Tokyo | about-japan-website

Tokyo has been the capital of Japan since 1868 and is the largest city in Japan with a population in the Tokyo metropolitan area of approximately 30 million people. Although it is now one of the world’s largest economic centers, in its past it has been devastated by a huge earthquake in 1923 and then destroyed by Allied bombing in World War II.

The old name for Tokyo was Edo. Edo grew into a city after 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his shogunate (military government) there. It is a city of contrasts, with huge skyscrapers and flashing neon lights blazing till all hours of the morning, trains that fill and empty with surging rush-hour crowds and small shrines and beautiful, peaceful gardens that dot the city.

The Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace is located in the centre of the city of Tokyo. It houses the Emperor and his family and is closed to the public. An exception is the Emperor’s birthday on 23 December and 2nd January when some of the palace grounds are open to the public. During other times of the year you can stroll through the outer grounds of his palace.

The most popular landmark is the sight of the Imperial Palace over Nijubashi, a double-arched stone bridge east of the palace.

Asakusa Kannon Temple

This is Tokyo’s oldest and most celebrated Buddhist Temple. It is also known as Asakusa Kannon.

According to legend, two brothers were out fishing when they pulled out a small gold statue of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy from the Sumida River.

The impressive gate to the temple, called the Kaminarimon Gate (Gate of Wind and Thunder) has two guardian statues Fujin, the god of wind on the right and Raijin, the god of thunder on the left.

If you walk straight ahead there is Nakamise-dori, the temple precinct’s shopping street where you can buy traditional wares such as fans, dolls and kimonos. The two rows of red buildings funnel people towards the main temple compound.