is approximately 150 miles north of Iwo Jima. The island is within the political boundaries of Ogasawara Town, Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo, Japan....
, Nishinoshima,
Haha-jimais the second-largest island of the Ogasawara Islands or Bonin Islands south of the Japanese main island chain. It is about 21 km² in area.The highest points are Mt. Chibusa , approximately 462m, and Mt. Sakaigatake , 443m. The largest island of the group, Chichi-jima is approximately 50km to the...
, Kita Iwo Jima,
Iwo JimaIwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which makes up the southern end of the Ogasawara Islands. The island is located 1,200 kilometers south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, and Minami Iwo Jima. Ogasawara also administers two tiny outlying islands:
Minami TorishimaMinamitori-shima or Marcus Island is an isolated island in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, located at . The Japanese meaning of the name is "Southern Bird Island". It has an area of . It is the hottest place in Japan...
, the easternmost point in Japan and at 1,850 km the most distant island from central Tokyo, and Okino Torishima, the southernmost point in Japan. The last island is contested by the
People's Republic of ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
as being only uninhabited rocks. The Iwo chain and the outlying islands have no permanent population, but host Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel. Local populations are only found on
Chichi-jima, formerly known as Peel Island, is the largest island in the Ogasawara archipelago. Chichi-jima is approximately 150 miles north of Iwo Jima. The island is within the political boundaries of Ogasawara Town, Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo, Japan....
and
Haha-jimais the second-largest island of the Ogasawara Islands or Bonin Islands south of the Japanese main island chain. It is about 21 km² in area.The highest points are Mt. Chibusa , approximately 462m, and Mt. Sakaigatake , 443m. The largest island of the group, Chichi-jima is approximately 50km to the...
. The islands form the village of Ogasawara.
National parks
There are several national parks within Tokyo, among them:
- Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park
is located around Mount Takao in Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan.The park centers around Mount Takao and encompassing the area of 7.77 km², the smallest Quasi-National Park. The park is visited by 2.2 million people a year...
, around Mount TakaoMount Takao is a mountain in the city of Hachiōji, Tokyo, Japan.Standing 599 m tall and located within an hour of downtown Tokyo, it is a popular hiking spot, with eight hiking courses and more than 2.5 million annual visitors...
to the south of Hachiōji
- Ogasawara National Park
The Bonin Islands, known in Japan as the are an archipelago of over 30 subtropical and tropical islands, some 1,000 km directly south of Tokyo, Japan. Administratively, they are part of Ogasawara Municipality of Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo...
. As of 2006, efforts were being made to make Ogasawara National Park a UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
natural World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
.
- Ueno Park
is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taito, Tokyo, Japan. It occupies the site of the former Kan'ei-ji, a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shoguns, who had built the temple to guard Edo Castle against the north-east, then considered an unlucky direction...
, well known for its museums. Is in this park where the following museums are located: Tokyo National MuseumEstablished 1872, the , or TNM, is the oldest and largest museum in Japan. The museum collects, houses, and preserves a comprehensive collection of art works and archaeological objects of Asia, focusing on Japan. The museum holds over 110,000 objects, which includes 87 Japanese National Treasure...
, National Science MuseumThe is located in the northeast corner of Ueno park in Tokyo. Opened in 1871, the museum has had several names, including Ministry of Education Museum, Tokyo Museum, Tokyo Science Museum, the National Science Museum of Japan, and currently the National Museum of Nature and Science as of 2007...
, Shitamachi MuseumThe is a museum in Ueno, Taito, Tokyo, Japan. Located on the shores of Shinobazu Pond within Ueno Park, it's dedicated to the traditional culture of Tokyo's Shitamachi.- Historical Background :...
and National Museum for Western ArtThe is the premier public art gallery in Japan specializing in art from the Western tradition.The Museum is located in the museum and zoo complex in Ueno Park in Taito, central Tokyo. This popular Tokyo museum is also known by the English acronym NMWA .-NMWA history:The NMWA was established on...
, among others. There are also art works and statues in several places in the park.
