Difference between revisions of "Tokyo" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
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[[Category:cities]]
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{{claimed}}
[[category:nations and places]]
 
  
{{Japanese todofuken |
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{{otheruses}}
Name        = Tokyo |
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<div style="float:right; width:325px;"><!-- necessary to force right margin alignment of the image below the infobox for Mac/Safari, the width needs to be slightly larger than the infobox and image widths for IE and Firefox—>{{Tokyo-Infobox}}</div>
Fullname  = Tokyo |
 
JapaneseName = 東京都; ''Tōkyō-to'' |
 
ImageWithCaption =  |
 
Symbol      = PrefSymbol-Tokyo.png |
 
SymbolTooltip = Tokyo Metropolitan Government symbol |
 
SymbolDescription = <p>Adopted in June 1989, Tokyo's official symbol has three arcs forming the letter '''T''' for Tokyo in the shape of a vivid green [[ginkgo]] leaf. It symbolizes Tokyo's future growth and prosperity, charm, and tranquility.</p> |
 
Capital      = [[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]] |
 
Region      = [[Kanto region|Kanto]] |
 
Island      = [[Honshu]] |
 
TotalArea    = 2,187.08 |
 
AreaRank    = 45<sup>th</sup> |
 
PCWater      = 1.0 |
 
PopDate      = [[October 1]], [[2003]] |
 
Population  = 12,527,115 (8,444,531 in [[23 special wards|23 wards]])|
 
PopRank      = 1<sup>st</sup> |
 
Density      = 5655 |
 
DistrictLabel = [[Districts of Japan|District]]s |
 
Districts    = 1 |
 
Municipalities = 62 |
 
ISOCode      = JP-13 |
 
Flower      = Somei-Yoshino [[Sakura|cherry blossom]] |
 
Tree        = [[Ginkgo|Ginkgo tree]] (''Ginkgo biloba'') |
 
Bird        = [[Black-headed Gull]] (''Larus ridibundus'') |
 
OtherSymbols = |
 
Map          = JapanPrefTokyoMap.png |
 
Website    = [http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/ www.metro.tokyo.jp/<br/>ENGLISH/]  |
 
Governor  = [[Shintaro Ishihara]]
 
}}
 
  
[[Image:JapanTokyoNijubashi.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Long a symbol of Tokyo, the Nijubashi Bridge at the [[Kokyo|Kokyo Imperial Palace]]. The general public is allowed to cross this bridge on two days of the year: New Year's and the Emperor's birthday on Dec. 23 to greet the Imperial family appearing on a balcony.]]
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{{nihongo|'''Tokyo'''|東京|Tōkyō}}, the common [[English language|English]] name for the {{nihongo|'''Tokyo Metropolis'''|東京都|Tōkyō-to}}, is one of the 47 [[prefectures of Japan|prefectures]] of [[Japan]] and, unique among the prefectures, provides certain municipal services characteristic of a [[Cities of Japan|city]].
</div>
 
  
'''Tokyo''', meaning "eastern capital," is the home to the [[Japanese government]] and [[Emperor of Japan|emperor]], and so the [[Capital of Japan]]. It is also the nation's most populous urban area (12 million people, or about 10 percent of the country's population, live in Tokyo) and the core area of one of the 47 prefectures of Japan.
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Because it is the seat of the [[Government of Japan|Japanese government]] and the [[Kokyo|Imperial Palace]], and the home of the [[Imperial Household of Japan|Japanese Imperial Family]], Tokyo is the de facto capital of Japan.<ref name="capital">See capital of Japan for the debate on whether Tokyo is also the de jure capital.</ref>
  
==Structure of Tokyo==
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It is also the most populous prefecture and city in the country, and the center of the [[Greater Tokyo Area]] which is the most [[World's largest cities|populous metropolitan area in the world]] with a population of over 35 million people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esa.un.org/unup/|title=esa.un.org/unup/}}</ref>
  
((JW-This is actually wrong or misleading—if technically not a city, the 23 wards function as one, but do not constitute the "to" of Tokyo. Tokyo-to is made up of the "city" of 23 wards, plus 39 other municipalities to the west, some of which are rural and mountainous. This section makes the mistake of occasionally confusing the "city" and the "metropolis." This article can mention the part of Tokyo-to outside the 23 wards but must focus predominately on the core, meaning the 23 wards, the part commonly referred to as Tokyo, not its suburbs.))
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The twenty-three [[special wards of Tokyo]], although each administratively a city in its own right, constitute the area informally considered as the "city of Tokyo" and are collectively one of the largest cities in the world with a total population of over 8 million people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/bigcities.htm|title=www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/bigcities.htm<!--INSERT TITLE-->}}</ref>
  
Under Japanese law, Tokyo is designated as a ''to'' (often translated "metropolis"), not a city (although it is often mistaken for one), and its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. Within Tokyo lie dozens of cities, towns, and villages. It includes 23 wards ("ku"), which until 1943 comprised the city of Tokyo but are now separate, self-governing municipalities, each with a mayor and a council, and having the status of a city. In addition to these 23 municipalities, Tokyo also encompasses 26 more cities ("shi"), 5 towns ("chō" or "machi"), and 8 villages ("son" or "mura"), each of which has a local government. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly-elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its headquarters are located in the ward of [[Shinjuku]]. Tokyo includes lakes, rivers, dams, farms, remote islands, and national parks, in addition to its famous neon jungle, skyscrapers and crowded subways.
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Tokyo has the largest metropolitan [[gross domestic product]] in the world for a city, and it held the title of the world's most expensive city for over a decade from 1992 through 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4669400.stm|title=news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4669400.stm<!--INSERT TITLE—>}}</ref>
  
==Location==
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Tokyo is considered one of the world's major [[global city|global cities]] and a megacity. The name "Tokyo" refers variously to Tokyo Metropolis (the prefecture) as a whole, or only to the main urban mass under its jurisdiction (thus excluding west Tama and Izu / Ogasawara Islands), or even the whole of Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo, [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]], [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]], [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]], [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]], [[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]], and [[Yamanashi Prefecture|Yamanashi]] prefectures, depending on context.
Tokyo is located in the [[Kanto]] region on the island of [[Honshu]].
 
((JW-discarded is material that again confuses the city and prefecture.))
 
  
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This article uses the name to refer to Tokyo Metropolis unless otherwise stated.
  
==Influence==
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== History ==
As the nation's center of politics, business, finance, education, mass media, and pop culture, Tokyo has Japan's highest concentration of corporate headquarters, financial institutions, universities and colleges, museums, theaters, and shopping and entertainment establishments. It boasts a highly-developed public transportation system with numerous train and subway lines.
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{{main|History of Tokyo}}
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[[Image:Tokugawa Ieyasu.jpg|thumb|Tokugawa Ieyasu]]
  
This extreme concentration is both boon and bane, prompting an ongoing debate over moving the nation's capital to another region. There is also great fear of a catastrophic earthquake striking Tokyo, which may in effect cripple the entire nation. Nevertheless, Tokyo continues to draw people from across Japan and other countries; a substantial portion of the population is not native to the region, and Tokyo is still a place to meet people from all over the country and the world. Tokyo is generally considered one of the world's four most prominent "global cities" (alongside [[London]], [[New York City]], and [[Paris]]).
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Tokyo's rise to importance can be largely attributed to two men: [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] and [[Emperor Meiji]]. Tokugawa Ieyasu made [[Edo]] (the forerunner of Tokyo) his base. When he became [[shogun]] in 1603, the town began to grow into the capital of his nationwide military government. It became one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century. It became the de facto capital of Japan even while the emperor lived in [[Kyoto]], the imperial capital.
  
==History==
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After about 263 years, the shogunate was overthrown under the banner of [[Meiji Restoration|restoring imperial rule]]. In 1869, the 17-year-old [[Emperor Meiji]] moved to Edo, which was [[Geographical renaming|renamed]] "Tokyo" ("Eastern Capital") the year before. Tokyo was already the nation's political, economic, and cultural center, and the emperor's residence made it a de facto imperial capital as well with the former Edo Castle becoming the [[Kokyo|Imperial Palace]]. The [[Tokyo City|city of Tokyo]] was established, and continued to be the capital until it was abolished as a municipality in 1943 and merged with the "Metropolitan Prefecture" of Tokyo.
  
[[Image:TokyoEdoCastleBase.jpg|thumb|300px|Stone foundation of the main tower at [[Edo Castle]].]]
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Central Tokyo, like [[Osaka]], has been designed since about the turn of the century (1900) to be centered around major train stations in a high-density fashion, so suburban railways were built relatively cheaply at street level. This differs from other world cities, such as [[Los Angeles]], that are low-density and automobile-centric. Though [[Shuto Expressway|expressways]] have been built, the basic design has not changed to this day.
Tokyo's rise to prominence can be largely attributed to two men: [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] and [[Emperor Meiji]]. In 1603, after unifying the warring states of Japan, [[Shogun]] [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] made [[Edo]] (now Tokyo) his base of operations. As a result, the city developed rapidly and grew to become one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping 1 million by the 18th century. It became  the de facto capital of Japan even while the emperor resided in [[Kyoto]], the imperial capital.
 
  
Since the city's early beginnings and even now, Edo/Tokyo has always had a large non-native population. Ieyasu himself was an outsider who brought many outsiders to help build the city and government. The [[sankin kotai]] system also required provincial [[daimyo|warlords]] to periodically parade to Edo and keep a residence in the city along with key family members and samurai retainers. The term "[[Edokko]]" (child of Edo) was even coined (and still used today) to distinguish the natives from the non-natives.  
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Tokyo went on to suffer two major catastrophes in the 20th century, but it recovered from both. One was the [[Great Kanto Earthquake]] in 1923, and the other was [[World War II]]. The [[Bombing of Tokyo in World War II|firebombings in 1945]], with 75,000 to 200,000 killed and half of the city destroyed, were almost as devastating as the atomic bombs of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]] combined.<ref>{{cite book |title=Modern Japan: A Social and Political History |author=Tipton, Elise K. |publisher=Routledge |year=2002 |pages=p. 141}}</ref> After the war, Tokyo was completely rebuilt, and showcased to the world during the city's [[1964 Summer Olympics]]. The 1970s brought new high-rise developments such as [[Sunshine 60]], a new and controversial [[Narita International Airport|airport]] at [[Narita]] (well outside Tokyo)<!-- in 1978 [[can't think of a neat way to integrate that into the sentence —>, and a population increase to about 11 million (in the metropolitan area).
  
After 250 years, the shogunate was overthrown under the banner of [[Meiji Restoration|restoring imperial rule]]. In 1869, the figurehead 17-year-old [[Emperor Meiji]] moved to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo. Tokyo was already the nation's political, economic, and cultural center, and the emperor's residence made it a de facto imperial capital as well with the former Edo Castle becoming the [[Kokyo|Imperial Palace]].
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Tokyo's subway and commuter rail network became the busiest in the world as more and more people moved to the area. In the 1980s, real estate prices skyrocketed during an economic [[Japanese asset price bubble|bubble]]. The bubble burst in the early 1990s and many companies, banks, and individuals were caught with real estate shrinking in value. A major recession followed, making the 1990s Japan's "[[lost decade]]" from which it is now slowly recovering.
[[Image:Karte Tokia MKL1888.png|thumb|A map from the 1888 [[Meyers Konversations-Lexikon]] [[Encyclopedia]] shows the old German name for Tokyo, Jedo.]]
 
