Architecture in Tokyo has largely been shaped by Tokyo's history. Twice in recent history has the metropolis been left in ruins: first in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and later after extensive firebombing in World War II. Because of this, Tokyo's urban landscape consists mainly of modern and contemporary architecture, and older buildings are scarce. Tokyo features many internationally famous forms of modern architecture including Tokyo International Forum, Asahi Beer Hall, Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building and Rainbow Bridge. Tokyo also features two distinctive towers: Tokyo Tower, and the new Tokyo Skytree, which is the tallest tower in both Japan and the world, and the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Cityscape
Tokyo
Tokyo | Cityscape
"Tokyo Tower" and "Tokyo Skytree" are two of them. Chichibu Tama Kai, Fuji-Hakone-Izu, and Ogasawara National Parks Chichibu Tama Kai, Fuji-Hakone-Izu, and Ogasawara. Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Nature and Science, Shitamachi Museum and National Museum for Western Art.
when was the idea of an atom first developed describe this theory
user
According to this idea, if one were to take a lump of matter and cut it into ever smaller pieces, one would eventually reach a point where the pieces could not be further cut into anything smaller.
assistant
who talked about this theory for the first time?
user
John Dalton
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apart from this theory, what were his other contributions to science?
user
Colour blindness.
assistant
what happens when someone has this condition?
user
It is the decreased ability to see color or differences in color. It can impair such tasks as selecting ripe fruit, choosing clothing, and reading traffic lights. People may also be uncomfortable in bright environments and have decreased visual acuity.
assistant
how is it diagnosed?
user
"The Ishihara Color Test"
assistant
who is named after?
user
Shinobu Ishihara
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where was he from?
user
Tokyo
assistant
how did the city derive its name?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
can you name some of its major landmarks?
user
Architecture in Tokyo has largely been shaped by Tokyo's history. Twice in recent history has the metropolis been left in ruins: first in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and later after extensive firebombing in World War II. Because of this, Tokyo's urban landscape consists mainly of modern and contemporary architecture, and older buildings are scarce. Tokyo features many internationally famous forms of modern architecture including Tokyo International Forum, Asahi Beer Hall, Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building and Rainbow Bridge. Tokyo also features two distinctive towers: Tokyo Tower, and the new Tokyo Skytree, which is the tallest tower in both Japan and the world, and the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Tokyo | Cityscape
Tokyo was originally known as , a kanji compound of 江 ("e", "cove, inlet") and 戸 ("to", "entrance, gate, door"). The name, which can be translated as "estuary", is a reference to the original settlement's location at the meeting of the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay. During the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the name of the city was changed to when it became the new imperial capital, in line with the East Asian tradition of including the word capital () in the name of the capital city (like Kyoto (), Beijing () and Nanjing ()). During the early Meiji period, the city was sometimes called "Tōkei", an alternative pronunciation for the same characters representing "Tokyo", making it a kanji homograph.
Tokyo | Etymology
The name "Palais de Tokyo" derives from the name of this street.
Palais de Tokyo | Introduction
Many place names in Tokyo derive from Edo Castle. , , , , , and are examples.
Edo Castle | Modern Tokyo
All officially start with the prefix "Kanda-", but it is sometimes omitted in daily life. Note that Iwamotochō and Kanda-Iwamotochō are different districts (as is the case for Kajichō and Kanda-Kajichō)
Chiyoda, Tokyo | Cityscape
"This article incorporates information from the Japanese Wikipedia."
Timeline of Tokyo | References
The history of Tokyo shows the growth of Japan's largest urban center. The eastern part of Tokyo occupies land in the Kantō region that together with the modern-day Saitama Prefecture, the city of Kawasaki and the eastern part of Yokohama make up Musashi; one of the provinces under the "ritsuryō" system. The 23 special wards, consisting of the districts of Toshima, Ebara, Adachi and Katsushika, form the central part of Tokyo. Western Tokyo occupies the Tama district. Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple is Sensō-ji in Asakusa. The village of Edo was established In the Kamakura period.
History of Tokyo | Introduction
The vast majority of large companies, financial institutions, and government agencies continue to maintain their headquarters in the old center of the city, mainly in the Marunouchi area in the Chiyoda Ward.
History of Tokyo | 1970s and 1980s
The following is a timeline of the history of Tokyo, Japan.
Timeline of Tokyo | Introduction
A wide variety of typologies are listed, serving as "a survey of nameless and strange buildings of this city." Examples include the "Sewage Courts", which function as a sewage disposal plant and sporting facilities, or the "Highway Department Store", an expressway and department store. These buildings can only exist in Tokyo. "We thought that although these buildings are not explained by the city of Tokyo, they do explain what Tokyo is. So, by collecting and aligning them, the nature of Tokyo’s urban space might become apparent."
Atelier Bow-Wow | "Made in Tokyo"
Mori Building Co started work on Tokyo's new tallest building which is set to be finished in March 2023. The project will cost 580 billion yen ($5.5 billion). Tokyo also contains numerous parks and gardens. There are four national parks in Tokyo Prefecture, including the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which includes all of the Izu Islands.
Tokyo | Cityscape
In ancient times, Japanese knew Tokyo Bay as the . By the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600) the area had become known as Edo Bay, a reference to the city of Edo. The bay took its present name of Tokyo Bay in modern times, after the Imperial court moved to Edo and renamed the city Tokyo in 1868.