Demographics
Population of Tokyo
| By area1 |
Tokyo
Special wards
Tama Area
Islands |
12.79 million
8.653 million
4.109 million
28,000 |
| By age² |
Juveniles (age 0-14)
Working (age 15-64)
Retired (age 65+)
|
1.461 million (11.8%)
8.546 million (69.3%)
2.332 million (18.9%) |
| By hours³ |
Day
Night |
14.978 million
12.416 million |
| By nationality |
Foreign residents |
364,6534 |
1 Estimates as of October 1, 2007.
² as of January 1, 2007.
|
³ as of 2005 National Census.
4 as of January 1, 2006. |
|
As of October 2007, an estimated 12.79 million people live in Tokyo with 8.653 million living within Tokyo's 23 wards. During the daytime, the population swells by over 2.5 million as workers and students commute from adjacent areas. This effect is even more pronounced in the three central wards of
Chiyodais one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Chiyoda City. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a density of 3,912 persons per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
,
Chūōis one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
, and
Minatois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
, whose collective population as of the 2005 National Census was 326,000 at night, but 2.4 million during the day. The entire prefecture had 12,790,000 residents in October 2007 (8,653,000 in 23 wards), with an increase of over 3 million in the day. Tokyo is at its highest population ever, while that of the 23 wards peak official count was 8,893,094 in the 1965 Census, with the count dipping below 8 million in the 1995 Census. People continue to move back into the core city as land prices have fallen dramatically.
As of 2005, the most common foreign nationalities found in Tokyo are Chinese (123,661), Korean (106,697), Filipino (31,077), American (18,848), British (7,696), Brazilian (5,300) & French (3,000).
The 1889 Census recorded 1,389,600 people in
Tokyo Citywas a municipality in Japan which existed from May 1, 1889 until its merger with Tokyo Prefecture in July 1, 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by independent special wards.-History:...
, Japan's largest city at the time.
Climate and seismology
Tokyo lies in the
humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
zone (
Koppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by the Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa), with hot humid summers and generally mild winters with cool spells. Annual rainfall averages 1,380 mm (55 inches), with a wetter summer and a drier winter. Snowfall is sporadic, but does occur almost annually. Tokyo is an example of an
urban heat islandAn urban heat island is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. The phenomenon was first investigated and described, though not by name, by Luke Howard FRS in the 1810s. The temperature difference usually is larger at night than during the day, and is...
; the city's population is a significant contributor to its climate. Tokyo has been cited as a "convincing example of the relationship between urban growth and climate". Tokyo also often sees typhoons each year, though few are strong. The last one to hit was
FitowTyphoon Fitow was the ninth named tropical storm of the 2007 Pacific typhoon season that made landfall in Japan....
in 2007.
Tokyo was hit by powerful
earthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph...
s in 1703, 1782, 1812, 1855 and 1923. The 1923 earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of 8.3, killed 142,000 people.
Global warming
Tokyo has enacted a measure to cut greenhouse gases. Governor
Shintaro Ishiharais a Japanese author, far right politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
created Japan's first emissions cap system, aiming to reduce
greenhouse gasGreenhouse gases are gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The main greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emission by a total of 25 percent by 2020 from the 2000 level.
Heat island phenomenon
In Tokyo, particularly in the special wards, the problem of the heat island phenomenon is serious. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the annual mean temperature has increased by about 3°C over the past 100 years.
Economy
Tokyo is one of the three world finance "
command centerA command center is any place that is used to provide centralised command for some purpose.While frequently considered to be a military facility, these can be used in many other cases by governments or businesses...
s", along with
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. Tokyo has the largest metropolitan economy in the world. According to a study conducted by
PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is one of the world's largest professional services firms. It was formed in 1998 from a merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand, both formed in London....
, the Tokyo
urban areaAn urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
(35.2 million people) had a total GDP of US$1.191 trillion in 2005 (at
purchasing power parityThe purchasing power parity theory uses the long-term equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their purchasing power...
), ranking again as the
largest urban agglomeration GDP in the world. As of 2008, 47 of the companies listed on the
Global 500The Fortune Global 500 is a ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by Fortune magazine....
are based in Tokyo, almost twice that of the second-placed city (
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
).