  
Tokyo went on to suffer two major catastrophes and has remarkably recovered from both of them. One was the [[Great Kanto Earthquake]] in 1923, and the other was [[World War II]]. The [[Bombing_of_Tokyo_in_World_War_II|firebombings in 1945]] were almost as devastating as the atomic bombs of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]] combined. Large areas of the city were flattened. Today, hardly a trace of the war is evident to visitors to the city, but many people still carry its emotional scars((?)).
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[[Image:Japan Tokyo.PNG|thumb|center|500px|<center> Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower as seen from Odaiba at night.</center>]]
  
After the war, Tokyo was rebuilt with excellent train and subway systems, which were showcased to the world during the city's 1964 Summer Olympics. The 1970s brought new high-rise developments, a new and controversial [[Narita International Airport|airport]] at [[Narita]] (1978), and a population increase to about 11 million (in the metropolitan area). In the 1980s, real estate prices skyrocketed during an economic [[Japanese asset price bubble|bubble]]: many got rich quick, but the bubble burst in the early 1990s and many companies, banks, and individuals were caught with real estate shrinking in value. A major recession followed, making the 1990s Japan's "[[lost decade]]" which still continues today((?)).
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Tokyo still sees new urban developments on large lots of less profitable land. Recent projects include [[Ebisu, Tokyo|Ebisu]] Garden Place, Tennozu Isle, Shiodome, [[Roppongi Hills]], Shinagawa (now also a [[Shinkansen]] station), and Tokyo Station (Marunouchi side). Buildings of significance are demolished for more up-to-date shopping facilities such as [[Omotesando Hills]]. Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the [[Odaiba]] area, now a major shopping and entertainment center.
  
Tokyo still sees new or renewed urban centers being developed on large lots of idle land. Recent projects include [[Ebisu, Tokyo|Ebisu]] Garden Place, Tennozu Isle, Shiodome, [[Roppongi Hills]], Shinagawa (now also a [[shinkansen]] station), and Tokyo Station (Marunouchi side). Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the [[Odaiba]] area, now a major shopping and entertainment center.
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Tokyo was hit by powerful [[earthquake]]s in 1703, 1782, 1812, 1855 and 1923. The [[Great Kanto Earthquake|1923 earthquake]], with an estimated magnitude of 8.3, killed 142,000 people.
  
==Geography and administrative divisions ==
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There have been various plans proposed for transferring national government functions from Tokyo to secondary capitals in other regions of Japan, in order to slow down rapid development in Tokyo and revitalize economically lagging areas of the country. These plans have been controversial within Japan and have yet to be realized.
  
Tokyo is northwest of Tokyo Bay. ((JW-same again))
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An older method of [[Romaji|romanizing]] Japanese resulted in "Tokio" as an earlier spelling.
  
Toyko has been hit by powerful earthquakes in 1703, 1782, 1812, 1855 and 1923. The 1923 earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 8.3 killed 142,000 people.
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During the early Meiji period, the city was also called "Tōkei," an alternative pronunciation for the same Chinese characters representing "Tokyo." Some surviving official English documents use the spelling "Tokei".<ref name="Tōkei">{{cite web|url=http://www.soumu.metro.tokyo.jp/01soumu/archives/tokei_ibun.htm|title=www.soumu.metro.tokyo.jp/01soumu/archives/tokei_ibun.htm<!--INSERT TITLE—>}}</ref> This pronunciation is now obsolete.
  
Tokyo is also part of [[Greater Tokyo]], by far the world's most populous metropolitan region, which includes the surrounding prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba.
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== Geography and administrative divisions ==
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<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series—>
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{{main|Politics of Tokyo}}
  
===The 23 wards===
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[[Image:TokyoMap.svg|thumb|right|400px|<center> This map shows the mainland portion of Tokyo. </center>]]
  
Each of the 23 wards of Tokyo is a local [[municipality]] with its own elected mayor and assembly. It differs from an ordinary city in that certain governmental functions are handled by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
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The mainland portion of Tokyo lies northwest of [[Tokyo Bay]] and measures about 90&nbsp;km east to west and 25&nbsp;km north to south. It borders [[Chiba Prefecture]] to the east, [[Yamanashi Prefecture]] to the west, [[Kanagawa Prefecture]] to the south, and [[Saitama Prefecture]] to the north. Mainland Tokyo is further subdivided into the special wards (occupying the eastern half) and the Tama area (多摩地方) stretching westwards.
  
As of September 1, 2003, the official total population of the 23 wards combined was about 8.34 million, with a population density of 13,416 persons per square kilometer.
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Also within the administrative boundaries of Tokyo Metropolis are two island chains in the [[Pacific Ocean]] directly south: the [[Izu Islands]], which are almost parallel to the Izu Peninsula; and the [[Ogasawara Islands]], which stretch more than 1,000&nbsp;km away from mainland Japan.
  
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Under [[Japanese law]], Tokyo is designated as a ''[[to]]'' ([[wiktionary:都|都]], often translated "[[metropolis]]"). Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other [[Prefectures of Japan|prefectures]]. Within Tokyo lie dozens of smaller entities, most of them conventionally referred to as cities. It includes [[Special wards of Tokyo|twenty-three special wards]] (特別[[wiktionary:区|区]] -ku) which until 1943 comprised the [[Tokyo City|city of Tokyo]] but are now separate, self-governing municipalities, each with a mayor and a council, and having the status of a city. In addition to these 23 municipalities, Tokyo also encompasses 26 more cities ([[wiktionary:市|市]] -shi), five towns ([[wiktionary:町|町]] -chō or machi), and eight villages ([[wiktionary:村|村]] -son or -mura), each of which has a local government. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building|headquarters]] are in the ward of [[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]]. They govern all of Tokyo, including lakes, rivers, dams, farms, remote islands, and [[national parks]] in addition to its famous neon jungle, skyscrapers and crowded subways.
  
=== Major Districts ===
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=== The twenty-three special wards ===
[[Image:shinjukuneon2.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]] by night.]]
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The [[Special wards of Tokyo|special wards]] ''(tokubetsu-ku)'' of Tokyo comprise the area formerly known as Tokyo City, usually simply known as "Tokyo." On July 1, 1943, Tokyo City was merged with Tokyo Prefecture (東京府, ''tokyo-fu'') forming the current "metropolitan prefecture." As a result of this merger, unlike other [[wards of Japan|city wards]] in Japan, these wards are not part of any city.
[[Image:shibuya01.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]], considered the center of Japanese youth culture, boasts one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossings, the [[scramble crossing]] in front of the [[Hachiko]] exit of Shibuya station.]]
 
  
The center of Tokyo is [[Kokyo|Kokyo]], or the Imperial Palace, the former site of Edo Castle. The term "central Tokyo" today may refer to either the area within the looping Yamanote train line or to Tokyo's 23 wards covering about 621 square kilometers.
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Each ward is a local [[Municipalities of Japan|municipality]] with its own elected mayor and assembly, differing from an ordinary city in that certain governmental functions are handled by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and, for most, also differing in having no particular center and little cultural or similar distinctiveness from the immediate surroundings.
  
There are a number of major urban centers where business, shopping, and entertainment are concentrated. They are each centered at a major train station where multiple train lines operate.
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The term "central Tokyo" today may refer to the 23 special wards, the centres of [[Shinjuku]], [[Minato, Tokyo|Minato]], [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda]] and [[Chūō, Tokyo|Chūō]] connected and enclosed by the [[Yamanote Line]], or to the three centrally located wards of Chiyoda, Chūō and Minato. While the generally accepted center of Tokyo is the [[Kokyo|Imperial Palace]], as a rail-centric city, there are a number of major urban centers where business, shopping, and entertainment are concentrated around major train stations. These include:
  
*[[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]] Tokyo's capital where the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]] is located. It is best known for Tokyo's early skyscrapers since the early 1970s. Major department stores, camera and computer stores, and hotels can be found. On the east side of Shinjuku Station, [[Kabuki-cho]] is notorious for its many bars and nightclubs.
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; [[Akasaka, Tokyo|Akasaka]] : A district with a range of restaurants, clubs and hotels; many pedestrian alleys giving it a local neighbourhood feel. Next to Roppongi, Nagatachō, and Aoyama.
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; [[Akihabara]] : A densely arranged shopping district for electronic, computer, anime, and [[otaku]] goods.
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; [[Aoyama, Tokyo|Aoyama]] : A neighborhood of Tokyo with parks, an enormous cemetery, expensive housing, trendy cafes and international restaurants. Includes the [[Omotesandō Station|Omotesandō]] subway station.
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; [[Ginza]] and [[Yūrakuchō]] : Major shopping and entertainment district with department stores, upscale shops selling brand-name goods, and movie theaters.
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; [[Ikebukuro]] : The busiest interchange in north central Tokyo, featuring [[Sunshine City, Tokyo|Sunshine City]] and various shopping destinations.
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; [[Marunouchi]] and [[Ōtemachi]] : The main financial and business district of Tokyo has many headquarters of banks, trading companies and other major corporations. The area is seeing a major redevelopment with new buildings for shopping and entertainment constructed in front of Tokyo Station's Marunouchi side.
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; [[Nagatachō, Tokyo|Nagatachō]] : The political heart of Tokyo and the nation. It is the location of the Diet, government ministries, and party headquarters.
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; [[Odaiba]] : A large, reclaimed, waterfront area that has become one of Tokyo's most popular shopping and entertainment districts.
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; [[Roppongi]] : Home to the rich Roppongi Hills area, an active night club scene, and a relatively large presence of Western tourists and expatriates.
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; [[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]] : A long-time center of shopping, fashion, nightlife and youth culture.
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; [[Shinagawa, Tokyo|Shinagawa]] : In addition to the major hotels on the west side of Shinagawa Station, the former sleepy east side of the station has been redeveloped as a major center for business.
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; [[Shinbashi]] : An area revitalized by being the gateway to [[Odaiba]] and the [[Shiodome]] Shiosite complex of high-rise buildings.
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; [[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]] : Location of the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]]. The area is best known for Tokyo's early skyscrapers, erected in the 1970s. Major department stores, electronics stores and hotels can also be found here. On the east side of [[Shinjuku Station]], [[Kabukichō, Tokyo|Kabukichō]] is known for its many bars and nightclubs. Shinjuku Station moves an estimated three million passengers a day, making it the busiest in the world.
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; [[Ueno, Tokyo|Ueno]] : [[Ueno Station]] serves commuters to and from areas north of Tokyo. Besides department stores and shops in Ameyoko, Ueno boasts [[Ueno Park]], [[Ueno Zoo]] and major national museums. In spring, Ueno Park and adjacent Shinobazu Pond are popular places to view cherry blossoms.
  
*[[Marunouchi]] and [[Otemachi]] — The main financial and business district of Tokyo has many headquarters of banks, trading companies, and other major businesses. The area is seeing a major redevelopment with new buildings for shopping and entertainment constructed in front of Tokyo Station's Marunouchi side.
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<!-- Do not remove this line —><div style="clear: both;"></div>
  
*[[Ginza]] and [[Yurakucho]] — Major shopping and entertainment district with department stores, upscale shops selling brand-name goods, and movie theaters.
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=== Western Tokyo ===
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[[Image:Tokyo Landsat.jpg|thumb|right|Satellite photo of Tokyo taken by [[NASA]]'s [[Landsat 7]].]]
  
*[[Shinbashi]]—By being the gateway to [[Odaiba]] and having the new Shiodome Shiosite complex of high-rise buildings, this area has been effectively revitalized.
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To the west of the special wards, Tokyo Metropolis consists of cities, towns and villages that enjoy the same legal status as those elsewhere in Japan.
  