Tokyo Bay | Names
This list is of the Historic Sites of Japan located within the Metropolis of Tōkyō.
List of Historic Sites of Japan (Tōkyō) | Introduction
From October to November 2007, suggestions were collected from the general public for the name to be given to the tower. On 19 March 2008, a committee chose six final candidate names: , , , , , . The official name was decided in a nationwide vote, and was announced on 10 June 2008 as "Tokyo Skytree". The name received around 33,000 votes (30%) out of 110,000 cast, with the second most popular name being "Tokyo Edo Tower". The height of was selected to be easily remembered. The figures 6 (mu), 3 (sa), 4 (shi) stand for "Musashi", an old name of the region where the Tokyo Skytree stands.
Tokyo Skytree | Naming and height
Osaka's sprawling cityscape has been described as "only surpassed by Tokyo as a showcase of the Japanese urban phenomenon".
Osaka | Cityscape
Some surviving official English documents use the spelling "Tokei"; however, this pronunciation is now obsolete.
Tokyo | Etymology
Each ward also retained its own assembly. City and prefectural government were separated in 1898., and the government began to appoint a separate mayor of Tokyo City in 1898, but retained ward-level legislation, which continues to this day in the special ward system. From 1926, the mayor was elected by the elected city council/assembly from its own ranks. The city hall of Tokyo was located in the Yūrakuchō district, on a site now occupied by the Tokyo International Forum. Tokyo became the second-largest city in the world (population 4.9 million) upon absorbing several outlying districts in July 1932, giving the city a total of 35 wards.
Tokyo City | History
In 1869, the 17-year-old Emperor Meiji moved to Edo, and in accordance, the city was renamed Tokyo (meaning Eastern Capital). The city was divided into Yamanote and Shitamachi. Tokyo was already the nation's political 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 officially established on May 1, 1889. Central Tokyo, like Osaka, has been designed since about 1900 to be centered on major railway stations in a high-density fashion, so suburban railways were built relatively cheaply at street level and with their own right-of-way.
Tokyo | 1869–1943
The origin of the name "Kurume" is unclear, but there are several theories: At the time of the founding of the city, the name was changed to "Higashikurume" in order to avoid being confused for Kurume, Fukuoka. Since the new name already had already existed since 1915 as the name of the local train station, the name was already familiar to residents and adopted quickly.
Higashikurume, Tokyo | Etymology of the city name
The city's name is thought to originate from the word "koma", referring to migrants, especially Goguryeo from the Korean peninsula who settled here around the 5th century AD. Numerous kofun burial mounds are located within the city borders. The area of present-day Komae was part of ancient Musashi Province. In the post-Meiji Restoration cadastral reform of July 22, 1878, the area became part of Minamiitama District in Kanagawa Prefecture. The town of Komae was created on April 1, 1889 with the establishment of municipalities law. Minamtama District was transferred to the administrative control of Tokyo Metropolis on April 1, 1893.
Komae, Tokyo | History
Because of these islands and the mountainous regions to the west, Tokyo's overall population density figures far under-represent the real figures for the urban and suburban regions of Tokyo. Under Japanese law, Tokyo is designated as a , translated as "metropolis". Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. The , which until 1943 constituted the city of Tokyo, are self-governing municipalities, each having a mayor, a council, and the status of a city.
Tokyo | Geography and government
In 1868, the medieval city of Edo, seat of the Tokugawa government, was renamed Tokyo, and the offices of Tokyo Prefecture ("-fu") were opened. The extent of Tokyo Prefecture was initially limited to the former Edo city, but rapidly augmented to be comparable with the present Tokyo Metropolis. In 1878, the Meiji government's reorganization of local governments subdivided prefectures into counties or districts ("gun", further subdivided into towns and villages, later reorganized similar to Prussian districts) and districts or wards ("ku") which were in ordinary prefectures cities as a whole, e.g. today's Hiroshima City ("-shi") was then "Hiroshima-ku"; the three major cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto were each subdivided into several such wards.
Tokyo City | History
Originally a fishing village named Edo, the city became a prominent political center in 1603, when it became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. By the mid-18th century, Edo was one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population numbering more than one million. Following the end of the shogunate in 1868, the imperial capital in Kyoto was moved to the city, which was renamed Tokyo (literally "eastern capital"). Tokyo was devastated by the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, and again by Allied bombing raids during World War II. Beginning in the 1950s, the city underwent rapid reconstruction and expansion, going on to lead Japan's post-war economic recovery.
Tokyo | Introduction
At present the Asagaya area is divided latitudinally into North and South by the Chūō-Sōbu Line. Boundaries for this area are roughly the same as those for , dating back to the Edo Period. Longitudinally, the Japanese Zelkova serrata tree-lined boulevard, , divides Asagaya, running from Ome-kaido in the south to Waseda-dōri in the north. From around the Taishō period people began moving from the Yamanote area (central Tokyo) into the suburbs including Asagaya. At present, the area around the station is considered upper-level Tokyo suburban housing due to its space, greenery, convenience to central Tokyo—and numerous Shōtengai, the largest of which originates from the South exit of Asagaya Station.
