basic information

Autumn Colors 2009

Tokyo is Japan's capital and the country's largest city.

Tokyo is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, but is called a metropolis (to) rather than a prefecture (ken). The metropolis of Tokyo consists of 23 city wards (ku), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of Japan's main island Honshu.

The 23 city wards (ku) are the center of Tokyo and make up about one third of the metropolis' area, while housing roughly eight of Tokyo's approximately twelve million residents.

Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo ("Eastern Capital"). Large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and in the air raids of 1945.

Attractions

City Districts and Shopping Areas

Shibuya (2) Popular district among younger generations. Shinjuku (1) District around Japan's busiest station. Asakusa (6) District with an atmosphere of old Tokyo. Harajuku (5) Center of teenage fashion and cosplay culture. Odaiba (13) Futuristic architecture on a man made island. Akihabara (3) District for electronic and otaku goods. Ginza (4) Japan's premier shopping district. Roppongi (8) Site of Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills. Ameyoko (22) Colorful market street in Ueno. Kappabashi Street (31) Shopping street for restaurant owners. Ikebukuro (10) Commercial district around busy train station. Yebisu Garden Place (24) Commercial complex with beer museum. Akasaka Sacas (33) City within the city around TBS headquarter. Shiodome (25) Recently redeveloped commercial district. Shinagawa (28) Major transportation hub in southern Tokyo. Nihonbashi (17) Commercial district in central Tokyo. Marunouchi (20) Business district in front of Tokyo Station. Makuhari Messe (49) Modern convention center just outside Tokyo.

Temples and Shrines

Sensoji Temple (16) Large temple in the Asakusa district. Meiji Shrine (11) Dedicated to the deity of Emperor Meiji. Sengakuji Temple (27) Site of the 47 ronin's graveyard. Zojoji Temple (26) Buddhist temple at the base of Tokyo Tower. Yasukuni Shrine (23) Dedicated to the deities of Japan's war dead.

Gardens, Parks and Nature

Takaosan (35) Temple mountain near central Tokyo. Mount Mitake (44) Wooded mountain with shrine. Koishikawa Korakuen (38) Landscape garden next to Tokyo Dome. Institute for Nature Study (45) Quiet nature reserve in the middle of Tokyo. Rikugien (40) Beautiful Japanese style landscape garden. Ueno Park (7) City park with multiple museums and a zoo. Hama Rikyu (34) Landscape garden next to Shiodome. Imperial East Gardens (15) Park on the former grounds of Edo Castle. Kyu Shiba Rikyu (43) Japanese landscape garden. Shinjuku Gyoen (18) Spacious city park in Shinjuku. Yoyogi Park (14) Spacious city park in Shibuya. Kiyosumi Garden (39) Japanese landscape garden. Todoroki Valley (45) Short wooded valley with temple. Kasai Rinkai Koen (37) Large park at the shores of Tokyo Bay.

Other Attractions

Tsukiji Fish Market (19) Japan's largest and busiest fish market. Tokyo Imperial Palace (12) Main residence of the Imperial Family. Ghibli Museum (29) Museum of the Ghibli animation film studio. Tsukishima (36) Man made island known for monjayaki. Tokyo Tower (9) 333 meter tall symbol of Tokyo. Ryogoku (31) Center of the sumo wrestling world. Tokyo Dome City (21) Entertainment district around Tokyo Dome. NHK Studiopark (30) Visit Japan's public television network.

Events

Tokyo Motor Show (41) Large biennial auto show. Tokyo Anime Fair (47) Large trade show of the anime industry. Tokyo Game Show (42) Trade show of the computer gaming industry. Tokyo Marathon (48) Annual large scale city marathon.