*[[Shinagawa, Tokyo|Shinagawa]] — In addition to the major hotels on the west side of Shinagawa Station, the former sleepy east side of the station has been redeveloped as a major center for business.
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While serving a role as "[[Bedroom community|bed towns]]" for those working in central Tokyo, some of these also have a local commercial and industrial base. Collectively, these are often known as '''Tama Area''' or '''[[Western Tokyo]]'''.
  
*[[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]] — A longtime center of shopping, fashion, and entertainment, especially for the younger set.
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==== Cities ====
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Twenty-six cities lie within the western part of Tokyo Prefecture:
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{|
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|- valign="top"
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|
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* [[Akiruno, Tokyo|Akiruno]]
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* [[Akishima, Tokyo|Akishima]]
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* [[Chōfu, Tokyo|Chōfu]]
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* [[Fuchū, Tokyo|Fuchū]]
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* [[Fussa, Tokyo|Fussa]]
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* [[Hachiōji, Tokyo|Hachiōji]]
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* [[Hamura, Tokyo|Hamura]]
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* [[Higashikurume, Tokyo|Higashikurume]]
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* [[Higashimurayama, Tokyo|Higashimurayama]]
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* [[Higashiyamato, Tokyo|Higashiyamato]]
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* [[Hino, Tokyo|Hino]]
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* [[Inagi, Tokyo|Inagi]]
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* [[Kiyose, Tokyo|Kiyose]]
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|
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* [[Kodaira, Tokyo|Kodaira]]
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* [[Koganei, Tokyo|Koganei]]
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* [[Kokubunji, Tokyo|Kokubunji]]
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* [[Komae, Tokyo|Komae]]
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* [[Kunitachi, Tokyo|Kunitachi]]
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* [[Machida, Tokyo|Machida]]
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* [[Mitaka, Tokyo|Mitaka]]
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* [[Musashimurayama, Tokyo|Musashimurayama]]
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* [[Musashino, Tokyo|Musashino]]
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* [[Nishitōkyō, Tokyo|Nishitōkyō]]
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* [[Ōme, Tokyo|Ōme]]
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* [[Tachikawa, Tokyo|Tachikawa]]
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* [[Tama, Tokyo|Tama]]
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|}
  
*[[Ikebukuro]] — Anchored by the Sunshine City (which was once Tokyo's tallest building) hotel and shopping complex, this is another area where people gather due to the various train lines shooting out of Ikebukuro Station.
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The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has designated Hachiōji, Tachikawa, Machida, Ōme and Tama New Town as regional centres of the Tama area, as part of their plans to disperse urban functions away from central Tokyo.
  
*[[Ueno, Tokyo|Ueno]] [[Ueno Station]] serves areas north of Tokyo from where many people commute. Besides department stores and shops in Ameyoko, Ueno boasts [[Ueno Park]], [[Ueno Zoo]], and major national museums. In spring, Ueno Park and adjacent Shinobazu Pond are prime places to view cherry blossoms.
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==== Districts, towns and villages ====
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The far west is occupied by the district ''(gun)'' of [[Nishitama, Tokyo|Nishitama]]. Much of this area is mountainous and unsuitable for urbanization. The highest mountain in Tokyo, [[Mount Kumotori]], is 2,017&nbsp;m high; other mountains in Tokyo include Mount Takasu (1737&nbsp;m), Mount Odake (1266&nbsp;m), and [[Mount Mitake]] (929&nbsp;m). [[Lake Okutama]], on the [[Tama River]] near [[Yamanashi Prefecture]], is Tokyo's largest lake.
  
*[[Odaiba]] — A large, reclaimed, waterfront area that has become one of Tokyo's most popular shopping and entertainment districts.
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* [[Hinode, Tokyo|Hinode]]
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* [[Mizuho, Tokyo|Mizuho]]
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* [[Okutama, Tokyo|Okutama]]
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* [[Hinohara, Tokyo|Hinohara]]
  
*[[Kinshicho, Tokyo|Kinshicho]] — Major shopping and entertainment area in eastern Tokyo.
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=== Islands ===
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Tokyo's outlying islands extend as far as 1850&nbsp;km from central Tokyo. Because of the islands' distance from the city, they are locally run by branches of the metropolitan government. The islands are organized into two towns and seven villages.
  
*[[Nagatacho]] - The political heart of Tokyo and the nation. It is the location of the Diet, government ministries, and party headquarters.
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In Izu Islands, there are 2 towns and 6 villages. In Ogasawara Islands, there is only 1 village.
  
*[[Akasaka, Tokyo|Akasaka]] - Upscale commercial district next to [[Roppongi]], [[Nagatacho]], and [[Aoyama]].  
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==== Izu Islands ====
 +
The [[Izu Islands]] are a group of volcanic islands and form part of the [[Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park]]. The islands in order from closest to Tokyo are:
  
*[[Aoyama, Tokyo|Aoyama]] - An upscale neighborhood of Tokyo with parks, an enormous cemetery, expensive housing, trendy cafes, and international restaurants (includes the subway station [[Omotesando]]).
+
{{col-begin}}
 
+
{{col-break}}
== Economy ==
+
* [[Izu Ōshima]]
[[Image:TokyoStockExchange1144.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Tokyo Stock Exchange]]]]
+
* [[Toshima Island|Toshima]]
 +
* [[Niijima]]
 +
* [[Shikinejima]]
 +
* [[Kozushima]]
 +
{{col-break}}
 +
* [[Miyakejima]]
 +
* [[Mikurajima]]
 +
* [[Hachijojima]]
 +
* [[Aogashima]]
 +
{{col-end}}
  
Tokyo has the largest metropolitan economy in the world: its nominal GDP of around $1.315 trillion is greater than the 8th-largest ''national'' economy in the world. It is a major international finance center, headquarters to several of the world's largest [[investment bank]]s and [[insurance]] companies, and serves as a hub for Japan's [[transportation]], [[publishing]], and [[broadcasting]] industries.
+
[[Image:Map of Izu Islands.png|thumb|right|The [[Izu Islands]] (south) are part of Tokyo Prefecture.]]
  
During the centralized growth of Japan's economy following [[World War II]], many large firms moved their headquarters from cities such as [[Osaka]] (the historical commercial capital) to Tokyo, in an attempt to take advantage of better access to the government. This trend has begun to slow due to ongoing population growth in Tokyo and the high cost of living there.
+
Izu Ōshima and Hachiojima are towns. The remaining islands are six villages, with Niijima and Shikinejima forming one village.
  
== Demographics ==
+
==== Ogasawara Islands ====
As one of the major cities of the world, Tokyo has over 8 million people living within its 23 wards, and during the daytime, the population swells by over 2.5 million as workers and students commute from adjacent areas. This effect is even more pronounced in the three central wards of [[Chiyoda]], [[Chuo]], and [[Minato]], whose collective population is less than 300,000 at night, but over 2 million during the day.
+
* [[Ogasawara]]—[[Ogasawara, Tokyo|Ogasawara]] includes, from north to south, [[Chichi-jima]], Nishinoshima, [[Haha-jima]], Kita Iwo Jima, [[Iwo Jima]], and Minami Iwo Jima. Ogasawara also administers two tiny outlying islands: [[Minami Torishima]], the easternmost point in Japan and at 1,850&nbsp;km the most distant island from central Tokyo, and [[Okino Torishima]], the southernmost point in Japan. The last island is contested by the [[People's Republic of China]] as being only uninhabited rocks. The Iwo chain and the outlying islands are uninhabited, except of [[Japanese Self-Defense Forces]] personnel. Local populations are only found on Chichi-jima and Haha-jima. The islands form the Ogasawara village.
  
'''Population'''
+
=== National Parks ===
 +
There are four national parks in Tokyo Prefecture:
 +
* [[Chichibu Tama Kai National Park]], in Nishitama and spilling over into [[Yamanashi Prefecture|Yamanashi]] and [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]] Prefectures
 +
* [[Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park]], around [[Mount Takao]] to the south of Hachioji.
 +
* [[Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park]], which includes all of the Izu Islands.
 +
* [[Ogasawara Islands|Ogasawara National Park]]. [[Wikipedia:As of|As of]] 2006, efforts were being made to make Ogasawara National Park a [[UNESCO]] natural [[World Heritage Site]].
 +
<!-- Do not remove this line —><div style="clear:both;"></div>
  
(as of Oct. 1, 2003)
+
== Climate ==
*23 wards: 8.34 million
+
Tokyo lies in the [[humid subtropical climate]] zone ([[Koppen climate classification]] ''Cfa''), with hot humid summers and generally mild winters with cool spells. Its location on the coast of the [[Pacific Ocean]] affords Tokyo a milder climate than other cities worldwide at a similar latitude. Annual rainfall averages 1,380&nbsp;mm (55&nbsp;inches), with a wetter summer and a drier winter. Snowfall is sporadic, but does occur annually.
  
By age (as of Jan. 1, 2003)
+
== Economy ==
*Juveniles (0-14): 1.433 million (12%)
+
Tokyo has the largest metropolitan economy in the world. According to a study conducted by [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]], the Tokyo [[urban area]] (35.2 million people) had a total GDP of US$1,191 billion in 2005 (at [[purchasing power parity]]), ranking again as the largest urban agglomeration GDP in the world.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/imagelibrary/downloadMedia.asp?MediaDetailsID=863| title="Table 1.2 – Top 30 urban agglomeration GDP rankings in 2005 and illustrative projections to 2020 (using UN definitions and population estimates)"|first="UK Economic Outlook, March 2007," page 5|last=[[PriceWaterhouseCoopers]]|format=PDF | accessdate=2007-03-09}}</ref>
*Working population (15-64): 8.507 million (71.4%)
 
*Aged population (65+): 2.057 million (16.6%)
 
  
By time of day (as of 2000)
+
Tokyo is a major international finance center, houses the headquarters of several of the world's largest [[investment bank]]s and [[insurance]] companies, and serves as a hub for Japan's [[transportation]], [[publishing]], and [[broadcasting]] industries. During the centralized growth of Japan's economy following [[World War II]], many large firms moved their headquarters from cities such as [[Osaka]] (the historical commercial capital) to Tokyo, in an attempt to take advantage of better access to the government. This trend has begun to slow due to ongoing population growth in Tokyo and the high cost of living there.
*Nighttime: 12.017 million
 
*Daytime: 14.667 million
 
  
By nationality (as of Jan. 1, 2005)
+
Tokyo was rated by the [[The Economist|Economist Intelligence Unit]] as the most expensive (highest [[Cost-of-living index|cost-of-living]]) city in the world for 14 years in a row ending in 2006.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-31T113907Z_01_L312905_RTRUKOC_0_US-LIFE-CITIES.xml&archived=False | title=Oslo is world's most expensive city: survey | publisher=[[Reuters]] | date=January 31, 2006 | accessdate=February 1}} (inactive).</ref> Note that this is for living a Western corporate executive lifestyle, with items typically considered luxuries in large cities, like a detached house and several automobiles. Many Japanese get by fine on a budget in Tokyo, underpinning the high national savings rate.
*Foreign residents: 353,826
+
<!-- Do not remove this line —><div style="clear:both;"></div>
*Top 5 Nationalities of foreign residents: Chinese (120,331), Korean (103,191), Philippine (31,505), American (18, 043), British (7,585)
 
  
 +
The [[Tokyo Stock Exchange]] is the second largest in the world by [[market capitalization]] of listed shares, at $4.99 trillion.[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ay.myHJUEl3Y&refer=home] Only the [[New York Stock Exchange]] is larger. However, its prominence has fallen significantly since early 1990s asset bubble peak, when it accounted for more than 60% of the entire world's stock market values.
  