Tokyo is a major international finance center, houses the headquarters of several of the world's largest investment banks and
insuranceInsurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium, and can be thought of as a guaranteed and known...
companies, and serves as a hub for Japan's transportation,
publishingPublishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information – the activity of making information available for public view...
, and
broadcastingBroadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or video signals which transmit programs to an audience. The audience may be the general public or a relatively large sub-audience, such as children or young adults....
industries. During the centralized growth of Japan's economy following
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many large firms moved their headquarters from cities such as
Osakais a city in Japan, located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū.Osaka is a City in Japan and also is designated city under the Local Autonomy Law and the capital city of Osaka Prefecture...
(the historical commercial capital) to Tokyo, in an attempt to take advantage of better access to the government. This trend has begun to slow due to ongoing population growth in Tokyo and the high cost of living there.
Big Mac IndexThe Big Mac Index is published by The Economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity between two currencies and provides a test of the extent to which market exchange rates result in goods costing the same in different countries...
shows that workers in Tokyo are earning the highest salary in the world.
Tokyo was rated by the
Economist Intelligence UnitThe Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in an office in the City of Westminster, London. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843. While The Economist calls itself a...
as the most expensive (highest
cost-of-livingCost of living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living. Changes in the cost of living over time are often operationalized in a cost of living index. Cost of living calculations are also used to compare the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living in different geographic areas...
) city in the world for 14 years in a row ending in 2006. This analysis is for living a Western corporate executive lifestyle, with items like a detached house and several automobiles.
The
Tokyo Stock ExchangeThe , or TSE, located in Tokyo, Japan, is the second largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies, second only to the New York Stock Exchange...
is Japan's largest
stock exchangeA stock exchange is a corporation or mutual organization which provides "trading" facilities for stock brokers and traders, to trade stocks and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for the issue and redemption of securities as well as other financial instruments and capital...
, and second largest in the world by
market capitalizationMarket capitalization/capitalisation is a measurement of the size of a business enterprise equal to the share price times the number of shares outstanding of a public company...
and fourth largest by share turnover. In 1990 at the end of the
Japanese asset price bubbleThe was an economic bubble in Japan from 1986 to 1990, in which real estate and stock prices greatly inflated. The bubble's collapse lasted for more than a decade with stock prices bottoming in 2003, until hitting an even lower low amidst the current global crisis in 2008.- History :In the decades...
, it accounted for more than 60% of the world stock market value.
Tokyo had 8,460 ha (20,900 acres) of agricultural land as of 2003, according to the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesThe ' a cabinet ministry in the government of Japan responsible for oversight of the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries. Its acronym is MAFF.-History:...
, placing it last among the nation's prefectures. The farmland is concentrated in Western Tokyo. Perishables such as vegetables, fruits, and flowers can be conveniently shipped to the markets in the eastern part of the prefecture.
Japanese leaf spinachKomatsuna is a type of leaf vegetable. It is a variant of the same species as the common turnip. It is grown in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. It is also known as Japanese Mustard Spinach and can be stir-fried, pickled, boiled and added to soups or used fresh in salads. It is an excellent source of...
and
spinachSpinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions...
are the most important vegetables; as of 2000, Tokyo supplied 32.5% of the Japanese leaf spinach sold at its central produce market.
With 36% of its area covered by forest, Tokyo has extensive growths of
cryptomeriaCryptomeria is a genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae; it includes only one species, Cryptomeria japonica . It is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Sugi...
and
Japanese cypressChamaecyparis obtusa is a species of cypress native to central Japan.It is a slow-growing tree which grows to 35 m tall with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter. The bark is dark red-brown...
, especially in the mountainous western communities of Akiruno, Ōme, Okutama, Hachiōji, Hinode, and Hinohara. Decreases in the price of lumber, increases in the cost of production, and advancing old age among the forestry population have resulted in a decline in Tokyo's output. In addition, pollen, especially from cryptomeria, is a major allergen for the nearby population centers.
Tokyo Bay was once a major source of fish. Presently, most of Tokyo's fish production comes from the outer islands, such as Izu Ōshima and Hachijōjima.
Skipjack tunaThe skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, is a medium-sized perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae. It is otherwise known as the aku, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna, or victor fish...
