|
Literally the name Tokyo means 'Eastern Capital' and at present not only is the highest seat of the Japanese Imperial Family but also the functioning base of the Japanese government. Hence Tokyo today has truly turned out to become the 'de facto' capital of Japan . Before 1943, Tokyo was the name of both parts of a prefecture but it was later merged into a single prefecture known as Tokyo . The present day Tokyo includes 23 special wards, the Tama region and two island chains by the name of Izu and Ogaswara islands, which stretches into the Pacific Ocean . The Greater Tokyo area constitutes of about 35 million people, making it one of the world's most populous metropolitan areas . Its wealth and population has constituted to its being a record-holder in various fields in the past and present. The city is also the most expensive in the world and is also the world record -holder for the maximum GDP in a metropolitan area. A mega city in its own right , Tokyo is today considered one of the major global cities in the world. The Tokyo Stock Exchange is the second largest in the world, which is another proof of Tokyo 's blooming economy.
Tokyo 's change in status from its earlier simple fishing origins and its name reversal from Edo to Tokyo chiefly owes to two historical personalities, namely, Tokugawa Legyasu and Emperor Meiji. Legyasu was the chief architect behind Tokyo 's changing economy and making it one of Japan 's most developed areas and Emperor Meiji restructured Edo into the modern day Tokyo , whose lifeline became the Railway System . Tokyo continued to be the Imperial Capital until 1943 when it was given constituency status. The earthquake of 1923 and World War II had completely ravaged the city, but it rose from its ashes like the Phoenix , underwent complete renovation and flaunted itself to the world during the 1964 Summer Olympics, which was held in the city.
Since the 1900's the rail-centric city of Tokyo had also become Japan 's lifeline making it the economic as well as the educational capital. Most of the country's prestigious Universities are based in Tokyo and also many international companies have headquarters in Tokyo . Japan 's chunk of wealth comes from Tokyo 's booming real-estate business . Tokyo was first connected with the world through air by the Narita International Airport , which was built in the 1970's at some distance from Tokyo city. Tokyo International Airport caters to the demands of domestic flying and is located within the city limits.
Greater Tokyo is generally regarded as the main metropolis, one of the busiest areas in Japan as well as in the rest of the world. The other half of Tokyo includes Western Tokyo , comprising of towns, cities and villages, which is generally referred to as the Tama area. It serves as Tokyo 's “bed towns” from where people travel to central Tokyo ; the Tama region also has its individual commerce and industry. The highest mountain in Tokyo lies in the far west and is known as Mount Kumotori . The region surrounding it is highly rocky and not suitable for industrialization. Thirty-six per cent of Tokyo 's area is covered by dense forest growth of Cryptomeria and the Japanese Cypress. There are 4 National Parks in Tokyo and Ogasawara National Park has gained the status of a World Heritage Site. However, Tokyo is highly prone to earthquakes, affecting it since the 16 th century, and the city was worst hit by the 1923 earthquake, which took away about 143,000 lives.
Tokyo 's nightlife and ultra-modern amenities combined with its traditional past has made it a highly cherished site for tourists all across the globe. Being the biggest city of Japan and a great economic and cultural hub it has attracted the fancy of the media and moviemakers for a number of decades and continues to ride the charts of popularity, being the most demanded and favored cities, when it comes to investment and business.
|