== Transportation ==
+
Tokyo had 8,460&nbsp;ha (20,900&nbsp;acres) of agricultural land as of 2003[http://www.maff.go.jp/esokuhou/sei200305.pdf], according to the [[Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)|Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries]], placing it last among the nation's prefectures. The farmland is concentrated in Western Tokyo. Perishables such as vegetables, fruits, and flowers can be conveniently shipped to the markets in the eastern part of the prefecture. [[Komatsuna|Japanese leaf spinach]] and [[spinach]] are the most important vegetables; as of 2000, Tokyo supplied 32.5% of the Japanese leaf spinach sold at its central produce market.
Tokyo is Japan's largest domestic and international hub for rail, ground, and air transportation. Public transportation within Tokyo is dominated by an extensive network of clean and efficient, if occasionally very crowded trains and subways run by a variety of operators, with buses, monorails, and trams playing a secondary role.
 
  
 +
With 36% of its area covered by forest, Tokyo has extensive growths of [[cryptomeria]] and [[Chamaecyparis obtusa|Japanese cypress]], especially in the mountainous western communities of Akiruno, Ōme, Okutama, Hachiōji, Hinode, and Hinohara. Decreases in the price of lumber, increases in the cost of production, and advancing old age among the forestry population have resulted in a decline in Tokyo's output. In addition, pollen, especially from cryptomeria, is a major allergen for the nearby population centers.
  
=== Airports ===
+
Tokyo Bay was once a major source of fish. Presently, most of Tokyo's fish production comes from the outer islands, such as Izu Ōshima and Hachijōjima. [[Skipjack tuna]], [[nori]], and [[Carangidae|''aji'']] are among the ocean products.
  
* [[Tokyo International Airport]] in [[Ota]] Ward (Haneda) — Mainly for domestic flights.
+
== Demographics ==
* [[Narita International Airport]] in [[Narita]], [[Chiba Prefecture]] — Major gateway for international travelers. ((JW-how far away?))
+
As one of the [[world city|major cities of the world]], Tokyo has over eight million people living within its 23 wards, and during the daytime, the population swells by over 2.5 million as workers and students commute from adjacent areas. This effect is even more pronounced in the three central wards of [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda]], [[Chūō, Tokyo|Chūō]], and [[Minato, Tokyo|Minato]], whose collective population is less than 300,000 at night, but over two million during the day. The entire prefecture has 12,696,000 residents in March 2007, with an increase of over 3 million in the day.
 
+
<center>
 
+
{| class="wikitable"
===Railways and subways===
+
|+ Population of Tokyo Prefecture
[[Image:Tokyo subway map black.PNG|thumb|left|Tokyo subway line map]]
+
|-
[[Image:GinzaLine1379.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Tokyo Metro Ginza Line|Ginza Line]], Tokyo's oldest subway line, first opened in 1927.]]
+
! By area<sup>1</sup>
Rail is the primary mode of transportation in Tokyo, which has the most extensive underground network in the world and an equally extensive network of surface lines. Most lines in Tokyo are privately owned and operated, with the exception of Toei Subway (run directly by the metropolitan government). Railway and subway lines are highly integrated; commuter trains from the suburbs continue directly into the subway network on many lines, often emerging on the other side of the city to serve another company's surface line. It is estimated some 20 million people take the 70 plus train lines and go through 1000 stations in the metropolitan area daily.  Some of the larger stations, like [[Shinjuku Station]] and [[Tokyo station]], are miles long and are the busiest in the world.
+
|
[[Image:OedoLineRopongi.jpg|thumb|[[Toei Oedo Line]] is Tokyo's deepest subway line.]]
+
Tokyo Prefecture<br />
 
+
''Special wards''<br />
 
+
Tama Area<br />
===Buses===
+
Islands
[[Image:TokyoBus1397.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation|Toei]] bus]]
+
|
The metropolitan government operates ''Toei'' buses mainly within the 23 wards while private bus companies operate other bus routes. Bus transportation is convenient for places far from the train or subway stations. Most bus routes stop or terminate at a train or subway station.
+
12.6 million<br />
 
+
''8.64 million''<br />
===Others===
+
4 million<br />
*Taxis—Available along most major streets. Starting fare is about 650 yen.
+
27,000
 
+
|-
*Expressways—Many expressways converge at Tokyo including the [[Tomei Expressway]], [[Chuo Expressway]], Kan'etsu National Expressway, Ken-&#333; Expressway, Tokyo Gaikan Expressway, Daisan Keihin Highway, and Keiyo Highway. The Shuto Expressway network covers central Tokyo, linking the intercity expressways together.
+
! By age<sup>2</sup>
 
+
|
== Tourism ==
+
Juveniles (age 0-14)<br />
[[Image:tokyotower.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Zojoji|Z&#333;j&#333;ji]] (a temple in [[Shiba Park]]) and [[Tokyo Tower]].]]
+
Working (age 15-64)<br />
 
+
Retired (age 65+)<br />
=== Shrines, temples, and castles ===
+
|
[[Image:MeijiShrinePriestsMaidens1187.jpg|thumb|right|[[Meiji Shrine]]]]
+
1.433 million (12%)<br />
The Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, and Sensoji Temple are the three most popular ones in Tokyo.
+
8.507 million (71.4%)<br />
*[[Kokyo|Kokyo]], or the Imperial Palace — Home of the Emperor and Crown Prince and their families.
+
2.057 million (16.6%)
*[[Sensoji]] — [[Asakusa]]
+
|-
*[[Meiji Shrine]] — Dedicated to Emperor Meiji
+
! By hours<sup>3</sup>
*[[State Guest-House]]
+
|
*[[Yasukuni Shrine]]
+
Day<br />
*[[Zojoji]] — Main headquarters of the Pure Land Buddhism (&#27972;&#22303;&#23447;&#65289;sect.
+
Night
*[[Tsukiji Honganji Temple]] — Tokyo headquarters of the Jodo Shinshu Nishi Honganji Buddhist sect.
+
|
*[[Gokokuji Temple]]
+
14.667 million<br />
[[Image:Kaminarimon1500.jpg|thumb|right|Rickshaws carry tourists in front of [[Kaminarimon Gate]] of [[Sensoji]] in Asakusa]]
+
12.017 million
 
 
=== Festivals and events ===
 
 
 
Tokyo holds many festivals large and small throughout the year.
 
 
 
====Spring (March-May)====
 
[[Image:AsakusaFestival.jpg|thumb|right|Sanja [[Matsuri|Festival]] in [[Asakusa]].]]
 
*[[Bunkyo Tsutsuji Matsuri]] (azalea festival) at Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo-ku.
 
*[[Fuji Matsuri]] (wisteria festival) at Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Koto-ku.
 
*[[Hinode Matsuri]] (sunrise festival) at Mitake Shrine in Ome.
 
*[[Kachiya Festival]] at Katori Shrine in Koto-ku.
 
*[[Kanda Myojin Omikoshi Togyo]] at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Chiyoda-ku.
 
*[[Kappa Matsuri]] at Ebara Shrine in Shinagawa-ku.
 
*[[Kifune Matsuri]] at Kifune Shrine in Ota-ku.
 
*[[Meiji Shrine Spring Festival]] at [[Meiji Shrine]] in Shibuya-ku.
 
*[[Osunafumi Taisai]] (walking-on-sand ritual) at Tamagawa Daishi Temple in Setagaya-ku.
 
*[[Sanja Matsuri]] at Asakusa Shrine in Taito-ku.
 
*[[Shishi Matsuri]] (lion dance festival) at Nagasaki Shrine in Toshima-ku.
 
*[[Takigi Noh]] (open-air torchlight Noh performance) at Zojoji Temple in Minato-ku.
 
*[[Yayoi Matsuri ]]ceremony by the Edo Shobo Kinen-kai (Edo Civilian Fire Fighters' Association) in the vicinity of Sensoji Temple in Taito-ku.
 
 
 
====Summer (June-Aug.)====
 
*[[Koenji Awa Odori]]
 
*[[Asakusa Samba Matsuri]]
 
*[[Sumida Fireworks]] in Asakusa and Sumida Ward
 
*[[Tokyo Bay Fireworks]]
 
*[[Jingu Fireworks]]
 
*[[Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri]]
 
 
 
====Fall (Sept.-Nov.)====
 
*[[Tokyo Jidai Matsuri]] in Asakusa
 
 
 
====Winter (Dec.-Feb.)====
 
*[[Hatsumode]] New Year's Prayers at Meiji Shrine, Sensoji, and other major shrines and temples
 
*[[Dezome-shiki]] Fireman's Parade at Tokyo Big Sight
 
*[[Setsubun]] at [[Sensoji]] and other major temples
 
 
 
====Others====
 
*Grand [[Sumo]] Tournaments in Jan., May, and Sept. at the Ryogoku Kokugikan
 
*[[Tsukiji fish market]]
 
 
 
=== Parks and gardens ===
 
[[Image:UenoPark Hanami.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sakura|Cherry blossom]]s at [[Ueno Park]].]]
 
{|
 
 
|-
 
|-
|valign="top"|
+
! By nationality
*[[Hibiya Park]]
+
|
*[[Jingu Gaien]]
+
Foreign residents
*[[East Garden of the Imperial Palace]]
+
|
*[[Meiji Shrine Inner Garden]]
+
353,826<sup>4</sup>
*[[Shinjuku-gyoen Park]]
 
*[[Showa Memorial Park]] in Tachikawa
 
*[[Sumida Park]]
 
*[[Ueno Park]]
 
*[[Yoyogi Park]]
 
*[[Kitanomaru Park]]
 
*[[Hama-Rikyu Imperial Gift Garden]]
 
*[[Kiyosumi Garden]]
 
|valign="top"|
 
*[[Rikugien Garden]]
 
*[[Inokashira Park]] in [[Kichijoji]]
 
*[[Kyu-Furukawa Gardens]]
 
*[[Koishikawa Korakuen Garden]]
 
*[[Koishikawa Botanical Garden]]
 
*[[Shinjuku Central Park]]
 
*[[Komazawa Olympic Park]]
 
*[[Kiba Park]]
 
*[[Kasai Rinkai Park]]
 
*[[Kinuta Park]]
 
*[[Jindai Botanical Garden]] in Chofu
 
|}
 
 
 
=== Flowers ===
 
[[Image:JindaijiBotanicalGardens5620.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Jindai Botanical Garden]] has a multitude of flowers such as the roses in this garden.]]
 
*'''Plum blossoms''' (Feb.-March)—[[Yoshino Baigo]] in Ome, Mukojima Hyakkaen Garden, Hanegi Park in Umegaoka
 
*'''[[Sakura|Cherry blossoms]]''' (Late March-early April)—[[Ueno Park]] and [[Shinobazu Pond]], [[Yoyogi Park]], [[Shinjuku Gyoen]], [[Inokashira Park]] in Kichijoji, [[Chidorigafuchi]] Imperial Palace moat near the [[Budokan]], [[Aoyama Cemetery]], Sumida Park and River near Asakusa, [[International Christian University]]
 
*'''Wisteria''' (Late April-early May)—[[Kameido Tenjin Shrine]] in Koto Ward
 
*'''Azaleas''' (Late April-early May)—[[Nezu Shrine]], [[East Garden of the Imperial Palace]], Shiofune Kannon Temple in Ome
 
*'''Roses''' (mid-late May)—Jindai Botanical Garden in Chofu
 
*'''Irises''' (early-mid June)—[[Meiji Shrine]], [[Horikiri Iris Garden]]
 
*'''Hydrangeas''' (June-July)—Takahata Fudo Temple, Hino
 
 
 
=== Scenic views ===
 
[[Image:IMG 1614 rainbow bridge Tokyo.JPG|thumb|[[Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)]]]]
 
*[[Tokyo Tower]]
 
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]] Observatory
 
*[[Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)|Rainbow Bridge]] walkway
 
*[[Sunshine 60|Sunshine City]] Observatory in Ikebukuro
 
*[[Fuji TV]] Headquarters Observatory in [[Odaiba]]
 
<br clear="all">
 
 
 
=== Shopping and entertainment ===
 
 
 
Tokyo has various shopping districts famous for specific products. Akihabara is well-known for electronics stores, Shinjuku for camera and book shops, Ginza for department stores and luxury goods, Shibuya and Harajuku for teenage fashion, and Jinbocho for used (and new) books.
 