,
noriis the Japanese name for various edible seaweed species of the red alga Porphyra including most notably P. yezoensis and P. tenera, sometimes called laver . The term nori is also commonly used to refer to the food products created from these "sea vegetables", similar to the Korean gim...
, and
ajiCarangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
are among the ocean products.
Tourism in TokyoTourism in Tokyo is a major industry. In 2006, 4.81 million foreigners and 420 million Japanese visits to Tokyo were made; the economic value of these visits totaled 9.4 trillion yen according to the government of Tokyo...
is also a contributor to the economy.
Transportation
Tokyo, as the center of the
Greater Tokyo AreaThe Greater Tokyo Area is a large metropolitan area in Japan consisting of most of the prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tokyo . In Japanese, it is referred to by various terms, including the , , , and others....
, is Japan's largest domestic and international hub for rail, ground, and air transportation. Public transportation within Tokyo is dominated by an extensive network of clean and efficient trains and subways run by a variety of operators, with buses, monorails and trams playing a secondary feeder role.
Within
Ōtais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 677,341 and a density of 11,360 persons per km²...
, one of the 23 special wards,
Tokyo International Airport, located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station, Japan, is one of the two primary airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area. It is commonly known as ....
("Haneda") offers mainly domestic flights. Outside Tokyo,
Narita International Airportis an international airport located in Narita, Chiba, Japan, in the eastern portion of the Greater Tokyo Area. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east southeast of Narita Station....
, in
Chiba Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, is the major gateway for international travelers to Japan. All Nippon,
Air Japanis an airline based in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan. It is a wholly owned low-cost subsidiary of All Nippon Airways operating scheduled services under the ANA brand. It should not be confused with Air Nippon, another ANA subsidiary, or Japan Airlines , ANA's competitor. Its main base is Narita International...
and
Northwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc., is a major United States airline headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport...
have a hub at the airport.
Various islands governed by Tokyo have their own airports.
Hachijōjimais a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, administered by Tokyo and located 300 kilometers south of the Special Wards of Tokyo. Hachijō Town governs the island....
(
Hachijojima Airportis an airport serving Hachijōjima in Tokyo, Japan....
),
Miyakejimais an island in the Izu group, southeast of Honshū, Japan, administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, with an area of 55.50km². The island, 180km south of Tokyo, is located at 34.5N and 139.34E. As of January 1, 2006, the population of the island is 2884...
(
Miyakejima Airportis an airport located east of Miyake village on the island of Miyakejima in the Miyake Subprefecture Tokyo, Japan.In the past flights were suspended from Haneda Airport, as the area was a high sulfuric gas volume area were since before the July 14, 2000 eruption. Flights have again resumed during...
), and
Izu Ōshimais a volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Japan, lies about 100 km south of Tokyo, 22 km east of the Izu Peninsula and 36 km southwest of Bōsō Peninsula. serves as the local government of the island...
(
Oshima Airport) have service to Tokyo International and other airports.
Rail is the primary mode of transportation in Tokyo, which has the most extensive urban railway network in the world and an equally extensive network of surface lines.
JR Eastis the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese.-History:...
operates Tokyo's largest railway network, including the
Yamanote LineThe of East Japan Railway Company is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important commuter rail lines. Running as a circle, it connects most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres including the Yūrakuchō area, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro with all but two of its 29 stations connecting with...
loop that circles the center of downtown Tokyo. Two organizations operate the subway network: the private
Tokyo Metrois one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...
and the governmental
Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of TransportationThe is Tokyo's public transportation authority. Its subway lines are commonly described as 都営 Toei, meaning "operated by the metropolitan government ."-Toei Subway:...
. The metropolitan government and private carriers operate bus routes. Local, regional, and national services are available, with major terminals at the giant railroad stations, including
Tokyois a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
and
Shinjukuis a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...
.
Expressways link the capital to other points in the Greater Tokyo area, the Kantō region, and the islands of
Kyūshūor Kyushu is the 3rd-largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include Kyūkoku , Chinzei , and Tsukushi-no-shima...
and
Shikokuis the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
.
Other transportation includes taxis operating in the special wards and the cities and towns. Also long-distance ferries serve the islands of Tokyo and carry passengers and cargo to domestic and foreign ports.