Asagaya | Geography
A booming post-war Japanese economy and the hosting of the 1964 Summer Olympics helped lead to a building boom in Tokyo during the 1960s and 1970s. Construction continued through the 1980s and 1990s as the Japanese asset price bubble rose and fell. Mainland Tokyo is divided into two sections: Western Tokyo and the special wards of Tokyo. All of the prefecture's tallest buildings are within the 23 special wards, which comprise the area formerly incorporated as Tokyo City. Nishi-Shinjuku, a district within Shinjuku, was the prefecture's first major skyscraper development area. Starting with the construction of the Keio Plaza Hotel in the 1971, the district is now home to 13 of Tokyo's 46 tallest skyscrapers.
List of tallest structures in Tokyo | Introduction
The name comes from the "kun'yomi" of the first "kanji" in the name of the former town of Shōwa, and the "on'yomi" of the second "kanji" in the name of the former village of Haijima.
Akishima, Tokyo | History
The is the Japanese equivalent of "dieji" (疊枅) in early Chinese architecture. It is a bracket system where the projecting bracket is shaped in a way thought to resemble a cloud. It is rare in extant temples, and its most important examples are found in Hōryū-ji's Kondō, five-storied pagoda and Chūmon. These bracket systems are believed to be a Japanese invention of the Asuka period, as there is no evidence they came from the Continent.
Tokyō | Kumo tokyō
Shrines and temples grew up nearby, and merchants developed businesses and opened ferry and shipping routes. Hōjō Ujitsuna entered Edo Castle in 1524.
History of Tokyo | Sengoku period
The was Japan's first western-style skyscraper. It stood in the Asakusa district of City of Tokyo (now Taitō, Tokyo) from 1890 until its demolition following the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923. The , as it was affectionately called by Tokyoites, was Tokyo's most popular attraction, and a showcase for new technologies. It housed Japan's first electric elevator.
Ryōunkaku | Introduction
The Ryōunkaku quickly became a landmark and symbol of Asakusa after its opening in 1890. It was a major leisure complex for visitors from all over Tokyo. When the 1894 tremor weakened the structure, it was reinforced with steel girders. However, the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923 destroyed the upper floors, and damaged the whole tower so severely that it had to be demolished.
Ryōunkaku | History
Skyscrapers and high-rise buildings were built in business zones instead of narrow "pencil buildings"; huge department stores surrounded by public squares flourished in the vicinity of middle-range railway stations; and modern concrete buildings progressively replaced old wooden houses within residential zones. However, this modernization process was not closely controlled by the public authorities, and it produced an anarchic collection of high-rise buildings throughout the capital city that increased road traffic and worsened parking problems. In early-21st-century Tokyo, the construction of luxury residential and commercial towers in neighborhoods along the Sumida River has accelerated dramatically, altering the social composition and cultural images associated with downtown Tokyo.
History of Tokyo | Land bubble of 1980s
In the early stages of the "Edo" period, the "Shōgun" decided to extend "Edo"-Castle () and ordered temples around there to move into here. From this reason, there were many temples on the hill, especially in the "Mita" () named "Tera machi" (), there were many temples. As for shrines, there are its ancestor can go back to the "Asuka" () or "Heian" () period. Tokyo is the city which the aspect changes to rapidly, but the scenery of here didn't change.
Mita, Minato, Tokyo | Shinto shrines and Temples
The site location was chosen mainly because the Ukiyo-e painter Katsushika Hokusai was born in the Sumida ward, and Edo culture was born and flourished in Ryogoku. Kyoto roofs reflecting sunlight inspired the whitish silver color of the outside. Likewise, the roof-like shape that defines the building derives from the distinctive roofs of old Japanese temples. The roofs of these monuments, Kikutake says, differentiate them from other structures while simultaneously cohering with the landscape. The four legs were erected first, followed by the cantilevers. The first elevated floor is supported on the legs' 19.7' deep bottom chords, while a second set of chords supports the other floors.
Edo-Tokyo Museum | Design and Architecture
Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a "jōkamachi" (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the "de facto" capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. Edo grew to become one of the largest cities in the world under the Tokugawa. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868 the Meiji government renamed Edo as "Tokyo" (, "Eastern Capital") and relocated the Emperor from the historic capital of Kyoto to the city. The era of Tokugawa rule in Japan from 1603 to 1868 is known eponymously as the Edo period.
Edo | Introduction
For his services, Jan Joosten was granted a house in Edo (now Tokyo) in an area that came to be called "Yayosu Quay" (Yaesu) after him — his name was pronounced "yan yōsuten" in Japanese (short version: "Yayōsu" (耶楊子)) — the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station is also named for him. Yaesu-dōri (Yaesu Avenue) has a monument dedicated to Jan Joosten and his life after his arrival in Japan on "De Liefde" with his shipmate William Adams. In 1999 his home town of Delft named Jan Joostenplein (Jan Joosten Square) after him (it is off Van Lodensteynstraat, which is named for a relative).
Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn | Memorials and legacy
Technically, Shinjuku is therefore the prefectural capital of Tokyo; but according to a statement by the governor's office, Tokyo (the – as administrative unit: former – Tokyo City, the area of today's 23 special wards collectively) can usually be considered the capital of Tokyo (prefecture/"Metropolis") for geographical purposes. The Geographical Survey Institute (Kokudo Chiriin) names Tōkyō (the city) as capital of Tōkyō-to (the prefecture/"Metropolis").