{|
 
 
|-
 
|-
|valign="top"|
+
|colspan="3" style="font-size:90%;"|
*[[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]]—Teen fashion
+
<sup>1</sup> as of June 1, 2007.<br />
*[[Harajuku]]—Street/teen fashion
+
<sup>2</sup> as of January 1, 2003.<br />
*[[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]]—Cameras, computers
+
<sup>3</sup> as of 2000.<br />
*[[Omotesando]]—Fashion, luxury brands
+
<sup>4</sup> as of January 1, 2005.
*[[Ginza]]—Department stores, luxury brands
 
*[[Ueno, Tokyo|Ueno]]
 
*[[Jinbocho]]—Used and new books
 
*[[Ameya Alley Market|Ameya Alley Market]] near Ueno
 
*[[Akihabara]]—Electronic appliances.
 
|valign="top"|
 
*[[Odaiba]]—Shopping and entertainment on Tokyo Bay
 
*[[Roppongi]]—Nightlife area popular among foreigners
 
*[[Ebisu Garden Place]]
 
*[[Nippon Budokan Hall|Budokan]]—Concerts, martial arts
 
*[[Tokyo Dome]]—Baseball, concerts
 
*[[Oedo Onsen Monogatari]] in [[Odaiba]]—Hot spring
 
*[[Tokyo Disney|Tokyo Disney Resort]]—Disneyland and Disneysea ((how far away??))
 
 
|}
 
|}
 +
</center>
 +
The five most common foreign nationalities found in Tokyo are Chinese (120,331), Korean (103,191), Filipino (31,505), American (18,043) and British (7,585).
  
== Prefectural symbols ==
+
== Transportation ==
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government uses a gingko leaf design in iron fences along streets, Toei metropolitan buses, and other facilities they own or operate.
+
[[Image:Yamajr.JPG|thumb|right|JR Yamanote Line.]]
 +
[[Image:Tokyo subway map.PNG|thumb|right|Map of Tokyo Subway system, with transfer stations labeled.]]
  
Traditional symbols of Tokyo include Nijubashi (a bridge at the [[Kokyo|Imperial Palace]]), the [[National Diet Building]], the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) housing the big red paper lantern at [[Sensoji]] in [[Asakusa]], the [[State Guest-House]] in the [[Akasaka Imperial Palace]], and the Meiji-era facade of [[Tokyo Station]]. More contemporary symbols include the skyscrapers of [[Shinjuku, Tokyo|Shinjuku]], the neon signs at night in [[Ginza]], [[Tokyo Tower]], the [[Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)|Rainbow Bridge]], and the Mori Tower at [[Roppongi Hills]], among many others.
+
{{main|Transportation in Greater Tokyo}}<!-- Note to editors: Transportation in Greater Tokyo is a comprehensive article. The Transportation section of the article on Tokyo (this article) is a very brief introduction and includes very few specific details. Transportation in Tokyo contains a wealth of detail and can accommodate more so please contribute there! —>
 +
Tokyo is Japan's largest domestic and international hub for rail, ground, and air transportation. Public transportation within Tokyo is dominated by an extensive network of clean and efficient trains and subways run by a variety of operators, with buses, monorails and trams playing a secondary feeder role. Railway stations are not only transport, but the center of Tokyo and Japanese urban life, as everything is judged in relation to it, taking on the significance of highways in the United States and elsewhere.
  
==Culture==
+
Within Tokyo, [[Tokyo International Airport]] ("Haneda") offers mainly domestic flights. Outside Tokyo, [[Narita International Airport]], in [[Narita]], [[Chiba Prefecture]], is the major gateway for international travelers.
=== Museums ===
 
Tokyo has numerous museums and art galleries. This list is by no means exhaustive.
 
[[Image:TokyoNationalMuseum1532.jpg|thumb|[[Tokyo National Museum]] in [[Ueno, Tokyo|Ueno]].]]
 
*[[Tokyo National Museum]]
 
*[[National Museum of Western Art]]
 
*[[Edo-Tokyo Museum]]
 
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum]]
 
*[[Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum]]
 
*[[Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo]] in Kiba
 
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum]]
 
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography]] in Ebisu Garden Place
 
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space]]
 
*[[Tokyo Bunka Kaikan]]
 
*[[Kokugikan]] Sumo Museum
 
*[[Fukagawa-Edo Museum]] in Koto Ward
 
*[[Japanese Sword Museum]]
 
*[[Tokyo Opera City]]
 
*Mori Art Museum in [[Roppongi Hills]]
 
  
=== Theaters ===
+
Rail is the primary mode of transportation in Tokyo, which has the most extensive urban railway network in the world and an equally extensive network of surface lines. [[East Japan Railway Company|JR East]] operates Tokyo's largest railway network, including the [[Yamanote Line]] loop that circles the center of downtown Tokyo. [[Tokyo Metro]] and [[Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation]] operate the subway network. The metropolitan government and private carriers operate bus routes. Local, regional, and national services are available, with major terminals at the giant railroad stations, including [[Tokyo Station|Tokyo]] and [[Shinjuku Station|Shinjuku]].
[[Image:Kabukiza1044.jpg|thumb|[[Kabuki-za]] Theater]]
 
  
*[[Kabuki-za]]  
+
Expressways link the capital to other points in the Greater Tokyo area, the Kantō region, and the islands of [[Kyūshū]] and [[Shikoku]].
*[[National Noh Theater]] (Kokuritsu Nohgaku-do)
 
*[[National Theatre]] (Kokuritsu Gekijo)
 
  
=== Modern architecture ===
+
Taxis operate in the special wards and the cities and towns. Long-distance ferries serve the islands of Tokyo and carry passengers and cargo to domestic and foreign ports.
[[Image:Tokyo International Forum.jpg|thumb|[[Tokyo International Forum]]'s swooping curves, designed by [[architect]] [[Rafael Vinoly]] between [[Tokyo Station]] and [[Yurakucho Station]].]]
 
*[[Tokyo Tower]]
 
*[[Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)|Rainbow Bridge]]
 
*[[National Diet Building]]
 
*[[Yoyogi Olympic Pool]]
 
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]]
 
*[[Tokyo Big Sight]]
 
*[[Tokyo Station]] red brick building
 
*[[Tokyo International Forum]]
 
*[[Roppongi Hills]]
 
  
=== Fashion ===
+
== Education ==
*[[Omotesando]]—Fashion capital of Japan.
+
Being the nation's center of education, Tokyo has many universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools. Many of Japan's most prestigious universities are in Tokyo. The most prestigious is the [[University of Tokyo]]. Other schools include [[Keio University]], [[Hitotsubashi University]], and [[Waseda University]].
*[[Harajuku]]—Street fashion capital of Japan.
 
*[[Shibuya]]—Teen fashion capital of Japan.
 
  
=== Tokyo in popular media ===
+
==== Universities ====
 +
Tokyo also has a few universities well-known for classes conducted in English. They include [[International Christian University]], [[Sophia University]], [[Waseda University]] and [[Temple University Japan]].
 +
Tokyo has an array of Japanese universities. National universities include [[Tokyo Medical and Dental University]], [[University of Electro-Communications]], [[Tokyo Institute of Technology]] and [[University of Tokyo]]. There is only one public university, the [[Tokyo Metropolitan University]], and Private Universities include, [[Keio University]] and [[Waseda University]]. These universities are the top private universities in Japan. For an extensive list of universities in Tokyo, see [[List of universities in Tokyo]].
  
As the largest city in Japan and the location of the country's largest broadcasters and studios, Tokyo is frequently the setting for many Japanese movies, television shows, animated series (''[[anime]]''), and comic books (''[[manga]]''). The most well-known outside Japan may be the ''[[kaiju]]'' (monster movie) genre, in which landmarks of Tokyo are routinely destroyed. Many comic books and animated series set in Tokyo, such as ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', ''[[Ranma ½]]'', and ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'', have become popular across the world as well.
+
=== Primary and secondary schools ===
 +
Publicly run kindergartens, [[elementary school]]s (years 1 through 6), and [[junior high school]]s (7 through 9) are operated by local wards or municipal offices. Public [[high school]]s in Tokyo are run by the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education]] and are called "Metropolitan High Schools." Tokyo also has a great number of privately run schools from kindergarten through high school. For a list of high schools in Japan, see [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/東京都高等学校一覧].
  
Some Hollywood directors have turned to Tokyo as a filming location. Well-known examples from the postwar era include ''[[Tokyo Joe]]'', ''[[My Geisha]]'', and the [[James Bond]] film ''[[You Only Live Twice]]''; well-known contemporary examples include ''[[Kill Bill]]'' and ''[[Lost in Translation]]''.
+
== Culture ==
 +
Tokyo is known for its many museums. Located in [[Ueno Park]] are the [[Tokyo National Museum]], the country's largest museum and specializing in traditional [[Japanese art]]; the National Museum of Western Art; and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, which contains collections of Japanese [[modern art]] as well as over 10,000 Japanese and foreign films. Ueno Park also contains the National Museum of Science and the municipal zoo. Other museums include the [[Nezu Art Museum]] in [[Aoyama]]; the Edo-Tokyo Museum in the [[Sumida]] Ward across the [[Sumida River]] from the center of Tokyo; and the [[National Diet Library]], National Archives, and the National Museum of Modern Art which are located near the [[Imperial Palace]].
  
==Education==
+
Tokyo is the national center of performing arts as well. There are many theatres in the city in which traditional forms of Japanese drama (like [[noh]] and [[kabuki]]) as well as modern dramas. Symphony orchestras and other musical organizations perform Western and traditional music. Tokyo also plays host to modern Japanese and Western [[Pop music|pop]] and [[rock music]].
  
Being the nation's center of education, Tokyo boasts many universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools. Many of Japan's most prestigious universities are in Tokyo. The most prestigious is the [[University of Tokyo]]. Other schools include [[Keio University]], [[Hitotsubashi University]], and [[Waseda University]].
+
Tokyo is home to many different festivals that occur throughout the city. Major festivals draw people from all over the city including the Sanno Festival at Hie Shrine, and the Sanja Festival at [[Asakusa Shrine]]. Many Japanese cities hold festivals called ''[[matsuri]]''. The [[Kanda]] Matsuri in Tokyo is held every two years in May. The festival features a parade with elaborately decorated floats and thousands of people. Annually on the last Saturday of July, an enormous [[fireworks]] display is held over the [[Sumida River]] and it attracts over 1 million viewers. Once cherry blossoms, or ''sakura'', bloom in spring, many residents gather in parks such as [[Ueno Park]], [[Inokashira Park]], and the [[Shinjuku Gyoen|Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden]] for picnics under the [[sakura|cherry trees]].
  