Education
Tokyo has many universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools. Many of Japan's most prestigious universities are in Tokyo, including
University of TokyoThe , abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano...
,
Hitotsubashi Universityis a national university in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the best universities in Japan and is the only university in Japan to specialize exclusively in the humanities and social sciences. The University has campuses in Kunitachi, Kodaira, and Kanda....
,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, usually called or Tokyo Tech, is the largest institution of higher learning in Japan dedicated to science and technology. Tokyo Institute of Technology is recognized as a leading university, especially in natural science and engineering field...
,
Waseda University, abbreviated as , is a leading private university located in Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902...
, and
Keio Universityis a university located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. A leading Japanese university that Wataru Osada, a Keio student called "...the best university in Japan, similar to Ivy League schools in this country. ..." Keio is the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi...
. Some of the biggest national universities located in Tokyo are:
- Ochanomizu University
is one of only two national women's universities in Japan. The other one is the Nara Women's University.-History:Ochanomizu University was founded in 1875 as a teacher training institute for women located in Tokyo's Ochanomizu neighborhood. On September 1, 1923, the campus was burned down during...
- University of Electro-Communications
The is a national university in the city of Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan. It specialises in the disciplines of computer science, the physical sciences, engineering and technology...
- National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
, or GRIPS, is a national university in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1997.The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies is a stand-alone graduate school focused on policy studies...
- University of Tokyo
The , abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano...
- Tokyo Medical and Dental University
offers baccalaureate and graduate degrees in medicine, dentistry, and related fields. Located in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, it has campuses in neighboring Chiyoda and in Chiba Prefecture. It was established in 1928 and received university status in 1946. In April 2002 the Center for Education Research...
- Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
, often referred to as TUFS, is a specialist university in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan.TUFS is one of the top universities of Foreign language, International Affairs and Foreign Studies in Japan. It also has one of the world's leading Asia-African institution....
- Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Minato, Tokyo and another campus is in Koto, Tokyo.- History :...
- Tokyo Gakugei University
Tokyo Gakugei University or Gakudai , for short, is a national university in Koganei, Tokyo. While its history may be traced to 1873, it was formally chartered as a university in 1949 through the merging of four teacher-training institutions....
- Tokyo University of the Arts
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
, usually called or Tokyo Tech, is the largest institution of higher learning in Japan dedicated to science and technology. Tokyo Institute of Technology is recognized as a leading university, especially in natural science and engineering field...
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
, nicknamed "Nōkōdai," is a national university of Japan located in the cities of Fuchū and Koganei, Tokyo. It was established in 1949. Although the names are similar, Nōkōdai is not the same as ....
- Hitotsubashi University
is a national university in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the best universities in Japan and is the only university in Japan to specialize exclusively in the humanities and social sciences. The University has campuses in Kunitachi, Kodaira, and Kanda....
.
There is only one non-national
public universityA public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities...
:
Tokyo Metropolitan UniversityTokyo Metropolitan University is one of the largest public universities in Japan...
.
There are also a few universities well-known for classes conducted in English and for the teaching of the Japanese language. They include:
- International Christian University
is a non-denominational private university located in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. Commonly known as ICU , the university was founded in 1949.The curriculum is modeled on that of a US liberal arts college...
- Sophia University
' is a private university in Japan, with its main campus located near Yotsuya station, in an area of Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward in Japan.It is one of leading Japanese universities and is famous for its international climate; taking it's name Sophia from the Greek sophia meaning "wisdom"...
- Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is a leading private university located in Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902...
- Temple University Japan
For an extensive list, see
List of universities in Tokyo.
Publicly run kindergartens,
elementary schoolAn elementary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America...
s (years 1 through 6), and junior high schools (7 through 9) are operated by local wards or municipal offices. Public
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
s in Tokyo are run by the
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of EducationThe Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education is the board of education in Tokyo, Japan. The board manages the individual school systems within the metropolis. The board also directly manages all of the public high schools in Tokyo...
and are called "Metropolitan High Schools". Regardless, Tokyo has many private schools from kindergarten through high school.
