Edo

Edo is a historical name associated with several places and peoples. In Japan, Edo most prominently refers to the city that is now Tokyo. Located on Tokyo Bay on the island of Honshu, Edo was founded and developed as the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate in the early 17th century. It grew rapidly to become one of the world's largest cities. After the Meiji Restoration, the imperial capital moved there, and in 1869 the city was renamed Tokyo, meaning Eastern Capital. Today Tokyo is the capital of Japan and a major political, economic, and cultural center.

Edo period refers to the era of the Tokugawa shogunate, roughly 1603 to 1868, when political power was centralized in Edo under a hereditary military government. The period featured a policy of limited foreign contact, known as sakoku, and a system of alternate attendance that required daimyo to divide time between their own domains and Edo. Society was organized into a hierarchical order, with samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Urban culture flourished in Edo and other cities, producing distinctive art forms such as ukiyo-e prints and kabuki theater. The era ended with the Meiji Restoration, which aimed at modernization and the restoration of imperial rule.

Edo also refers to the Edo people, also called the Bini, an ethnic group primarily associated with Edo State in southern Nigeria, centered around Benin City. They have a long history in the region, with complex political systems and rich artistic traditions. The Edo language, or Bini, is spoken by the Edo people and belongs to the Edoid subgroup of the Niger-Congo language family.