Side Trips from Tokyo

Nikko Site of Nikko Toshogu, Ieyasu's mausoleum. Kamakura Small city full of historic treasures. Hakone National park with views of Mount Fuji. Fuji Five Lakes Resort at the foot of Mount Fuji. Izu Peninsula Hot springs and natural scenery. Yokohama Japan's second largest city. Kusatsu Onsen One of Japan's best hot spring resorts. Naritasan Temple Popular temple, not far from Narita Airport. Kawagoe Former castle town known as the Little Edo. Minakami Popular hot spring and outdoor resort. Ikaho Onsen Hot spring resort famous for its stone stairs.

best of the best    best of Japan    outstanding (1) - (99)    most visited attractions

Orientation

Orientation How to get to and around in Tokyo. Suggestions Suggested day schedules and side trips. About transportation in Japan

Accommodation

Sponsored Listings:

Aizuya-inn Free internet, hot drinks, friendly foreign staff, and a warm welcome are what you will find at this Tokyo inn. Serviced Apartments Azabu Court Affordable daily weekly monthly extended stay apartments conveniently located in Azabu Hiroo Roppongi district. Oak Hotel Budget hostel & hotel in the heart of Tokyo. Group booking, ISIC discount accepted. PT Group - Tokyo Hotels and Ryokan A web site for ryokan and hotels located in the heart of Tokyo. Offering quality comforts with affordable rates. Sakura Hostel Perfect for budget travelers and backpackers! Largest hostel in Tokyo. Friendly staff, cozy rooms, 24-hour internet lounge. Khaosan Tokyo Guest House No.1 Hostel Group in Tokyo. 4 branches located in Asakusa & Akihabara area. Finally opened a new branch "SAMURAI"!

Search a Hotel in Tokyo:

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Shops

The Body Shop Omotesando We offer a full line of cosmetics based on natural ingredients. We've introduced skincare, body care, and make-up... Une Pierre en Plus We opened our shop in Omotesando with the hope of "expanding the possibilities of stones and making everyone's... Ishida Aoyama Omotesando Here you'll find exceptional watches by low-visibility brands all in one special space. The 7 meter long Time... Lexia Ginza, Namiki-Dori Street Flagship Our product range is very well-regarded! We are the Rolex speciality store located on Ginza's Namiki-Dori... Seibu Yurakucho Our theme is fashion & beauty! We are a department store divided into two buildings - Fashion & Beauty. Our... More shops...

Restaurants

Select area Tokyo-Yokohama Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe Nagoya Kyushu Hokkaido Tohoku Hokuriku Chugoku Okinawa Select type Japanese dishes Western dishes Chinese dishes Asia, ethnic style, borderless Cafe Japanese Izakaya Western style Izakaya Asian, borderless style Izakaya Dining bar, Beer Restauran Bar, pub Space, entertainment Family dining, fast food

All of Tokyo Shinjuku Shibuya Ginza Roppongi Asakusa Ikebukuro Tokyo Station

More about restaurants in Japan

Tours and Packages

Private Tours Private tours by car with licensed English-speaking guides. Tokyo Tours Various tours and travel packages for Tokyo and surroundings.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

news and reports

	Tokyo Cherry Blossom Report April 10, 2009
	Tokyo Cherry Blossom Report April 6, 2009
	Tokyo Cherry Blossom Report April 2, 2009
	Tokyo Cherry Blossom Report March 31, 2009
	Tokyo Cherry Blossom Report March 29, 2009
	Tokyo Cherry Blossom Report March 26, 2009

travel community

Popularity of Tokyo:
Users who have been to Tokyo: 2595
Most visited: Ranked 1st out of 113 destinations

Ratings for Tokyo:

japan-guide.com Rating:		best of the best
User Rating (by 1317 users):	95/100	highly recommended

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english links

product links

Lonely Planet Tokyo Book by Kara Knafelc Tokyo for Free Book by Susan Pompian Little Adventures in Tokyo: 39 Thrills for the Urban Explorer Book by Rick Kennedy Tokyo City Atlas: A Bilingual Guide Book by Kodansha

japanese links