Culture
Tokyo has many museums. In
Ueno Parkis a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taito, Tokyo, Japan. It occupies the site of the former Kan'ei-ji, a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shoguns, who had built the temple to guard Edo Castle against the north-east, then considered an unlucky direction...
there are four national museums:
Tokyo National MuseumEstablished 1872, the , or TNM, is the oldest and largest museum in Japan. The museum collects, houses, and preserves a comprehensive collection of art works and archaeological objects of Asia, focusing on Japan. The museum holds over 110,000 objects, which includes 87 Japanese National Treasure...
, the country's largest museum and specializing in traditional
Japanese artJapanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper and more recently manga, cartoon, along with a myriad of other types of works of art...
; the National Museum of Western Art; and the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, with its collections of Japanese
modern artModern art refers to artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
as well as over 40,000 Japanese and foreign films. Also in Ueno Park are the
National Museum of ScienceThe is located in the northeast corner of Ueno park in Tokyo. Opened in 1871, the museum has had several names, including Ministry of Education Museum, Tokyo Museum, Tokyo Science Museum, the National Science Museum of Japan, and currently the National Museum of Nature and Science as of 2007...
and the
public zooThe is a zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest and most famous zoo, opened on March 20, 1882. It is a five-minute walk from the Park Exit of Ueno Station, with convenient access from Tokyo's public-transportation network...
. Other museums include the
Nezu Art MuseumThe Nezu Museum, , located in the Minato district of Tokyo, Japan, houses the private collection of Nezu Kaichirō . The museum opened to the public in 1940 and escaped the destruction suffered by the estate property in the bombing of May 1945...
in
Aoyama-Places:* Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan** Aoyama Gakuin University, famous university located in Aoyama, Tokyo** Aoyama-itchōme Station, a railway station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan...
; the
Edo-Tokyo MuseumThe is a museum of the history of Tokyo, established in 1993. The main features of the permanent exhibitions are the life-size replica of the Nihonbashi, which was the bridge leading into Edo; the Nakamuraza theatre; scale models of town; and buildings from the Edo, Meiji and Shōwa periods.The...
in
SumidaSumida can refer to:*Sumida, Tokyo, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan*Sumida River, which flows through Tokyo, Japan...
across the
Sumida RiverThe Sumida River is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi and flows into Tokyo Bay...
from the center of Tokyo; and the
National Diet LibraryEstablished in 1948 for the purpose of assisting members of the in researching matters of public policy, the is the only national library in Japan. The library is similar in purpose and scope to the U.S...
, National Archives, and the National Museum of Modern Art, which are located near the Imperial Palace.
Tokyo has many theaters for the performing arts as well. These include national and private theaters for traditional forms of Japanese drama (like
noh, or is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing both the male and female roles. The repertoire is normally limited to a specific set of historical plays...
and
kabukiis the highly stylized classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers....
) as well as modern dramas. Symphony orchestras and other musical organizations perform Western and traditional music. Tokyo also hosts modern Japanese and Western
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
and
rock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
at venues ranging in size from intimate clubs to internationally known arenas like the
Nippon BudokanThe , often shortened to just "Budokan," is an arena in central Tokyo, Japan.For many Westerners, the Budokan is synonymous with large-scale rock concerts. It was here that The Beatles made their Japanese debut and the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
.
Many different
festivals occur throughout TokyoTokyo holds many festivals throughout the year. Major festivals include the Sanno Festival at Hie Shrine, and the Sanja Festival at Asakusa Shrine. The Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo is held every two years in May. The festival features a parade with elaborately decorated floats and thousands of people...
. Major events include the Sannō at
Hie ShrineThe is a Shinto shrine in Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Its June 15 Sannō Matsuri is one of the three great Japanese festivals of Edo...
, the Sanja at
Asakusa Shrine, also known as Sanja-sama , is one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Tokyo, Japan. Located in Asakusa, the shrine honors the three men who founded the Sensō-ji. Asakusa Shrine is part of a larger grouping of sacred buildings in the area...
, and the biennial
Kanda-People:*Aika Kanda, a Japanese announcer of NHK*Hiroyuki Kanda, a top Japanese chef, and his eponymous Kanda restaurant in Roppongi, one of only 8 restaurants in Japan to earn 3 Michelin stars.*Masaki Kanda, a Japanese actor...
