A Visitor's Guide To Tokyo

As one of the largest cities in the world, and the political and industrial capital of Japan, the world's 3rd largest economy, Tokyo is visited by millions of casual and business travelers each year. Here is a short biography of Tokyo to give travelers a bit of nutshell view of Tokyo before visiting.

Tokyo is located at the head of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific coast of central Honshu Island. It is part of the largest industrial and urban region of Japan, called the Keihin Kogyo Chitai.

Tokyo has been inhabited since ancient times. For much of its history it existed as a small fishing village called Edo. Edo was developed into a city during the Tokugawa period from 1603 to 1867 when it was made capital of the Tokugawa shogunate. At the Meiji Restoration of 1868 which ended the shogunate, the capital was moved from Kyoto to Edo. Edo was renamed Tokyo, which means "eastern capital."

By the mid 19th Century, Edo already had a population of over one million, but as the cultural, political and economic capital of Japan, Tokyo became one of the world's most populous cities.

Tokyo's climate is hot and humid in the summer and mild in the winter. Autumn is the Typhoon season and Tokyo usually expects two or three of them. Heavy rains also occur in early summer.

Tokyo is home to many financial institutions and manufacturers including automotive, electronics and printing and publishing. It is a wholesale center and goods are distributed from Tokyo to all parts of Japan.

Many visitors like to see Tokyo's beautiful Imperial Palace. Circled by stone-walled moats and expansive gardens, it still serves as home to the Emperor and lies at the heart of the city. Other locations of cultural interest include the Tokyo National Museum which contains excellent displays featuring the art and history of Japan. The museum is located in Ueno Park which also features a science museum and a zoological garden.

The city is rich with entertainment ranging from symphony to traditional Kabuki theater. Palaces and museums of all type are sprinkled throughout the city.

There really is no single business center in Tokyo, but the Marunouchi district, which is adjacent to the Imperial Palace is one of the most important business hubs and home to numerous financial institutions and businesses. Other business hubs tend to be clustered around railway stations along with shopping centers, restaurants and hotels. This makes it easy to get where you need to go by rail.
Most visitors to Tokyo find their way to the Ginza district, not only Tokyo's best shopping districts, but a world renowned shopping district.

Tokyo lacks the large parks that many great cities around the world have, but makes up for it with numerous smaller parks, many with elaborate and beautiful Japanese gardens.

Tokyo is truly one of the great cities of the world and a unforgetable experience for everyone who visits it.