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About Tokyo

Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world with a population of 13 million. There are many tourist sites in Tokyo among which you will find the most popular on this web site. Ever since Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa opened the de facto capital in Edo (Tokyo’s original name) in 1603, the City has rapidly developed. By the 18th century it was the largest city in the world with over one million people. Edo was renamed Tokyo in 1868  and thus became the official capital when the Emperor Meiji moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. While Tokyo has generally prospered throughout its history, there have been times when it was devastated. For example, Tokyo was turned to ashes twice during the 20th century, once due to the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and also toward the end of World War II. However, Tokyo revived quickly each time and today remains a thriving metropolis. Most sightseeing and shopping areas are located either inside or along the JR Yamanote Line as shown on the map below. As a result, it is quite convenient for tourists to travel from one site to another either on foot or using public transportation.

 

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