Festivals. The last features a parade with elaborately decorated floats and thousands of people. Annually on the last Saturday of July, an enormous
fireworksA firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display over the
Sumida RiverThe Sumida River is a river which flows through Tokyo, Japan. It branches from the Arakawa River at Iwabuchi and flows into Tokyo Bay...
attracts over a million viewers. Once cherry blossoms, or
sakuraA cherry blossom is the name for the flower of cherry trees known as Sakura in Japanese. In English, the word "sakura" is equivalent to the Japanese flowering cherry...
, bloom in spring, many residents gather in Ueno Park,
Inokashira Parkstraddles Musashino and Mitaka in western Tokyo, Japan.Inokashira Pond and the , established during the Edo period, are the primary sources of the Kanda River....
, and the
Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardenis a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naito family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan...
for picnics under the blossoms.
HarajukuHarajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan....
, a neighborhood in
Shibuyais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 208,371 and a density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
, is known internationally for its youth style and fashion.
Cuisine in Tokyo is internationally acclaimed. In November 2007,
MichelinThe Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term refers by default to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
released their guide for fine dining in Tokyo, garnering 191 stars in total, or about twice as many as its nearest competitor,
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Eight establishments were awarded the maximum of three stars (Paris has 10), 25 received two stars, and 117 earned one star. Of the eight top-rated restaurants, three offer traditional Japanese fine dining, two are
sushiIn Japanese cuisine, ' is vinegar rice, usually topped with other ingredients, such as fish. In spelling sushi its first letter s is replaced with z when a prefix is attached, as in nigirizushi, due to consonant mutation called rendaku in Japanese.Sliced raw fish alone is called sashimi, as...
houses and three serve French cuisine.
Sports
Tokyo, with a diverse array of sports, is home to two professional
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
clubs, the
Yomiuri GiantsThe are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League of Japan's top-tier major league, Nippon Professional Baseball, and they play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988...
(
Tokyo DomeTokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is the home field of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, and has also hosted basketball, American football and association football games, as well as puroresu matches, mixed martial arts events, K-1 Kickboxing events,...
) and
Tokyo Yakult Swallowsare a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
(Meiji-Jingu Stadium) .
The
Japan Sumo AssociationThe is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run entirely by elders, or toshiyori.Membership is obtained by purchasing, or inheriting a share in the...
is also headquartered in Tokyo at the
Ryōgoku Kokugikanis an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a capacity of 13,000 people...
sumo arena where three official
sumois a competitive contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
tournaments are held annually (in January, May, and September).
Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
clubs in Tokyo include F.C. Tokyo and Tokyo Verdy, both of which play at Ajinomoto Stadium in
Chōfuis a city located in Tokyo, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1955.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 210,428 and the density of 9,773.71 persons per km². The total area is 21.53 km²...
. Tokyo hosted the
1964 Summer OlympicsThe 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organisation of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. National Stadium, also known as Olympic Stadium, Tokyo is host to a number of international sporting events. With a number of world-class sports venues, Tokyo often hosts national and international sporting events such as tennis tournaments, swim meets, marathons, American football exhibition games, judo, karate, etc.
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasiumis a world-class sporting complex in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1954 for the World Wrestling Championship, it was also used as the venue for gymnastics events at the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, in Sendagaya, Shibuya, is a large sports complex that includes swimming pools, training rooms, and a large indoor arena.
Tokyo in popular media
As the largest population center in Japan and the location of the country's largest broadcasters and studios, Tokyo is frequently the setting for many Japanese movies, television shows, animated series (
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
), web comics, and comic books (
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
). In the
kaijuis a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster." Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
(monster movie) genre, landmarks of Tokyo are routinely destroyed by giant monsters such as
Godzillais a daikaijū, a fictional Japanese giant monster. His first film was Ishiro Honda's 1954 film Gojira, and since then, he has made many more appearances, and has become a pop-culture icon. In total, Godzilla has appeared in 28 films, all of which were produced by Toho Company Ltd...
.
