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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is situated at the head of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific coast of central Honshu. First developed into a city during the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), when the site was known as Edo, Tokyo is the core of the Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area, commonly called Greater Tokyo. The city is Japan's major cultural centre as well as its main transportation hub.
Tokyo was formerly (until 1868) known as Edo, the name of the small fishing village that existed on the site for centuries. Edo's development into a city did not occur until the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), when it became the capital of the Tokugawa shogunate. During this period, however, the imperial family remained in Kyōto, the ancient imperial capital. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ended the shogunate, the capital was moved to Edo, and the city was renamed Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital."
Where is Tokyo located in Japan?
Tokyo is located at the head of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific coast of central Honshu. Tokyo is the focus of the vast Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area, often called Greater Tokyo.
When was Tokyo bombed?
The Bombing of Tokyo took place March 9–10, 1945, during the final stages of World War II. The firebombing raid (codenamed "Operation Meetinghouse") was carried out by the United States. The bombing is often cited as one of the most destructive acts of war in history.
When were the Tokyo Olympics?
Tokyo hosted the Olympic Games in 1964; the 1964 Summer Games, which took place October 10–24, constituted the first time that the Olympic Games were hosted in Asia. Tokyo is set to host the Olympic Games again in the summer of 2020.
Did You Know?
Tokyo is home to the Tokyo Skytree, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's largest tower. While the tower was under construction, its developers found out that the Canton Tower, built about the same time in Guangzhou, China, would be roughly the same size as the Skytree; soon thereafter, an antenna measuring some 20 metres (67 feet) tall was added to the top of the Skytree.
The blooms of the cherry tree, known in Japan as sakura, have long been of immense symbolic importance to the nation, and the blossoming of cherry trees traditionally heralds the arrival of spring in Japan; in an annual tradition that began in 1951, meteorologists publicly forecast the much-anticipated blossoming of the cherry trees each year.