Shinjuku | Government and politics
The overall form of the city was an irregular rectangle, and the area of city is more than 25 km.
Heijō-kyō | Introduction
This is a list of cities in Japan sorted by prefecture and within prefecture by founding date. The list is also sortable by population, area, density and foundation date. Most large cities in Japan are cities designated by government ordinance. Some regionally important cities are designated as core cities. Tokyo is "not" included on this list, as the City of Tokyo ceased to exist on July 1, 1943. Tokyo now exists as a special metropolis prefecture (都 "to"), with 23 special wards (with the same status of city) making up the former boundaries of the former city in the eastern half of the prefecture.
List of cities in Japan | Introduction
The name comes from Sanskrit root of the word "yoga". The Buddhist temple Shinpuku-ji chose the Sanskrit-derived appellation Yuga-san. The Sanskrit is also the root of the word "yoga" (योग→瑜伽→用賀).
Yōga, Tokyo | Derivation
the leading schools included Shoheiko (1790) for the study of Confucian classics, Wagakudodansho (1793) for Japanese classics, Kaiseigo (1885) for western learning, and Igakukan (1863) for the study of occidental medicine. In 1877 they merged to form Tokyo University.
History of Tokyo | Schools
Musashi had its ancient capital in modern Fuchū, Tokyo, and its provincial temple in what is now Kokubunji, Tokyo. By the Sengoku period, the main city was Edo, which became the dominant city of eastern Japan. Edo Castle was the headquarters of Tokugawa Ieyasu before the Battle of Sekigahara and became the dominant city of Japan during the Edo period, being renamed Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration. "Hikawa-jinja" was designated as the chief Shinto shrine ("ichinomiya") of the province; The former province gave its name to the battleship of the Second World War "Musashi".
Musashi Province | History
In the late Edo period, the present-day Uchiwaisaichō area was a part of the Hibiya area with many "daimyō"s mansions and was located within the outer moat of the Edo Castle. After the Meiji Restoration, it was known for a time as before the name "Uchisaiwaichō" was adopted after its location between on the Outer Moat and . It was the original home of the Tokyo National Museum.
Uchisaiwaichō | Etymology
Originally, the area's name was read "Takatanobaba" and many Tokyo residents in their 50s or older pronounce it as such. However, younger Tokyoites and residents who have come from outside Tokyo, use the pronunciation "Takadanobaba". The area is also often referred to simply as "Baba". The area was previously and officially known as Totsuka (戸塚). In 1636, the "shōgun" Tokugawa Iemitsu built in the area a "baba", a ground for horseback riding and horse racing. "Takata" was the family name of the mother of Matsudaira Tadateru (the sixth son of Iemitsu's grandfather, the previous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu) who favored the area as a sightseeing spot.
Takadanobaba | History
On April 1, 1964, Higashimurayama was elevated to city status.
Higashimurayama, Tokyo | History
At the centre of the main urban area (approximately the first from Tokyo Station) are the 23 special wards, formerly treated as a single city but now governed as separate municipalities, and containing many major commercial centres such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro and Ginza. Around the 23 special wards are a multitude of suburban cities which merge seamlessly into each other to form a continuous built up area, circumnavigated by the heavily travelled Route 16 which forms a (broken) loop about from central Tokyo. Situated along the loop are the major cities of Yokohama (to the south of Tokyo), Hachiōji (to the west), Ōmiya (now part of Saitama City, to the north), and Chiba (to the east).
Greater Tokyo Area | Geography
After 265 years, the "Pax Tokugawa" came to an end.
Tokyo | Pre-1869 (Edo period)
In the era of Tokugawa shogunate, the Tokugawa bakufu worked out of Edo castle and the area surrounding Edo castle was developed and landfilled and the fishing village became an urban area where many Daimyō live. After the end of the Meiji Restoration Hibiya, the city of Tokyo had become a modern city for there were many buildings including the Imperial Hotel (Tokyo's first western hotel), Rokumeikan, Tokyo city hall and the Tokyo Club. In the 1930s, the first Japanese electric traffic light appeared at a Hibiya crossing point. The once fashionable district has changed into a business street.
Hibiya | History
During the Edo period, Aoyama was home to various temples, shrines, and samurai residences. The name Aoyama derived from a samurai named Aoyama Tadanari who served the Tokugawa Shogunate and held his mansion in this area. Today, along with Shibuya and Harajuku, it is one of the most popular entertainment and shopping areas "Omotesandō", for young people in Tokyo. It is well known for its fashion houses, restaurants, and shopping. Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium is in the North part of Aoyama.
Aoyama, Tokyo | Introduction
Japan played some role in modern skyscraper design, because of its long familiarity with the cantilever principle to support the weight of heavy tiled temple roofs. New city planning ideas based on the principle of layering or cocooning around an inner space ("oku"), a Japanese spatial concept that was adapted to urban needs, were adapted during reconstruction.