Some Hollywood directors have turned to Tokyo as a filming location for movies set in Tokyo. Well-known examples from the postwar era include
Tokyo JoeFor the Japanese-American mobster and FBI informant, see Ken Eto.Tokyo Joe is a 1949 film directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Humphrey Bogart, Florence Marly and Sessue Hayakawa...
,
My GeishaMy Geisha is an American film directed by Jack Cardiff, starring Yves Montand, Shirley MacLaine, and Edward G. Robinson, and released by Paramount Pictures...
, and the
James BondJames Bond 007 is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. The character has also been used in the longest running and most financially successful English language film franchise to date, starting in 1962 with Dr...
film
You Only Live TwiceYou Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
; well-known contemporary examples include
Kill BillKill Bill is a two part film by writer-director Quentin Tarantino, starring Uma Thurman as The Bride. Originally conceived as one film, it was released in two separate 'volumes' due to its running time of approximately four hours...
,
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is a 2006 film directed by Justin Lin and the third installment of The Fast and the Furious film series. The film features an all-new cast and a different setting from the previous two films...
and
Lost in TranslationLost in Translation is a American comedy-drama film starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. It was the second feature film written and directed by Sofia Coppola, after The Virgin Suicides. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Bill Murray, and Best...
.
Japanese films that use Tokyo as their setting include:
- Daremo Shirenai (Nobody Knows
Nobody Knows is a 2004 Japanese film directed by Hirokazu Koreeda. The movie is based on a 1988 event best known as the "Affair of the four abandoned children of Sugamo". The story is about four children, each a child by a different father, abandoned by their mother...
) (2004)
- Tokyo Zombie
is a 2005 Japanese film written and directed by Sakichi Sato. The films stars Tadanobu Asano, Show Aikawa, and Erika Okuda. The movie was released in North America in 2009.-Story:...
(2005)
- Tenten (Adrift in Tokyo) (2007)
Cityscape
Architecture in TokyoArchitecture in Tokyo has largely been shaped by Tokyo's history. Twice in recent history has the metropolis been left in ruins: first in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and later after extensive firebombing in World War II...
has largely been shaped by Tokyo's history. Twice in recent history has the metropolis been left in ruins: first in the
1923 Great Kantō earthquakeThe struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes....
and later after
extensive firebombing in World War IIThe bombing of Tokyo by the United States Army Air Forces took place at several times during the Pacific campaigns of World War II and included the most destructive bombing raid in history.-Doolittle Raid:...
. Because of this, Tokyo's current urban landscape is one of modern and contemporary architecture, and older buildings are scarce.
Tokyo also contains
numerous parks and gardens-Urban parks and gardens:-Flowers:-National parks:There are four national parks in Tokyo Prefecture:* Chichibu Tama Kai National Park, in Nishitama and spilling over into Yamanashi and Saitama Prefectures...
.
Sister relationships
Tokyo has eleven
sister cities/statesSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
:
| Beijing Beijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
, ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
, EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
JakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a greater population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa , Jayakarta , Batavia , and Djakarta . Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of and a population of 8,489,910...
, IndonesiaThe Republic of Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With an estimated population of around 237 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, with the world's largest population of Muslims.Indonesia is a republic, with an...
MoscowMoscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
, RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
|
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
, ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
São Paulo StateSão Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. It is named after Saint Paul. São Paulo has the largest population, industrial park and economic production of the country. It is the most populous subnational entity in the Western...
, BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
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, South KoreaSouth Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often simply referred to as Korea, is a country in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest...
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In addition, Tokyo has a "partnership" agreement with
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
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See also
- Capital of Japan
Tokyo, the seat of the Government of Japan and home of the Emperor, is the de-facto capital of Japan. This is generally not in dispute, but it is not legally defined. In fact, there is a dispute as to exactly when Tokyo became the capital. Some state that it occurred when Tokyo prefecture was...
— for discussion of the de jureDe jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact"....
or de factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "by [the] fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established"...
status of Tokyo as capital
- 1703 Genroku earthquake
The occurred on December 31, 1703 in Edo, the forerunner of present-day Tokyo, Japan. It shook Edo and killed an estimated 2,300 people. Genroku is a Japanese era spanning from 1688 through 1704....
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