Asian Current

Tokyo, Japan

Welcome to one of the most exciting cities of the world - Tokyo. One of the world’s major global cities and a bona fide mega city, Tokyo is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, which is the home of the Japanese Imperial Family. It is also the capital of Japan.

Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolis) as an administrative region is one of 47 prefectures of Japan and is not administered as a single city. It consists of twenty-three central “special wards” and many suburban cities.

About 12 million people - 10% of the population of Japan live in Tokyo, while approximately 33 to 35 million people live in the entire Greater Tokyo conurbation, making it effectively part of the most populated urban area on the face of the planet. Many also feel that Tokyo is the costliest city in the world, and also has the most congested streets.

Tokyo holds many attractions for tourists. Getting to see every attraction would take weeks. Thanks to a very convenient train and subway transport system (with signs in English), it is easy to visit most of these attractions if you plan in advance.

Japan is a land of many shrines and temples scattered throughout the land. Of these, the Imperial Palace (Kokyo), the Meiji Shrine, and the Sensoji Temple are the three most popular ones in Tokyo. Kokyo is the home of the Emperor and Crown Prince and their families. The Meiji Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji, and hence the name.

Tokyo also holds many festivals, large and small, throughout the year. Of these, some of the most popular ones include the Shishi Matsuri (lion dance festival), held in Spring (March-May), the Tokyo Bay Fireworks in Summer, the Tokyo Jidai Matsuri during Fall and the Hatsumode New Year’s Prayers at Meiji Shrine, Sensoji, and other major shrines and temples in Winter.

Tokyo also offers an array of locations famed for their scenic beauty, such as the magnificent Tokyo Tower, the grand Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory, the unforgettable Rainbow Bridge walkway, the Sunshine City Observatory in Ikebukuro, and the Fuji TV Headquarters Observatory in Odaiba. Should you feel like taking a stroll in a park, choose from the many beautiful and immaculately maintained parks found in Tokyo. These include the Hibiya Park, the Jingu Gaien, the beautiful East Garden of the Imperial Palace, the Meiji Shrine Inner Garden, the Sumida Park and plenty more.

And who can escape without doing a little shopping while in Tokyo? Tokyo has various shopping districts famous for specific products. For example, Akihabara is well-known for its dazzling electronics stores, Shinjuku for cameras and books, Ginza for department stores and luxury goods, Shibuya and Harajuku for teenage fashion, and Jinbocho for used (and new) books.

Take time to explore the fascinating city of Tokyo. One trip may not be enough to experience everything that this great city has to offer. But whatever you gather will make for memories of a lifetime.