History of architecture | Japanese
The area was named after the 17th century Dutch adventurer Jan Joosten van Lodensteijn, or simply Jan Joosten. For his services to Tokugawa Ieyasu he was granted a house in Edo (now Tokyo) in an area that came to be called "Yayosu Quay" after him — his name was pronounced "yan yōsuten" in Japanese (short version: Yayōsu (耶楊子)) — the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station is also named for him. Yaesu Avenue has a monument dedicated to Jan Joosten and his life after his arrival in Japan on "De Liefde" with his shipmate William Adams. Ukiyo-e artist Andō Hiroshige was born in the Yayosu barracks in the Yaesu area in 1797.
Yaesu | History
This list is of the Cultural Properties of Japan designated in the category of for the Metropolis of Tōkyō.
List of Cultural Properties of Japan - paintings (Tōkyō) | Introduction
Fuji and that of the densely built residential districts of Tokyo.
Atelier Bow-Wow | "Bow-Wow from Post Bubble City"
These structures exhibited only token Japanese elements.
Tokyo Imperial Palace | The Old palace
As the largest population center in Japan and the site of the country's largest broadcasters and studios, Tokyo is frequently the setting for many Japanese movies, television shows, animated series ("anime"), web comics, light novels, video games, and comic books ("manga"). In the "kaiju" (monster movie) genre, landmarks of Tokyo are usually destroyed by giant monsters such as Godzilla and Gamera. Some Hollywood directors have turned to Tokyo as a backdrop for movies set in Japan. Postwar examples include "Tokyo Joe", "My Geisha", "Tokyo Story" and the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice"; recent examples include "Kill Bill", "", "Lost in Translation", "Babel", "Inception", and "".
Tokyo | In popular culture
Both Tokyo City and Tokyo Prefecture were replaced in 1943 by a single Tokyo Metropolis (都). In Tokyo's case, the 35 urban wards were merged into 23, which were transferred to the current Tokyo Metropolis along with the outlying "cities" of Tokyo Prefecture, such as Machida, Tokyo as well as towns and village units.
History of Tokyo | Dissolution of Tokyo City
The Kantō Plain was settled by the 3rd millennium BC; modern Tokyo still carries some local names of former villages. Hirakawa-mura, a farming and fishing village on the shores of the Hira river, had a strategic location, commanding land, sea, and river routes along the Kanto plain. In the Kamakura period (c. 12th century), Edo Shigenaga, the military governor of a large Kantō province, erected his castle there, calling it Edojuku. The construction of Edo Castle by Ōta Dōkan, a vassal of Uesugi Mochitomo, began in 1457 during the Muromachi period in what is now the East Garden of the Imperial Palace.
History of Tokyo | Sengoku period
When initially creating prefecture suffixes, the "Seitaisho" proclaimed all areas with a "" (castle minder), namely Osaka, Sunpu and Kyoto, the "shoshidai" or a "bugyō" were given the prefectural suffix "fu", while any other area was designated "ken". The first two were created on June 14, 1868: Kyoto-fu and Hakodate-fu. By the end of 1868, ten "fu" had been established: Kyoto, Hakodate, Osaka, Nagasaki, Edo (later Tokyo), Kanagawa, Watarai, Nara, Echigo (later Niigata) and Kōfu. Due to some prefectures gaining non-urban land or being amalgamated into other territories, in 1869 three remained: Kyoto-fu, Osaka-fu and Tokyo-fu. This remained the same until 1943, when Tokyo-fu and Tokyo-shi were merged to form Tokyo-to.
Fuhanken sanchisei | Establishment of urban prefectures
The is on the middle of Nihonbashi bridge in Tokyo. Tokyo Station is considered the originating point of the national railway network and has several posts and monuments indicating 0 km of lines originating from the station.
Kilometre zero | Japan
Tokyo is referred to as , which is often translated as "metropolis". The Japanese government translates as "Tokyo Metropolis" in almost all cases, and the government is officially called the "Tokyo Metropolitan Government". Following the capitulation of shogunate Edo in 1868, "Tōkyō-fu" (an urban prefecture like Kyoto and Osaka) was set up and encompassed the former city area of Edo under the Fuhanken sanchisei. After the abolition of the han system in the first wave of prefectural mergers in 1871/72, several surrounding areas (parts of Urawa, Kosuge, Shinagawa and Hikone prefectures) were merged into Tokyo, and under the system of (numbered) "large districts and small districts" "(daiku-shōku)", it was subdivided into eleven large districts further subdivided into 103 small districts, six of the large districts (97 small districts) covered the former city area of Edo.
Prefectures of Japan | "To"
Nishi-Shinjuku was Tokyo's first major foray into building skyscrapers with the first appearing in the 1970s with Keio Plaza Inter-Continental. It is the location of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Progress continues in Nishi-Shinjuku, which is heading away from the city centre and has the site of the proposed Nishi-Shinjuku 3-Chōme Redevelopment, with plans for what will be three of the four tallest buildings in Japan.
Nishi-Shinjuku | Introduction
The name of the ward means "plank bridge" and derives from the wooden span over the Shakujii River that dates from the Heian period. Such a bridge was remarkable at the time, and the name has lasted since. In the Edo period, the Nakasendō crossed the nearby Shimo Itabashi, and the name came to apply to that area as well. Itabashi was one of the Four Edo Post Towns, and travellers first lodged there after leaving the shogunal capital. Kaga Domain had a mansion there. The shogunate maintained the Itabashi execution grounds at Itabashi. On October 1, 1932, nine towns and villages of Kita-Toshima District were merged and became part of Tokyo City as Itabashi Ward.
