Tokyo is Japan's capital and one of the world's most dynamic megacities, where ancient temples and shrines coexist alongside gleaming skyscrapers and neon-lit streets. As the cultural, economic, and political heart of Japan, Tokyo offers an unmatched blend of tradition and state-of-the-art modernity across its diverse 23 special wards and surrounding cities.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Tokyo.
-
1
Founding of Edo
Ota Dokan, a samurai and architect, built Edo Castle in 1457 — the first major fortification in the area, and the seed from which the modern city would grow.
-
2
Tokugawa Shogunate (Edo Period)
Tokugawa Ieyasu unified Japan and established his shogunate government in Edo in 1603. Within a century Edo had grown to the largest city in the world with over one million inhabitants.
-
3
Opening to the West and Meiji Restoration
Commodore Perry's 'Black Ships' arrived in 1853, triggering the Meiji Restoration of 1868 — the end of the shogunate and the renaming of Edo to Tokyo ('Eastern Capital').
-
4
Great Kanto Earthquake
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck on September 1, 1923, killing approximately 140,000 people in Tokyo and Yokohama and destroying over 340,000 buildings.
-
5
World War II and Firebombing
Operation Meetinghouse on the night of March 9-10, 1945 killed an estimated 80,000-100,000 people in a single night, the most destructive conventional air raid in history.
-
6
Postwar Reconstruction and Economic Miracle
Tokyo rebuilt with extraordinary speed after the war, hosting the 1964 Summer Olympics as a showcase of Japan's recovery and opening the Tokaido Shinkansen the same year.
-
7
Bubble Economy and Modern Era
The 1980s brought the 'bubble economy' of property speculation, which burst in 1991. Tokyo continued to modernize through the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Historical sites
Places where Tokyo's past comes alive.
Imperial Palace East Garden
The inner grounds of the former Edo Castle, now open to visitors. Ancient stone walls and moats remain from the Edo period.
Admission: Free
Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo's oldest temple, founded in 628 AD. Has survived the Great Kanto Earthquake and WWII bombing raids (damaged and rebuilt).
Zojoji Temple
Important Edo-period Buddhist temple, former Tokugawa family temple. Contains mausoleums of six of the fifteen Tokugawa shoguns.
Edo-Tokyo Museum
Definitive museum for Tokyo's history from the Edo period through the 20th century. Full-scale reconstructions and artifacts.
Yanaka Cemetery and Neighborhood
One of Tokyo's oldest surviving traditional neighborhoods, largely spared from earthquake and wartime destruction. Yanaka Cemetery contains the graves of numerous historical figures.
Yasukuni Shrine
Controversial Shinto shrine commemorating Japan's war dead including convicted WWII war criminals. Also hosts an important museum (Yushukan) on Japanese military history.