Toukyou

Toukyou, commonly romanized as Tokyo, is the capital and most populous metropolitan area of Japan. Officially, it is Tokyo Metropolis (東京都, Tōkyō-to), a prefecture-level jurisdiction that combines metropolitan government with city administration. The metropolis includes 23 special wards (ku) that function as individual cities, along with multiple western municipalities, covering about 2,193 square kilometers in the Kantō region of Honshu.

Historically the area was Edo, the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate; in 1868 the capital moved to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo. In 1943 Tokyo Metropolis was established in its present form, and the current two-tier system was formalized after 1947. The metropolis serves as Japan’s political center, financial hub, and a major global cultural center, with a dense urban core and extensive administrative and corporate activity.

Toukyou encompasses prominent districts such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Ginza and Akihabara, and hosts landmarks including the Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower. The city relies on an extensive rail network and two international airports, Haneda and Narita, providing global connectivity; Shinjuku Station is among the world’s busiest transport hubs.

Climatically, Toukyou has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and relatively mild winters, and rainfall distributed throughout the year. The city is a major center for education, industry, media, and arts in Japan and Asia.