Itabashi | History
The , also referred to as for short, houses the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which governs the special wards, cities, towns and villages that constitutes the whole Tokyo Metropolis. Located in Shinjuku, the building was designed by architect Kenzo Tange. It consists of a complex of three structures, each taking up a city block. The tallest of the three is Tokyo Metropolitan Main building No.1, a tower 48 stories tall that splits into two sections at the 33rd floor. The building also has three levels below ground. The design of the building was meant to resemble an integrated circuit, while also evoking the look of a Gothic cathedral.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building | Introduction
Many highways and railway lines have names that are contractions of the names of their endpoints. For example, (Tomei Expressway) takes one kanji ("tō") from (Tokyo) and the other ("mei") from (Nagoya; its pronunciation changes from the kun'yomi "na" to the on'yomi "mei"). (Tokyu Toyoko Line) links Tokyo and Yokohama, taking part of its name from each city. Other examples include: Sometimes names of this type preserve older place names. For instance, the character is taken from the word ("Musashi"), which was once the name of the Japanese province in which the city of Tokyo was located, can still be seen in the company names (Tobu or "East Musashi"), (Seibu or "West Musashi"), and in the (Nanbu Line or "South Musashi Line").
Japanese abbreviated and contracted words | Highways and railway lines
The name of the city is written with a single "kanji" character: , a reference to "Quercus dentata", commonly known in English as the Japanese emperor oak or daimyo oak.
Kashiwa | Introduction
Until 660 AD homes and building constructed in Japan were made from stone and timber. Even though all buildings from this era are long gone there are documents showing traditional structures. Contrary to this however, wood still remains the most important material in Japanese architecture.
Architecture of Tokyo | History of Japanese architecture
Arakawa Nature Park
Arakawa, Tokyo | Landmarks
By 1590, when the military leader Tokugawa Ieyasu selected Edo as his military headquarters, the settlement surrounding Edojuku boasted a mere hundred thatch-roofed cottages. Ieyasu assembled warriors and craftsmen, fortified the Edojuku castle with moats and bridges, and built up the town. The Edo period ("Edo jidai") began when Tokugawa Ieyasu became "shōgun" in 1603. He was the effective ruler of Japan, and his Edo became a powerful and flourishing city as the effective national capital. However, Japan's imperial seat and official capital remained in Kyoto, but the Emperor was virtually powerless. The outer enclosures of Edo Castle were completed in 1606, and it continues to remain at the core of the city.
History of Tokyo | Edo or Tokugawa period, 1603–1868
The name of the district is derived from the Kii clan, the Owari clan, and the Ii clan, which had residences here in the Edo era.
Kioichō, Chiyoda, Tokyo | Introduction
The or are the brackets at the corner of a roof, having a particularly complex structure. The regular brackets between two "sumisonae" are called or .
Tokyō | Sumisonae
As of 1 May 2016, a further two hundred and ninety-four Sites have been designated as being of municipal importance.
List of Historic Sites of Japan (Tōkyō) | Municipal Historic Sites
Initially, Tokyo contained only six [rural] districts, but other rural areas were added to Tokyo later (Izu & Ogasawara islands 1878/80, the three Tama districts 1893).
Tokyo Prefecture | History
This list is of the Places of Scenic Beauty of Japan located within the Metropolis of Tōkyō.
List of Places of Scenic Beauty of Japan (Tōkyō) | Introduction
This lack of structural preparation, combined with the fact that most of the well-populated areas of Tokyo were built on former wetlands artificially filled in with unstable alluvial soil, left the city undefended from the massive force of the Ansei quake.
1855 Edo earthquake | Damage
Tokyo was originally a small fishing village named Edo, in what was formerly part of the old Musashi Province. Edo was first fortified by the Edo clan, in the late twelfth century. In 1457, Ōta Dōkan built Edo Castle. In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu was transferred from Mikawa Province (his lifelong base) to Kantō region. When he became "shōgun" in 1603, Edo became the center of his ruling. During the subsequent Edo period, Edo grew into one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century. But Edo was Tokugawa's home and was not capital of Japan.
Tokyo | Pre-1869 (Edo period)
The building has become a fascinating portrait of how the Japanese society has dealt with the urban and social changes in the last few decades. “When completed, it was the “skyscraper” of Jingumae, nowadays it is a miniature house”
Tower House (Tokyo) | Introduction
The origin of the area name "Asagaya" comes from the combination of two words, the adjective "asai" meaning "shallow" and the geographical noun meaning "marsh" or low wetlands. In 1921 a stop was created on the Sōbū streetcar line running on Ome-kaido from Shinjuku to Ogikubo, which later became the streetcar line, then the present subway Marunouchi line. Service on the Tōden Suginami streetcar ended in 1961. Asagaya Station was built and added to the Kōbu railway line (built 1884; in 1924, which later became the Chūō Main Line. After the exodus from central Tokyo following the Kantō Earthquake of 1923, Asagaya became the home to a literature community beginning with Ibuse Masuji, and eventually including Yosano Akiko, Dazai Osamu, Aoyagi Mizuho, Ima Harube, Miyoshi Tatsuji, Hino Ashihei, and Tokugawa Musei.