Tokyo also has a few universities well-known for classes instructed in English. They include [[International Christian University]], [[Sophia University]], and [[Temple University Japan]].
+
== Sports ==
 +
The sports teams listed below are based in Tokyo.
  
===Universities in Tokyo===
+
=== Football (soccer) ===
[[image:Tokyo University Akamon 2004-11-16.jpg|thumb|250px|The ''Akamon'' (Red Gate) at the [[University of Tokyo]].]]
+
* [[F.C. Tokyo]]
 +
* [[Tokyo Verdy 1969]]
 +
* [[Sagawa Express Tokyo S.C.]] ([[Kōtō, Tokyo|Kōtō]])
 +
* [[Yokogawa Musashino F.C.]] ([[Musashino, Tokyo|Musashino]])
  
====National Universities====
+
=== Baseball ===
*[[Ochanomizu University]]
+
* [[Tokyo Yakult Swallows]]
*[[University of Electro-Communications]]
+
* [[Yomiuri Giants]]
*[[Tokyo Medical and Dental University]]
 
*[[Tokyo University of Foreign Studies]]
 
*[[Tokyo Gakugei University]]
 
*[[Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology]]
 
*[[Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku]]
 
*[[Tokyo Institute of Technology]]
 
*[[University of Tokyo]]
 
*[[Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology]]
 
*[[Hitotsubashi University]]
 
  
====Public University====
+
=== Ice Hockey ===
*[[Tokyo Metropolitan University]]
+
* [[Seibu Prince Rabbits]] ([[Nishitōkyō, Tokyo|Nishitōkyō]])
  
====Private Universities====
+
=== Basketball ===
{|
+
* Tokyo Apache ([[Ariake Coliseum]])
|-
 
*[[Aoyama Gakuin University]]
 
*[[Asia University]]
 
*[[Obirin University]]
 
*[[Gakushuin University]]
 
*[[Keio University]]
 
*[[Kogakuin University]]
 
*[[Kokugakuin University]]
 
*[[International Christian University]]
 
*[[Kokushikan University]]
 
*[[Komazawa University]]
 
*[[Seijo University]]
 
*[[Seikei University]]
 
*[[Shibaura Institute of Technology]]
 
*[[Sophia University]]
 
*[[Showa University]]
 
*[[Senshu University]]
 
*[[Daito Bunka University]]
 
*[[Takushoku University]]
 
*[[Chuo University]]
 
*[[Teikyo University]]
 
*[[Temple University Japan]]
 
*[[Tokyo University of Agriculture]]
 
*[[Tokyo University of Science]]
 
*[[Toho University]]
 
*[[Nihon University]]
 
*[[Hosei University]]
 
*[[Musashi Institute of Technology]]
 
*[[Meiji University]]
 
*[[Meiji Gakuin University]]
 
*[[Rikkyo University]]
 
*[[Waseda University]]
 
|}
 
  
===Public schools===
+
=== Volleyball ===
 +
* [[NEC Blue Rockets]] ([[Fuchū, Tokyo|Fuchū]])
  
The kindergartens, [[elementary school]]s (years 1 through 6), and [[junior high school]]s (7 through 9) are operated by local wards or municipal offices. Public [[high school]]s in Tokyo are run by the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education]] and are called "Metropolitan High Schools."
+
=== Rugby ===
 +
* [[Ricoh Black Rams]] ([[Setagaya, Tokyo|Setagaya]])
 +
* [[Suntory Sungoliath]] ([[Fuchū, Tokyo|Fuchū]])
 +
* [[Toshiba Brave Lupus]] ([[Fuchū, Tokyo|Fuchū]])
  
===Private schools===
+
=== Tennis ===
In addition to public schools, Tokyo has many private schools.
+
Tokyo hosts one of the ten prestigious Tier I tournaments on the women's tennis tour ([[WTA]]) and it takes place directly after the [[Australian Open]], near the beginning of the tennis season. It attracts a vast number of top players each year, including [[Maria Sharapova]], [[Martina Hingis]], [[Ai Sugiyama]], [[Elena Dementieva]], [[Ana Ivanović]] and [[Lindsay Davenport]]. Tokyo also hosts another tennis event later in the year, after the US Open.
  
Private secondary schools include:
+
On the men's [[ATP]] tour Tokyo also hosts a tennis event, won in 2006 by [[Roger Federer]].
* [[Azabu High School]] (Grades 7 through 12)
 
* [[Musashi Junior & Senior High School]] (Grades 7 through 12)
 
  
==Professional sports==
+
== Tourism ==
[[Image:JapanSumoMatch.jpg|thumb|right|A [[sumo]] match at [[Ryogoku Kokugikan]].]]
+
{{main|Tourism in Tokyo}}
Tokyo is home to two professional [[baseball]] clubs, the [[Yakult Swallows]] ([[Meiji Jingu Stadium]]) and [[Yomiuri Giants]] ([[Tokyo Dome]]). ((What about the Nippon Ham Fighters?))
+
Tokyo has many tourist sightseeing, cultural and sport attractions. These include famous temples, shrines, annual festivals and events, parks, scenic views, popular shopping and nightlife districts. Cultural highlights of Tokyo include museums, concert halls, and theaters.
 
 
The [[Japan Sumo Association]] is also headquartered in Tokyo at the [[Ryogoku, Tokyo|Ryogoku]] Kokugikan sumo arena where three official [[sumo]] tournaments are held annually (in January, May, and September).
 
  
[[Football (soccer)|Football (soccer)]] clubs in Tokyo include [[FC Tokyo]] and [[Tokyo Verdy 1969]], both of which play at [[Ajinomoto Stadium]] in [[Chofu, Tokyo|Chofu]].
+
== Tokyo in popular media ==
 +
{{main|Tokyo in pop culture}}
 +
As the largest city in Japan and the location of the country's largest broadcasters and studios, Tokyo is frequently the setting for many Japanese movies, television shows, animated series ''([[anime]])'', and comic books ''([[manga]])''. The best-known outside Japan may be the ''[[kaiju]]'' (monster movie) genre, in which landmarks of Tokyo are routinely destroyed by giant monsters such as [[Godzilla]]. Many comics and animated series are set in Tokyo, such as ''[[Digimon]]'', ''[[Sailor Moon]]'', ''[[Ranma ½]]'', ''[[Azumanga Daioh]]'', ''[[Beyblade]]'', ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]''<!--Page 87, Volume 2 of the English-language editions of the manga—> and even the western animation ''[[Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi]]'', have become popular across the world as well. Some futuristic anime and manga such as ''[[Akira (manga)|Akira]]'' often depict Tokyo as a sprawling metropolis in a post-apocalyptic setting; some often go so far as to have numbers designating different Tokyos.
  
With a number of world-class sports venues, Tokyo often hosts national and international sporting events such as tennis tournaments, swim meets, marathons, American football exhibition games, judo, karate, etc.
+
Some Hollywood directors have turned to Tokyo as a filming location for movies set in Tokyo. Well-known examples from the postwar era include ''[[Tokyo Joe]]'', ''[[My Geisha]]'', and the [[James Bond]] film ''[[You Only Live Twice (film)|You Only Live Twice]]''; well-known contemporary examples include ''[[Kill Bill]]'', ''[[The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift]]'' and ''[[Lost in Translation (film)|Lost in Translation]]''.
  
== Miscellaneous topics ==
+
== Sister relationships ==
 +
<!-- Note to editors: Please do not put a link in a header. —>
 +
Tokyo has [[Town twinning|sister relationships]] with eleven places worldwide[http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/PROFILE/policy11.htm]:
  
=== Sister relationships ===
+
<!-- Note to editors: before adding to this list, be sure to check Tokyo's official site and make sure the place you're adding is on Tokyo's list at http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/PROFILE/policy11.htm —>
<!-- Note to editors: Please do not put a link in a header.  —>
+
* [[Beijing]], [[People's Republic of China|China]]
Tokyo has [[sister-city relationships]] with several places worldwide:
 
<!-- Note to editors:  [[Mexico City]], [[Mexico]] we have been unable to verify that Mexico City has a sister-city relationship with Tokyo. If you can provide a reliable reference, we will be very grateful. —>
 
* [[Beijing]], [[People's Republic of China]]
 
 
* [[Berlin]], [[Germany]]
 
* [[Berlin]], [[Germany]]
 
* [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]]
 
* [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]]
 
* [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]
 
* [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]
 
* [[Moscow]], [[Russia]]
 
* [[Moscow]], [[Russia]]
* [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]] (sister state)
+
* [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]
* [[New York City]], [[New York]], [[United States]]
+
* [[New York City]], [[United States]]
 
* [[Paris]], [[France]]
 
* [[Paris]], [[France]]
 
* [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
 
* [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
* [[São Paulo (city)|São Paulo]], [[Brazil]]
+
* [[São Paulo (state)|São Paulo]], [[Brazil]]
* [[Seoul]], [[South Korea]]
+
* [[Seoul]], [[Republic of Korea]]
 +
 
 +
In addition, Tokyo has a "partnership" agreement with the city of [[London]] [http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=8192] and many of the wards and cities within Tokyo maintain sister-city relationships with other foreign cities.
  
In addition, many of the wards and cities within Tokyo maintain sister-city relationships with other foreign cities.
+
== Gallery ==
 +
<div align="center">
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image:Wako ginza.jpg|Ginza
 +
Image:Akiba denkigai.jpg|Akihabara
 +
Image:Shibuya crossing.jpg|Shibuya
 +
Image:Street scene in Tokyo.jpg|Shinjuku
 +
Image:Signboard of Tokyo Midtown.jpg|Tokyo Midtown
 +
Image:Tokyo station01 1920.jpg|Tokyo Station
 +
Image:TokyoTocho Office Building.jpg|Tokyo Metropolitan Government building
 +
Image:Kokyo0057.jpg|Entrance to Imperial Palace
 +
</gallery>
 +
</div>
  
==External links==
+
== Notes ==
 +
{{reflist}}
  
* [http://www.japantimes.co.jp/festivals.htm Festivals around Tokyo] The Japan Times
+
== External links ==
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tokyo&spn=0.168623,0.234180&t=k&hl=en Interactive satellite view of the area]
+
{{sisterlinks|Tokyo}}
* [http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html Japan-guide to Tokyo]
 
 
* [http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/ Official Tokyo Metropolitan Government homepage]
 
* [http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/ Official Tokyo Metropolitan Government homepage]
* [http://www.tokyodiary.com/ Tokyo Diary] Tokyo business/professional events calendar
+
* {{wikitravel}}
* [http://www.tokyometro.jp/e/index.html Tokyo Metro] Subway lines
+
* [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=35650601&x=139725494&z=11&l=1&m=a WikiSatellite view of Tokyo at WikiMapia]
* [http://web-jpn.org/tokyo/top.html Tokyo Past and Present] Web Japan
+
* [http://www.picturetokyo.com/ Tokyo Japan Travel Guide and Photos]
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{{Asian capitals}}
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{{Olympic Summer Games Host Cities}}
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[[Category:Tokyo|Tokyo]]
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[[Category:Kantō region]]
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[[Category:Port cities in Japan]]
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[[Category:Prefectures of Japan]]
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[[Category:Capitals in Asia]]
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[[Category:Coastal cities]]
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[[Category:Host cities of the Summer Olympic Games]]
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Revision as of 23:26, 30 August 2007


For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation).
Template:Tokyo-Infobox

Tokyo (東京 Tōkyō), the common English name for the Tokyo Metropolis (東京都 Tōkyō-to), is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and, unique among the prefectures, provides certain municipal services characteristic of a city.

