Regions & prefectures
JapanRegions & prefectures
Tokyo
Thirty-seven million people in its urban area, and two thousand kilometres of islands offshore.
- Capital
- Shinjuku (metropolitan government seat)
- Status
- Metropolis (to)
- Region
- Kantō
- Must-see
- Sensō-ji temple and Shibuya crossing
- Local specialty
- Edomae sushi, monjayaki, soba
A fishing village called Edo until Tokugawa Ieyasu made it his military capital in 1603, Tokyo became the imperial seat in 1868 and changed its name to "eastern capital". Destroyed twice in the twentieth century, by the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 firebombing, it rebuilt as a constellation of sub-centres around railway stations. Administratively the metropolis reaches the Ogasawara Islands, a thousand kilometres to the south.
What to see there
Places, dishes and traditions tied to this territory.
SushiJapanese preparation of vinegared rice with raw fish, seafood or vegetables.Hayao MiyazakiDirector, animator, screenwriter, and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, born in 1941 in Tokyo.MadhouseJapanese animation studio renowned for its ambitious series.Toei AnimationOne of the oldest and largest Japanese animation studios.Studio GhibliThe legendary animation studio of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.SonyThe Japanese conglomerate of electronics, entertainment and video games.Muji (無印良品)The Japanese brand of the "no brand": minimalism, restraint and honest design.UniqloFrom a small Hiroshima store to a global leader in functional clothing.Sanrio & Hello KittyThe Japanese empire of kawaii, led by a little cat turned global icon.Sensō-jiTemple · Tokyo, JapanShibuya CrossingLandmark · Tokyo, JapanAkihabaraTokyo's electronics district. Mecca of otaku culture: anime, manga, video games, maid cafes.HarajukuTokyo district famous for its youth culture and eccentric fashion.TokyoCapital of Japan and largest metropolitan area in the world with over 14 million inhabitants (37 million in the greater metropolitan area).
In the magazine
Articles that cover this topic.