History
Ancient history and settlement.
Where shoguns meet bullet trains.
Edo (Tokyo’s former name) rose under Tokugawa shogunate rule (1603–1868), becoming the world’s largest city by 1721. Meiji Restoration (1868) made it Japan’s imperial capital, with Western-style modernization. WWII firebombings destroyed much, but rapid postwar rebirth birthed districts like Akihabara (tech) and Shibuya (fashion).
Geography
Ancient history and settlement.
Tokyo sprawls across Kanto Plain on Honshu Island, framed by Mount Fuji to the southwest. The Sumida River threads through skyscrapers, while Edo Castle’s moats mark the Imperial Palace grounds. Earthquake-resistant architecture dots this active seismic zone. Humid summers contrast with cherry-blossom springs.