Because it is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family, Tokyo is the de facto capital of Japan.[1]

It is also the most populous prefecture and city in the country, and the center of the Greater Tokyo Area which is the most populous metropolitan area in the world with a population of over 35 million people.[2]

The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, although each administratively a city in its own right, constitute the area informally considered as the "city of Tokyo" and are collectively one of the largest cities in the world with a total population of over 8 million people.[3]

Tokyo has the largest metropolitan gross domestic product in the world for a city, and it held the title of the world's most expensive city for over a decade from 1992 through 2005.[4]

Tokyo is considered one of the world's major global cities and a megacity. The name "Tokyo" refers variously to Tokyo Metropolis (the prefecture) as a whole, or only to the main urban mass under its jurisdiction (thus excluding west Tama and Izu / Ogasawara Islands), or even the whole of Greater Tokyo Area, which includes Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Yamanashi prefectures, depending on context.

This article uses the name to refer to Tokyo Metropolis unless otherwise stated.

History

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokyo's rise to importance can be largely attributed to two men: Tokugawa Ieyasu and Emperor Meiji. Tokugawa Ieyasu made Edo (the forerunner of Tokyo) his base. When he became shogun in 1603, the town began to grow into the capital of his nationwide military government. It became one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century. It became the de facto capital of Japan even while the emperor lived in Kyoto, the imperial capital.

After about 263 years, the shogunate was overthrown under the banner of restoring imperial rule. In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo, which was renamed "Tokyo" ("Eastern Capital") the year before. Tokyo was already the nation's political, economic, and cultural center, and the emperor's residence made it a de facto imperial capital as well with the former Edo Castle becoming the Imperial Palace. The city of Tokyo was established, and continued to be the capital until it was abolished as a municipality in 1943 and merged with the "Metropolitan Prefecture" of Tokyo.

Central Tokyo, like Osaka, has been designed since about the turn of the century (1900) to be centered around major train stations in a high-density fashion, so suburban railways were built relatively cheaply at street level. This differs from other world cities, such as Los Angeles, that are low-density and automobile-centric. Though expressways have been built, the basic design has not changed to this day.

Tokyo went on to suffer two major catastrophes in the 20th century, but it recovered from both. One was the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, and the other was World War II. The firebombings in 1945, with 75,000 to 200,000 killed and half of the city destroyed, were almost as devastating as the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.[5] After the war, Tokyo was completely rebuilt, and showcased to the world during the city's 1964 Summer Olympics. The 1970s brought new high-rise developments such as Sunshine 60, a new and controversial airport at Narita (well outside Tokyo), and a population increase to about 11 million (in the metropolitan area).

Tokyo's subway and commuter rail network became the busiest in the world as more and more people moved to the area. In the 1980s, real estate prices skyrocketed during an economic bubble. The bubble burst in the early 1990s and many companies, banks, and individuals were caught with real estate shrinking in value. A major recession followed, making the 1990s Japan's "lost decade" from which it is now slowly recovering.

Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower as seen from Odaiba at night.

Tokyo still sees new urban developments on large lots of less profitable land. Recent projects include Ebisu Garden Place, Tennozu Isle, Shiodome, Roppongi Hills, Shinagawa (now also a Shinkansen station), and Tokyo Station (Marunouchi side). Buildings of significance are demolished for more up-to-date shopping facilities such as Omotesando Hills. Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the Odaiba area, now a major shopping and entertainment center.

Tokyo was hit by powerful earthquakes in 1703, 1782, 1812, 1855 and 1923. The 1923 earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of 8.3, killed 142,000 people.

There have been various plans proposed for transferring national government functions from Tokyo to secondary capitals in other regions of Japan, in order to slow down rapid development in Tokyo and revitalize economically lagging areas of the country. These plans have been controversial within Japan and have yet to be realized.

An older method of romanizing Japanese resulted in "Tokio" as an earlier spelling.

During the early Meiji period, the city was also called "Tōkei," an alternative pronunciation for the same Chinese characters representing "Tokyo." Some surviving official English documents use the spelling "Tokei".[6] This pronunciation is now obsolete.

Geography and administrative divisions

This map shows the mainland portion of Tokyo.

The mainland portion of Tokyo lies northwest of Tokyo Bay and measures about 90 km east to west and 25 km north to south. It borders Chiba Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the west, Kanagawa Prefecture to the south, and Saitama Prefecture to the north. Mainland Tokyo is further subdivided into the special wards (occupying the eastern half) and the Tama area (多摩地方) stretching westwards.

Also within the administrative boundaries of Tokyo Metropolis are two island chains in the Pacific Ocean directly south: the Izu Islands, which are almost parallel to the Izu Peninsula; and the Ogasawara Islands, which stretch more than 1,000 km away from mainland Japan.

Under Japanese law, Tokyo is designated as a to (, often translated "metropolis"). Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. Within Tokyo lie dozens of smaller entities, most of them conventionally referred to as cities. It includes twenty-three special wards (特別 -ku) which until 1943 comprised the city of Tokyo but are now separate, self-governing municipalities, each with a mayor and a council, and having the status of a city. In addition to these 23 municipalities, Tokyo also encompasses 26 more cities ( -shi), five towns ( -chō or machi), and eight villages ( -son or -mura), each of which has a local government. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its headquarters are in the ward of Shinjuku. They govern all of Tokyo, including lakes, rivers, dams, farms, remote islands, and national parks in addition to its famous neon jungle, skyscrapers and crowded subways.

The twenty-three special wards

The special wards (tokubetsu-ku) of Tokyo comprise the area formerly known as Tokyo City, usually simply known as "Tokyo." On July 1, 1943, Tokyo City was merged with Tokyo Prefecture (東京府, tokyo-fu) forming the current "metropolitan prefecture." As a result of this merger, unlike other city wards in Japan, these wards are not part of any city.

Each ward is a local municipality with its own elected mayor and assembly, differing from an ordinary city in that certain governmental functions are handled by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and, for most, also differing in having no particular center and little cultural or similar distinctiveness from the immediate surroundings.

The term "central Tokyo" today may refer to the 23 special wards, the centres of Shinjuku, Minato, Chiyoda and Chūō connected and enclosed by the Yamanote Line, or to the three centrally located wards of Chiyoda, Chūō and Minato. While the generally accepted center of Tokyo is the Imperial Palace, as a rail-centric city, there are a number of major urban centers where business, shopping, and entertainment are concentrated around major train stations. These include:

Akasaka
A district with a range of restaurants, clubs and hotels; many pedestrian alleys giving it a local neighbourhood feel. Next to Roppongi, Nagatachō, and Aoyama.
Akihabara
A densely arranged shopping district for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods.
Aoyama
A neighborhood of Tokyo with parks, an enormous cemetery, expensive housing, trendy cafes and international restaurants. Includes the Omotesandō subway station.
Ginza and Yūrakuchō
Major shopping and entertainment district with department stores, upscale shops selling brand-name goods, and movie theaters.
Ikebukuro
The busiest interchange in north central Tokyo, featuring Sunshine City and various shopping destinations.
Marunouchi and Ōtemachi
The main financial and business district of Tokyo has many headquarters of banks, trading companies and other major corporations. The area is seeing a major redevelopment with new buildings for shopping and entertainment constructed in front of Tokyo Station's Marunouchi side.
Nagatachō
The political heart of Tokyo and the nation. It is the location of the Diet, government ministries, and party headquarters.
Odaiba
A large, reclaimed, waterfront area that has become one of Tokyo's most popular shopping and entertainment districts.
Roppongi
Home to the rich Roppongi Hills area, an active night club scene, and a relatively large presence of Western tourists and expatriates.
Shibuya
A long-time center of shopping, fashion, nightlife and youth culture.
Shinagawa
In addition to the major hotels on the west side of Shinagawa Station, the former sleepy east side of the station has been redeveloped as a major center for business.
Shinbashi
An area revitalized by being the gateway to Odaiba and the Shiodome Shiosite complex of high-rise buildings.
Shinjuku
Location of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The area is best known for Tokyo's early skyscrapers, erected in the 1970s. Major department stores, electronics stores and hotels can also be found here. On the east side of Shinjuku Station, Kabukichō is known for its many bars and nightclubs. Shinjuku Station moves an estimated three million passengers a day, making it the busiest in the world.
Ueno
Ueno Station serves commuters to and from areas north of Tokyo. Besides department stores and shops in Ameyoko, Ueno boasts Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo and major national museums. In spring, Ueno Park and adjacent Shinobazu Pond are popular places to view cherry blossoms.

Western Tokyo

Satellite photo of Tokyo taken by NASA's Landsat 7.

To the west of the special wards, Tokyo Metropolis consists of cities, towns and villages that enjoy the same legal status as those elsewhere in Japan.

While serving a role as "bed towns" for those working in central Tokyo, some of these also have a local commercial and industrial base. Collectively, these are often known as Tama Area or Western Tokyo.

Cities

Twenty-six cities lie within the western part of Tokyo Prefecture:

  • Akiruno
  • Akishima
  • Chōfu
  • Fuchū
  • Fussa
  • Hachiōji
  • Hamura
  • Higashikurume
  • Higashimurayama
  • Higashiyamato
  • Hino
  • Inagi
  • Kiyose
  • Kodaira
  • Koganei
  • Kokubunji
  • Komae
  • Kunitachi
  • Machida
  • Mitaka
  • Musashimurayama
  • Musashino
  • Nishitōkyō
  • Ōme
  • Tachikawa
  • Tama

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has designated Hachiōji, Tachikawa, Machida, Ōme and Tama New Town as regional centres of the Tama area, as part of their plans to disperse urban functions away from central Tokyo.

Districts, towns and villages

The far west is occupied by the district (gun) of Nishitama. Much of this area is mountainous and unsuitable for urbanization. The highest mountain in Tokyo, Mount Kumotori, is 2,017 m high; other mountains in Tokyo include Mount Takasu (1737 m), Mount Odake (1266 m), and Mount Mitake (929 m). Lake Okutama, on the Tama River near Yamanashi Prefecture, is Tokyo's largest lake.

  • Hinode
  • Mizuho
  • Okutama
  • Hinohara

Islands

Tokyo's outlying islands extend as far as 1850 km from central Tokyo. Because of the islands' distance from the city, they are locally run by branches of the metropolitan government. The islands are organized into two towns and seven villages.

In Izu Islands, there are 2 towns and 6 villages. In Ogasawara Islands, there is only 1 village.

Izu Islands

The Izu Islands are a group of volcanic islands and form part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. The islands in order from closest to Tokyo are:

  • Izu Ōshima
  • Toshima
  • Niijima
  • Shikinejima
  • Kozushima

  • Miyakejima
  • Mikurajima
  • Hachijojima
  • Aogashima

The Izu Islands (south) are part of Tokyo Prefecture.

Izu Ōshima and Hachiojima are towns. The remaining islands are six villages, with Niijima and Shikinejima forming one village.

Ogasawara Islands

  • Ogasawara—Ogasawara includes, from north to south, Chichi-jima, Nishinoshima, Haha-jima, Kita Iwo Jima, Iwo Jima, and Minami Iwo Jima. Ogasawara also administers two tiny outlying islands: Minami Torishima, the easternmost point in Japan and at 1,850 km the most distant island from central Tokyo, and Okino Torishima, the southernmost point in Japan. The last island is contested by the People's Republic of China as being only uninhabited rocks. The Iwo chain and the outlying islands are uninhabited, except of Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel. Local populations are only found on Chichi-jima and Haha-jima. The islands form the Ogasawara village.

