Welcome
Tokyo is the capital of Japan. At over 12 million people in the official metropolitan area alone, Tokyo is the core of the most populated urban area in the world, Greater Tokyo (which has a population of 35 million people). This huge, wealthy and fascinating metropolis brings high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan, and has something for everyone.
Districts
Huge and varied in its geography, with over 2,000 square kilometers to explore, Tokyo prefecture (Tokyo-to) spans not just the city, but rugged mountains to the west and subtropical islands to the south. This article concentrates on the 23 central wards (? ku) near the bay, while the western cities and the islands are covered in a separate article.
The geography of central Tokyo is defined by the JR Yamanote Line (see Get around). The center of Tokyo — the former area reserved for the Shogun and his samurai — lies within the loop, while the Edo-era downtown (?? shitamachi) is to the north and east. Sprawling around in all directions and blending seamlessly into Yokohama, Kawasaki and Chiba are Tokyo's suburbs.
Central Tokyo
- Chiyoda, the seat of Japanese power (both political and economical) that includes the Imperial Palace, the Ministries near Kasumigaseki, the Parliament in Nagatacho, the corporate headquarters of Marunouchi, and the electronics mecca of Akihabara
- Chuo district, including the famed department stores of the Ginza and the fish markets of Tsukiji
- Minato, including the business centers of Akasaka and Shinbashi and the neighbouring nightclub district of Roppongi, the port district (at least in name) which includes the artificial island of Odaiba, the skyscrapers of Shiodome
- Shinjuku, home to luxury hotels, giant camera stores, futuristic skyscrapers, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and Kabukicho, Tokyo's wildest nightlife and red-light district
- Shibuya, the fashionable shopping district which also encompasses the teenybopper haven of Harajuku (also home to the Meiji Shrine) and the nightlife of Ebisu
- Shinagawa, a major train hub and business center
- Toshima including Ikebukuro, another giant train hub
- Meguro, a residential area with a few nice parks and museums
Old Tokyo (Shitamachi)
- Sumida, home of the Edo-Tokyo Museum and Tokyo's main sumo arena (Ryogoku Kokugikan), both in Ryogoku
- Taito and Bunkyo, the heart of Old Tokyo featuring the temples of Asakusa and many museums of Ueno
- Koto, famous for Kameido Tenjin and former woodland in Kiba, but now known for its many new public apartment complexes
- Arakawa, home to Tokyo's last original tram line
Suburban wards
- Adachi, where one can visit one of Kanto's Three Great Temples: Nishi-arai Daishi
- Katsushika, known for the charming Showa-era atmosphere of Shibayama
- Kita, gateway to Saitama
- Edogawa, a quiet eastern suburb
- Itabashi, a quiet northern suburb
- Nakano, home to the otaku paradise known as Nakano Broadway
- Nerima, containing some of the 23 wards last remaining farmland
- Ota, half industrial complex, half upscale residential area
- Setagaya, an upscale residential area that houses the student drinking spot of Shimokitazawa
- Suginami, typical Tokyo suburb stretching along the Chuo Line