Geography
The largest city in the world, Tokyo, is located on the shores of Tokyo Bay, which is part of the Pacific Ocean. This is the center of the Kanto metropolitan region, forming on its territory a huge urban agglomeration with a number of adjacent satellite cities, where in total about 35 million people live, that is, a quarter of the population of all of Japan. Summers in Tokyo can be very hot and muggy, but winters are quite mild, usually sunny and snowless.
History
The Kanto region has been inhabited since ancient times. However, the city itself was founded by local Edo samurai Taro Shigenada in the twelfth century, who built a fort controlling the entrance to the bay. The fort was named Edo, which means “entrance to the bay.” In 1590, Edo was captured by the future ruler of Japan and the founder of the ruling shogun dynasty, Ieyasu Tokugawa. From the beginning of the seventeenth century, Edo became the de facto capital of Japan, as opposed to Kyoto, the imperial capital. With the overthrow of the shogunate in 1868 as a result of the Meiji Revolution, the imperial court moved to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo, meaning “Eastern Capital”. This follows the tradition of naming the capital city: "Kyoto" means "Western Capital".
Culture, attractions
and entertainment
Tokyo is so large and diverse that from a tourist point of view it is easier to divide it into separate areas, each of which has its own characteristics and attractions.
The Imperial Palace, the official residence of the emperors of Japan, is located in the central Kasumigaseki district. The palace itself is separated by a canal in which carps swim, and the Nijubashi stone arch bridge, one of the symbols of Tokyo, spans the canal. The palace houses the Museum of Imperial Collections, located in the Eastern Garden, where a small but constantly changing exhibition of imperial relics is presented.
Adjacent to the palace grounds is the historical Ginza district, perhaps the most luxurious in Tokyo. “Gin-Za” translates as “Silver Workshop”; there used to be a mint here. This elegant area has a long shopping tradition and is home to many restaurants, as well as boutiques of leading global and Japanese brands. Many of these modern buildings are landmarks in themselves, designed by the world's leading architects. Particular attention should be paid to the flagship boutiques of Chanel, Dior and Mikimoto on Ginza-dori Street.
The symbol of Ginza is the famous Waco department store, built in the nineteenth century and selling exclusive goods such as luxury goods and luxury watches. The department store is located at Ginza Fourth Crossing (Ginza Yon-Chome), considered one of the most iconic places in Tokyo.
Not far from Ginza is the world's largest fish market, Tsukiji. A huge amount of fresh fish and seafood is brought here, which are then distributed throughout Tokyo and the entire Kanto region. Auctions are held here from early morning, which can also be visited by tourists as observers. On the territory of Tsukiji there is a number of restaurants where you can taste the freshest sushi and sashimi.
The nearby Asakusa district is famous for its Kinryusan Sonso-ji Buddhist temple complex. Its distinctive stylistic feature is the tiled roof, the ridge of which is covered with red varnish. And next to the Kaminarimon Gate is the Nakamish-dori shopping street, where traditional Japanese sweets and souvenirs, including kimonos and ceramics, are sold.
The Shinjuku area is an ultra-modern downtown, the complete opposite of the old-world charm of Asakusa. Its skyscrapers, among which another symbol of the city stands out - the twin towers of Tokyo City Hall, create the feeling that this is Manhattan. There are also many first-class hotels located here, such as the Park Hyatt Tokyo. Here, in Shinjuku, there are a number of Tokyo "depatos", as large department stores are called in Japan. The famous Isetan department store deserves a separate excursion. There is also a junction railway station in Shinjuku, from where the “bullet trains” – the legendary Shinkansen super express trains – depart. Nearby, literally in the shadow of skyscrapers, in Yoyogi Park is the Meiji Jingu Shrine, the largest Shinto shrine in Tokyo. The temple is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Not far from the entrance there are giant torii - the traditional gates that precede the entrance to a Shinto shrine. This is one of the most significant temples in Japan.
The nearby districts of Harajuku, Shibuya and Aoyama are epicenters of modern street fashion, with boutiques ranging from the world's leading fashion houses to local designers. There are always a lot of young people here, often in completely unimaginable outfits, eclectic and sometimes shocking. Omotesando Boulevard is the main artery of this fashionable area. Here is the Oriental Bazaar store, popular among foreigners, where you can buy Japanese souvenirs for every taste, from hashi chopsticks to an expensive elegant kimono.
Tokyo's Ueno district is famous for its picturesque park, which houses a number of major museums, including the National Museum. It exhibits masterpieces of Japanese art from different eras, including those with the status of “National Treasure of Japan”. In addition, the famous zoo is located here in Ueno, which invariably attracts both Tokyo residents and tourists.
The Roppongi area is known for its cosmopolitan spirit and is always full of foreigners. It is also home to the Roppongi Hills complex, a relatively new attraction in Tokyo. The center of the complex is the Mori Tower skyscraper, where the Museum of Contemporary Art is located.
Previously, Tokyo Tower, another symbol of the city, was the tallest building in the Japanese capital. Resembling the Eiffel Tower in appearance, it is slightly taller and painted red and white. However, in 2012, in the central district of Sumida, the construction of a new television tower was completed, which received the beautiful name Tokyo Sky Tree - “Tokyo Sky Tree”. This is the tallest television tower in the world at the moment, its height is 634 meters, and the architectural solution proposed by the famous Tadao Ando is reminiscent of the samurai katana sword. Its height of 634 meters is not accidental: in medieval Japan, the area, the view of which opens from