National Parks

There are four national parks in Tokyo Prefecture:

  • Chichibu Tama Kai National Park, in Nishitama and spilling over into Yamanashi and Saitama Prefectures
  • Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park, around Mount Takao to the south of Hachioji.
  • Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which includes all of the Izu Islands.
  • Ogasawara National Park. As of 2006, efforts were being made to make Ogasawara National Park a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site.

Climate

Tokyo lies in the humid subtropical climate zone (Koppen climate classification Cfa), with hot humid summers and generally mild winters with cool spells. Its location on the coast of the Pacific Ocean affords Tokyo a milder climate than other cities worldwide at a similar latitude. Annual rainfall averages 1,380 mm (55 inches), with a wetter summer and a drier winter. Snowfall is sporadic, but does occur annually.

Economy

Tokyo has the largest metropolitan economy in the world. According to a study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Tokyo urban area (35.2 million people) had a total GDP of US$1,191 billion in 2005 (at purchasing power parity), ranking again as the largest urban agglomeration GDP in the world.[7]

Tokyo is a major international finance center, houses the headquarters of several of the world's largest investment banks and insurance companies, and serves as a hub for Japan's transportation, publishing, and broadcasting industries. During the centralized growth of Japan's economy following World War II, many large firms moved their headquarters from cities such as Osaka (the historical commercial capital) to Tokyo, in an attempt to take advantage of better access to the government. This trend has begun to slow due to ongoing population growth in Tokyo and the high cost of living there.

Tokyo was rated by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the most expensive (highest cost-of-living) city in the world for 14 years in a row ending in 2006.[8] Note that this is for living a Western corporate executive lifestyle, with items typically considered luxuries in large cities, like a detached house and several automobiles. Many Japanese get by fine on a budget in Tokyo, underpinning the high national savings rate.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange is the second largest in the world by market capitalization of listed shares, at $4.99 trillion.[1] Only the New York Stock Exchange is larger. However, its prominence has fallen significantly since early 1990s asset bubble peak, when it accounted for more than 60% of the entire world's stock market values.

Tokyo had 8,460 ha (20,900 acres) of agricultural land as of 2003[2], according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, placing it last among the nation's prefectures. The farmland is concentrated in Western Tokyo. Perishables such as vegetables, fruits, and flowers can be conveniently shipped to the markets in the eastern part of the prefecture. Japanese leaf spinach and spinach are the most important vegetables; as of 2000, Tokyo supplied 32.5% of the Japanese leaf spinach sold at its central produce market.

With 36% of its area covered by forest, Tokyo has extensive growths of cryptomeria and Japanese cypress, especially in the mountainous western communities of Akiruno, Ōme, Okutama, Hachiōji, Hinode, and Hinohara. Decreases in the price of lumber, increases in the cost of production, and advancing old age among the forestry population have resulted in a decline in Tokyo's output. In addition, pollen, especially from cryptomeria, is a major allergen for the nearby population centers.

Tokyo Bay was once a major source of fish. Presently, most of Tokyo's fish production comes from the outer islands, such as Izu Ōshima and Hachijōjima. Skipjack tuna, nori, and aji are among the ocean products.

Demographics

As one of the major cities of the world, Tokyo has over eight million people living within its 23 wards, and during the daytime, the population swells by over 2.5 million as workers and students commute from adjacent areas. This effect is even more pronounced in the three central wards of Chiyoda, Chūō, and Minato, whose collective population is less than 300,000 at night, but over two million during the day. The entire prefecture has 12,696,000 residents in March 2007, with an increase of over 3 million in the day.

Population of Tokyo Prefecture
By area1

Tokyo Prefecture
Special wards
Tama Area
Islands

12.6 million
8.64 million
4 million
27,000

By age2

Juveniles (age 0-14)
Working (age 15-64)
Retired (age 65+)

1.433 million (12%)
8.507 million (71.4%)
2.057 million (16.6%)

By hours3

Day
Night

14.667 million
12.017 million

By nationality

Foreign residents

353,8264

1 as of June 1, 2007.
2 as of January 1, 2003.
3 as of 2000.
4 as of January 1, 2005.

The five most common foreign nationalities found in Tokyo are Chinese (120,331), Korean (103,191), Filipino (31,505), American (18,043) and British (7,585).

Transportation

JR Yamanote Line.
Map of Tokyo Subway system, with transfer stations labeled.


Tokyo is Japan's largest domestic and international hub for rail, ground, and air transportation. Public transportation within Tokyo is dominated by an extensive network of clean and efficient trains and subways run by a variety of operators, with buses, monorails and trams playing a secondary feeder role. Railway stations are not only transport, but the center of Tokyo and Japanese urban life, as everything is judged in relation to it, taking on the significance of highways in the United States and elsewhere.

Within Tokyo, Tokyo International Airport ("Haneda") offers mainly domestic flights. Outside Tokyo, Narita International Airport, in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, is the major gateway for international travelers.

Rail is the primary mode of transportation in Tokyo, which has the most extensive urban railway network in the world and an equally extensive network of surface lines. JR East operates Tokyo's largest railway network, including the Yamanote Line loop that circles the center of downtown Tokyo. Tokyo Metro and Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operate the subway network. The metropolitan government and private carriers operate bus routes. Local, regional, and national services are available, with major terminals at the giant railroad stations, including Tokyo and Shinjuku.

Expressways link the capital to other points in the Greater Tokyo area, the Kantō region, and the islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku.

Taxis operate in the special wards and the cities and towns. Long-distance ferries serve the islands of Tokyo and carry passengers and cargo to domestic and foreign ports.

Education

Being the nation's center of education, Tokyo has many universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools. Many of Japan's most prestigious universities are in Tokyo. The most prestigious is the University of Tokyo. Other schools include Keio University, Hitotsubashi University, and Waseda University.

Universities

Tokyo also has a few universities well-known for classes conducted in English. They include International Christian University, Sophia University, Waseda University and Temple University Japan. Tokyo has an array of Japanese universities. National universities include Tokyo Medical and Dental University, University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo Institute of Technology and University of Tokyo. There is only one public university, the Tokyo Metropolitan University, and Private Universities include, Keio University and Waseda University. These universities are the top private universities in Japan. For an extensive list of universities in Tokyo, see List of universities in Tokyo.

Primary and secondary schools

Publicly run kindergartens, elementary schools (years 1 through 6), and junior high schools (7 through 9) are operated by local wards or municipal offices. Public high schools in Tokyo are run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education and are called "Metropolitan High Schools." Tokyo also has a great number of privately run schools from kindergarten through high school. For a list of high schools in Japan, see [3].

Culture

Tokyo is known for its many museums. Located in Ueno Park are the Tokyo National Museum, the country's largest museum and specializing in traditional Japanese art; the National Museum of Western Art; and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, which contains collections of Japanese modern art as well as over 10,000 Japanese and foreign films. Ueno Park also contains the National Museum of Science and the municipal zoo. Other museums include the Nezu Art Museum in Aoyama; the Edo-Tokyo Museum in the Sumida Ward across the Sumida River from the center of Tokyo; and the National Diet Library, National Archives, and the National Museum of Modern Art which are located near the Imperial Palace.

Tokyo is the national center of performing arts as well. There are many theatres in the city in which traditional forms of Japanese drama (like noh and kabuki) as well as modern dramas. Symphony orchestras and other musical organizations perform Western and traditional music. Tokyo also plays host to modern Japanese and Western pop and rock music.

Tokyo is home to many different festivals that occur throughout the city. Major festivals draw people from all over the city including the Sanno Festival at Hie Shrine, and the Sanja Festival at Asakusa Shrine. Many Japanese cities hold festivals called matsuri. The Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo is held every two years in May. The festival features a parade with elaborately decorated floats and thousands of people. Annually on the last Saturday of July, an enormous fireworks display is held over the Sumida River and it attracts over 1 million viewers. Once cherry blossoms, or sakura, bloom in spring, many residents gather in parks such as Ueno Park, Inokashira Park, and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden for picnics under the cherry trees.

Sports

The sports teams listed below are based in Tokyo.

Football (soccer)

  • F.C. Tokyo
  • Tokyo Verdy 1969
  • Sagawa Express Tokyo S.C. (Kōtō)
  • Yokogawa Musashino F.C. (Musashino)

Baseball

  • Tokyo Yakult Swallows
  • Yomiuri Giants

Ice Hockey

  • Seibu Prince Rabbits (Nishitōkyō)

Basketball

  • Tokyo Apache (Ariake Coliseum)

Volleyball

  • NEC Blue Rockets (Fuchū)

Rugby

  • Ricoh Black Rams (Setagaya)
  • Suntory Sungoliath (Fuchū)
  • Toshiba Brave Lupus (Fuchū)

Tennis

Tokyo hosts one of the ten prestigious Tier I tournaments on the women's tennis tour (WTA) and it takes place directly after the Australian Open, near the beginning of the tennis season. It attracts a vast number of top players each year, including Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Ai Sugiyama, Elena Dementieva, Ana Ivanović and Lindsay Davenport. Tokyo also hosts another tennis event later in the year, after the US Open.

On the men's ATP tour Tokyo also hosts a tennis event, won in 2006 by Roger Federer.

Tourism

Tokyo has many tourist sightseeing, cultural and sport attractions. These include famous temples, shrines, annual festivals and events, parks, scenic views, popular shopping and nightlife districts. Cultural highlights of Tokyo include museums, concert halls, and theaters.

Tokyo in popular media

As the largest city in Japan and the location of the country's largest broadcasters and studios, Tokyo is frequently the setting for many Japanese movies, television shows, animated series (anime), and comic books (manga). The best-known outside Japan may be the kaiju (monster movie) genre, in which landmarks of Tokyo are routinely destroyed by giant monsters such as Godzilla. Many comics and animated series are set in Tokyo, such as Digimon, Sailor Moon, Ranma ½, Azumanga Daioh, Beyblade, Yu-Gi-Oh! and even the western animation Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, have become popular across the world as well. Some futuristic anime and manga such as Akira often depict Tokyo as a sprawling metropolis in a post-apocalyptic setting; some often go so far as to have numbers designating different Tokyos.

Some Hollywood directors have turned to Tokyo as a filming location for movies set in Tokyo. Well-known examples from the postwar era include Tokyo Joe, My Geisha, and the James Bond film You Only Live Twice; well-known contemporary examples include Kill Bill, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Lost in Translation.

Sister relationships

Tokyo has sister relationships with eleven places worldwide[4]:

In addition, Tokyo has a "partnership" agreement with the city of London [5] and many of the wards and cities within Tokyo maintain sister-city relationships with other foreign cities.

Gallery

Notes

  1. See capital of Japan for the debate on whether Tokyo is also the de jure capital.
  2. esa.un.org/unup/.
  3. www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/bigcities.htm.
  4. news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4669400.stm.
  5. Tipton, Elise K. (2002). Modern Japan: A Social and Political History. Routledge, p. 141. 
  6. www.soumu.metro.tokyo.jp/01soumu/archives/tokei_ibun.htm.
  7. PriceWaterhouseCoopers, "UK Economic Outlook, March 2007," page 5. "Table 1.2 – Top 30 urban agglomeration GDP rankings in 2005 and illustrative projections to 2020 (using UN definitions and population estimates)" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-03-09.
  8. "Oslo is world's most expensive city: survey", Reuters, January 31, 2006. Retrieved February 1. (inactive).

External links

Preceded by:
Heian kyō
Capital of Japan
1868–
Succeeded by:

Template:Tokyo


Coordinates: 35°41′N 139°46′E


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