Asagaya | History
The neighbourhood is named after its founder, . Originally, parts of the district below the river (excluding ) had been part of the adjoining Pacific Ocean coastline; developed these areas into viable land through the use of landfills. After the loss of roughly 60 percent of the city to the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, the local shogunate ordered Buddhist temples on the north and west banks of the River and the east bank of the River to be relocated. During this time, the area had been mainly occupied by fishermen, with a population of just over 1000; as of 1695, the area became officially known as the town of "".
Fukagawa, Tokyo | History
One phenomenon the theory attempts to explain, for example, is the Japanese word for snail, particularly prior to the Meiji period. In Kyoto, the capital of Japan around the time of the Edo period, there were as many as four different words for snail: "dedemushi" (ででむし), "maimai" (まいまい), "katatsumuri" (かたつむり), and "tsuburi" (つぶり). In the areas outside the capital, not all of these words existed. As one traveled farther from the capital, the number of synonyms employed decreased. In the farthest reaches of Japan in the North and the South, typically only one word for "snail" was used. Coincidentally, often the same single word existed in both places (in this case "tsuburi" (つぶり)), despite the great distance between the regions.
Center versus periphery | Example
The total area was 50.90 km.
Itsukaichi, Tokyo | Introduction
Tokyo Metropolis is referred to as a after the dissolution of Tokyo City in 1943, Tōkyō-fu (Tokyo Prefecture) was upgraded into Tōkyō-to and the former Tokyo City's wards were upgraded into special wards. The Chinese character from which this is derived means "capital".
Administrative divisions of Japan | "To"
The name "Tatsumi" means "South East", and is taken from the area's direction from the Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Tatsumi, Tokyo | Etymology
He restored the Ajito Castle, which was the inspiration for the name "Asahi." As the governor of the region, he became a popular and respected politician. When poet Nonoguchi Takamasa visited the area in 1852, he wrote a poem about the general, from which the name "Asahi," which can mean "rising sun," was taken: "from Shinano / adoring the rising sun / he came to the eastern land / and there remains the evidence of his earthly life" In the Edo period, various agricultural changes in the region occurred. The first was the reclamation of the "Sea of Camellias", a vast lake, which was drained into the Pacific Ocean to create the fertile Higata Hachiman-goku.
Asahi, Chiba | History
Various bridges made of wood or stone were the predecessors to the current bridge, which stands at the location of what was once one of Tokyo's city gates. The latest bridge was constructed in 1930.
Manseibashi | Introduction
Zōjō-ji is notable for its relationship with the Tokugawa clan, the rulers of Japan during the Edo period, with six of the Tokugawa shōguns being buried in the Taitoku-in Mausoleum in the temple grounds. Also, the temple's "Sangadetsumon" (main gate) is the oldest wooden building in Tokyo, dating from 1622. The original buildings, temples, mausoleums and the cathedral were destroyed by fire, natural disasters or air raids during World War II. It is located in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato. The Shiba Park is built around the temple, with the Tokyo Tower standing beside it. In 2015 a Treasure Gallery was opened on the underground level of the "Daiden" (great hall), and it currently houses paintings of Kanō Kazunobu and a model of the Taitoku-in Mausoleum.
Zōjō-ji | Introduction
, university's Hongo campus, dates to 1615. After the fall of the Osaka Castle, the shōgun gave this pond and its surrounding garden to Maeda Toshitsune. With further development of the garden by Maeda Tsunanori, it became known as one of the most beautiful gardens in Edo (Now Tokyo), with the traditional eight landscapes and eight borders, and known for originality in artificial pond, hills, and pavilions. It was at that time known as "Ikutoku-en" (Garden of Teaching Virtue). The pond's contours are in the shape of the character "kokoro" or "shin" (heart), and thus its official name is "Ikutoku-en Shinjiike".
University of Tokyo | Sanshiro Pond
https://www.emporis.com/buildings/155516/tokyo-shiodome-building-tokyo-japan
Tokyo Shiodome Building | References
In 1634, during the Edo period, as the outer moat of the Edo Castle was built, a number of temples and shrines moved to the Yotsuya area on the western edge of Shinjuku. In 1698, Naitō-Shinjuku had developed as a new (shin) station (shuku or juku) on the Kōshū Kaidō, one of the major highways of that era. Naitō was the family name of a "daimyō" whose mansion stood in the area; his land is now a public park, the Shinjuku Gyoen. In 1920, the town of Naitō-Shinjuku, which comprised large parts of present-day Shinjuku (the neighbourhood, not the municipality), parts of Nishi-Shinjuku and Kabukichō was integrated into Tokyo City.
Shinjuku | History
The famous Omotesandō district in Tokyo, for example, takes its name from the nearby main access path to Meiji Shrine where an "ura-sandō" also used to exist.
Sandō | Introduction
The area that is now Akihabara was once near a city gate of Edo and served as a passage between the city and northwestern Japan. This made the region a home to many craftsmen and tradesmen, as well as some low class samurai. One of Tokyo's frequent fires destroyed the area in 1869, and the people decided to replace the buildings of the area with a shrine called Chinkasha (now known as ), meaning fire extinguisher shrine, in an attempt to prevent the spread of future fires. The locals nicknamed the shrine Akiba after the deity that could control fire, and the area around it became known as Akibagahara and later Akihabara.
