History of Tokyo

Tokyo has been inhabited since ancient times; the city used to be known as a fisherman village named Edo. The village developed into a city under the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 – 1867). In the 7^th century, the oldest Buddhist temple was constructed in the city. Legend has it that two fishermen found a statue of the Goddess Kannon, which prompted them to construct the temple. The temple was named Sensō-ji, and it still exists to this day. Unfortunately, the temple was completely demolished during World War Two, but was completely restored to its former glory in 1958.

The royal family was, at the time, living in Kyoto, which is the ancient royal residency. In 1868, Edo became the capital of Japan, and its name was changed into Tokyo, which means “the eastern capital”. The rule of the shogun was then ended, making the Emperor the sole ruler of Japan. Edo has been the largest city in Japan since the 17^th century. In the 19^th century, Tokyo already boasted a population of around a million people, and the city assumed the position of the main political, economic and cultural center of Japan at the start of the 20^th century. Tokyo is part of the Keihin industrial zone, which has become the leading industrial region of Japan, located on the west shore of the Tokyo Bay. Japan is an important producer of electric equipment.

Tokyo was built on short, alluvial plains, surrounded by hills on all sides. The winters in Tokyo are mild, while the summers are hot and bring a lot of rain. The beginning of summer and early autumn are the only times when you should avoid visiting Tokyo, as a lot of rain tends to fall during these times.

The Tokyo Imperial Palace is located in the very heart of the city. The grandiose palace is surrounded by stone walls and wide gardens and it neighbors the financial centers and institutions of Japan. Tokyo is full of urban centers, while shopping malls, hotels, business buildings and restaurants are all close to railway stations. The architectural styles of Tokyo range from traditional stone buildings to modern skyscrapers. Some parts of town boast Japanese style wooden houses. The parks of Tokyo aren’t as big as in some other world capitals, but they are very well-preserved and they all offer unbelievable Japanese gardens to their visitors.

The cultures of Tokyo and Japan are displayed in many museums of Tokyo, among which the National Museum is the most prominent. Tokyo is the main transport crossroads of Japan, as well as on an international scale. A dense network of railway lines, underground metros and roads all serve to ease the traffic.
Tokyo’s public transport is very well-organized, as Tokyo is very well-connected to other parts of the Honshu, as well as to other Japanese islands.