Tokyo Travel Guide

History

At the end of the 12th century the Kamakura period began during the time the area was known Edo. Later, in the middle of the 15th century as Edo grew, a castle was built close to where the Imperial Palace in Tokyo stands today.

Officially the Edo period began right at the beginning of the 17th century, a period from which we can trace the evolution of the Tokyo of today. Under the then shogun, or ruler, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Edo developed rapidly as buildings were constructed in and around the area of the Imperial Palace. Soon after Edo Castle was finally completed in 1637, it was not long – only 20 years – until a fire destroyed large areas of Edo including the castle itself and other areas of Asakusa, and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people in the area.

The same year the emperor, at that time Meiji, was the most powerful man in Japan. In seizing Edo, the emperor’s palace was moved here from Kyoto; and although the newly renamed Tokyo was never officially designated the capital, it had become the most significant part of Japan at this time. With the end of the feudal system three years later, Tokyo Prefecture was officially created for the first time.

The new capital quickly developed as train stations were built from 1885, with Tokyo station opening in 1914. In 1923, however, another earthquake struck the city, killing 70,000 people and devastating huge areas. Although ambitious reconstruction plans were never fully realised, development continued apace with the building of more railway lines and the opening of the first subway line in 1927.

Shortly afterwards, the US took over administration of the country, one of the lowest points in the history of the Japanese capital.

Despite this huge setback, the 1950s and ‘60s again saw the city develop rapidly as it geared up to host the 1964 Summer Olympic Games. The New Tokyo International Airport was opened at the end of the 1970s and a Japanese economic boom took over in the 1980s – Tokyo had never been so rich and influential.

At the turn of the millennium, Tokyo has continued to grow, consolidating its position as the biggest city on earth even if it was no longer the most expensive city – after 14 years - by 2006.