Akihabara | History
In its simplest configuration, the bracket system has a single projecting bracket and a single block, and is called "hitotesaki". If the first bracket and block group support a second similar one, the whole system is called "futatesaki", if three brackets are present it is called "mitesaki", and so on until a maximum of six brackets as in the photo to the right. Each supporting block in most cases supports, besides the next bracket, a U-shaped supporting bracket set at 90° to the first (see photos in the gallery below). The Protection of Cultural Properties logo (see gallery below) represents a "tokyō", considered an element of Japanese architecture which stands for the continuity in time of cultural property protection.
Tokyō | Introduction
In 1903 the gate became the entrance for the University of Tokyo.
Akamon (Tokyo) | History
In 1893, the three Tama districts and their 91 towns and villages became part of Tokyo. As Tokyo city's suburbs grew rapidly in the early 20th century, many towns and villages in Tokyo were merged or promoted over the years. In 1932, five complete districts with their 82 towns and villages were merged into Tokyo City and organized in 20 new wards. Also, by 1940, there were two more cities in Tokyo: Hachiōji City and Tachikawa City. In 1943, Tokyo City was abolished, "Tōkyō-fu" became "Tōkyō-to", and Tokyo's 35 wards remained Tokyo's 35 wards, submunicipal authorities falling directly under the municipality, but since the municipality was abolished, Tokyo's wards fell directly under prefectural or now "Metropolitan" authority.
Prefectures of Japan | "To"
Indeed, there are five people known as Hattori Hanzō throughout history To this day, artifacts of Hanzō's legacy remain. Tokyo Imperial Palace (formerly the "shōgun"s palace) still has a gate called Hanzō's Gate (Hanzōmon), and the Hanzōmon subway line which runs from Hanzōmon Station in central Tokyo to the southwestern suburbs is named after the gate, where his house was once located. The neighborhood outside Hanzō's Gate is known as Wakaba, but before 1943 was named Iga-chō ("Iga Town"). Hanzō's remains now rest in the Sainen-ji temple cemetery in Yotsuya, Tokyo. The temple also holds his favorite spear and his ceremonial battle helmet.
Hattori Hanzō | Legacy
"Shitamachi", literally 'Low City', is the unofficial name for the Tokyo flatlands, the area of Tokyo going from Taitō to Chiyoda and Chuō. It is the physically low part of the city just east of the Sumida River. It was inhabited by Edo's lower classes, including craftsmen, fishermen, sailors and merchants. The area produced most of what was original in Edo's culture and was the entertainment and shopping center of the capital. What remains of the old Shitamachi can nowadays be found in and around Tokyo's Taito, for example in Asakusa. The Shitamachi Museum is dedicated to explaining this area and its distinctive culture through original artifacts.
Shitamachi Museum | Historical background
The architecture of Tokyo has largely been shaped by the city's history. Twice in recent history has the metropolis been left in ruins: first in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and later after extensive firebombing in World War II. Because of this and other factors, Tokyo's current urban landscape is mostly modern and contemporary architecture, and older buildings are scarce. Tokyo once was a city with low buildings and packed with single family homes, today the city has a larger focus on high rise residential homes and urbanization. Tokyo's culture is changing as well as increased risk of natural catastrophes, because of this architecture has had to make dramatic changes since the 1990s.
Architecture of Tokyo | Introduction
When the prefecture was established with the merger of the two shogunate city administrations in the Meiji restoration in 1868, Tokyo initially consisted only of the former city area of the shogunate capital Edo. Beginning in 1871, the territory of Tokyo was expanded beyond Edo in several steps to reach roughly its present extent with the Tama transfer in 1893. The surrounding former shogunate domain (incl. hatamoto fiefs) in Musashi province was initially administrated by Musashi governors, but then split up between the prefectures Shinagawa, Kosuge and Ōmiya/Urawa. In 1871/72, the surrounding rural areas from these three prefectures and the Setagaya exclave of Hikone ex-domain/prefecture were merged into Tokyo.
Tokyo Prefecture | History
The shrine in question is the famous Atsuta Shrine, one of the most famous in Japan and a popular pilgrimage destination in the Edo period. The area is now part of downtown Nagoya metropolis.
Miya-juku | History
In the Edo period, the area near present-day Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Keio Gijyuku Yochisha School, Tengenji Bridge, and Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo 5-chome Apartments was named Tsukushigahara. At the time, this area was a large flatland of susuki grass ("miscanthus sinensis)." Tsukushigahara was a popular strolling and play area and was recorded in the Illustrated Collection of Famous Places in Edo (江戸名所図会).
Hiroo, Shibuya | Tsukushigahara
Shinjuku began to develop into its current form after the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many skyscrapers. The Tokyo air raids from May to August 1945 destroyed almost 90% of the buildings in the area in and around Shinjuku Station. The pre-war form of Shinjuku, and the rest of Tokyo, for that matter, was retained after the war because the roads and rails, damaged as they were, remained, and these formed the heart of the Shinjuku in the post-war construction.
Shinjuku | History
In the Edo period, the area that became Urawa flourished as a posting station of the Nakasendō, a highway connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and Kyoto. But it was not as big a town as Iwatsuki, which was the only castle town in the area of the modern-day city of Saitama.
Urawa, Saitama | Origin and pre-modern history