The History of Tokyo chronicles the growth of Japan's largest urban center. The eastern mainland part of Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

 occupies land in the Kantō region

Kanto region

The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....

 that, together with the modern-day Saitama Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...

, the city of Kawasaki

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....

 and the eastern part of Yokohama, made up Musashi

Musashi Province

was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...

, one of the provinces

Provinces of Japan

Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni , usually known in English as provinces. Each province was divided into gun ....

 under the ritsuryō

Ritsuryo

is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei"...

system.

The central part of the 23 special wards lay in Toshima, Ebara, Adachi, and Katsushika

Katsushika, Tokyo

is one of the special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It lies in the northeast of the ward area. The ward calls itself Katsushika City in English.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 429,289 and a density of 12,600 people per km²...

 Districts. Western Tokyo

Western Tokyo

Western Tokyo, also known as the , or , consists of the part of Tokyo Prefecture to the west of the 23 special wards.-Overview:Whereas the special wards occupy the space that was formerly the city of Tokyo, western Tokyo consists of the 26 cities, three towns, and one village that were not part of...

 occupied Tama

Tama, Tokyo

is a municipality classified as a city, located in Tokyo, Japan.Its southern half forms part of the Tama New Town project, Japan's largest residential development, constructed in the 1970s....

 District. Tokyo's oldest Buddhist

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 temple, Sensō-ji

Senso-ji

is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Shrine.- History :The temple is...

 in Asakusa

Asakusa

is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...

, is said to date from the year 645.

In the Kamakura period

Kamakura period

The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....

, the village of Edo

Edo

, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...

 was established.

Sengoku period

The construction of Edo Castle

Edo Castle

, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...

 by Ōta Dōkan

Ota Dokan

, also known as Ōta Sukenaga or Ōta Dōkan Sukenaga, was a Japanese samurai warrior-poet, military tactician and Buddhist monk. Ōta Sukenaga took the tonsure as a Buddhist priest in 1478, and he also adopted the Buddhist name, Dōkan, by which is known today...

, a vassal of Uesugi Mochitomo, began in 1457 during the Muromachi period

Muromachi period

The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...

 in what is now the East Garden of the Imperial Palace

Kokyo

is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace , the emperor left Kyoto Imperial Palace for Tokyo...

. Hōjō Ujitsuna

Hojo Ujitsuna

was the son of Hōjō Sōun, founder of the Go-Hōjō clan. He continued his father's quest to gain control of the Kantō ....

 entered Edo Castle in 1524.

Edo period

The Edo period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

 (Edo jidai) began when Tokugawa Ieyasu became shogun

Shogun

A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

 in 1603. This period was marked by continuous growth which was interrupted by natural disasters, including fires, earthquakes and floods.

The outer enclosures of Edo Castle

Edo Castle

, also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...

 were completed in 1606. and it continues to remain at the core of the city.

Fires were so commonplace that they came to be called the "blossoms of Edo".
In 1657, the Great Fire of Meireki

Great Fire of Meireki

The , also known as the Furisode Fire, destroyed 60-70% of the Japanese capital city of Edo on March 2, 1657, this is the third year of the Meireki Imperial era...

 destroyed much of the city; and another disastrous fire in 1668 lasted for 45 days.
The Hoei eruption of Mount Fuji

Hoei eruption of Mount Fuji

The started on December 16, 1707 and ended about January 1, 1708 during the Edo period. Although it brought no lava flow, the Hoei eruption released some 800 million cubic meters of volcanic ash, which spread over vast areas around the volcano, even reaching Edo almost 100 km away...

 spewed ash on Edo in 1707.

In 1721, Edo's is the world's largest city with an estimated population of 1.1 million. In part because of Edo's growth, the Great Meiwa Fire

Great Fire of Meireki

The , also known as the Furisode Fire, destroyed 60-70% of the Japanese capital city of Edo on March 2, 1657, this is the third year of the Meireki Imperial era...

 of 1772 caused an estimated 6,000 casualties.

In 1855, the Great Edo Earthquake

1855 Ansei Edo earthquake

The , also known as the Great Ansei Earthquake, was one of the major disasters of the late-Edo period. The earthquake occurred at 22:00 local time on 11 November. It had an epicenter close to Edo , causing considerable damage in the Kantō region from the shaking and subsequent fires, with a death...

 caused considerable damage.

The bakumatsu

Late Tokugawa shogunate

, literally "end of the curtain", are the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end. It is characterized by major events occurring between 1853 and 1867 during which Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as sakoku and transitioned from a feudal shogunate...

era saw an increase in political activity in Edo. In 1860 Ii Naosuke

Ii Naosuke

was daimyo of Hikone and also Tairō of Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan, a position he held from April 23, 1858 until his death on March 24, 1860. He is most famous for signing the Harris Treaty with the United States, granting access to ports for trade to American merchants and seamen and...

, who favored opening Japan to the West, was assassinated by an anti-foreign rebel samurai. Japan's last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu

Tokugawa Yoshinobu

was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...

 caused an end to the shogunate when he surrendered power to the emperor in 1867.

In 1868, the emperor traveled to Tokyo for the first time; and Edo castle became an Imperial palace.

Modern history

• 1868 With the Meiji Restoration
  Meiji Restoration
  The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
  
  , the ruler of Japan shifts from the shogun to an oligarchy ruling under the banner of the emperor. On July 17, Emperor Meiji
  Emperor Meiji
  The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
  
   issues the , citing the city's importance in the economy of eastern Japan.
• 1869 Emperor Meiji relocates to Tokyo and makes Edo Castle
  Edo Castle
  , also known as , is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan. It is located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, then known as Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate here. It was the residence of the shogun and location of the shogunate, and also...
  
   the Imperial Palace
  Kokyo
  is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace , the emperor left Kyoto Imperial Palace for Tokyo...
  
  . However, as the capital was never officially "transferred" from Kyoto to Tokyo, the status of Tokyo vis-à-vis Kyoto remains ambiguous See: Capital of Japan
  Capital of Japan
  The capital of Japan, where the seat of the Government of Japan and home of the Emperor are located, is de facto. While this is generally not in dispute, the capital de jure is unclear. There is a dispute as to exactly when Tokyo became the capital. Some state that it occurred when Tokyo...
  
  . Former samurai
  Samurai
  is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
  
   from the Satsuma
  Satsuma Province
  was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...
  
   and Chōshū (and other) regions, take crucial roles in the new ruling Meiji oligarchy
  Meiji oligarchy
  The Meiji oligarchy was the name used to describe the new ruling class of Meiji period Japan. In Japanese, the Meiji oligarchy is called the ....
  
  . A foreigner settlement is established at Tsukiji
  Tsukiji
  Tsukiji is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, the site of the Tsukiji fish market. Literally meaning "reclaimed land," it lies near the Sumida River on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in the 18th century, during the Edo period....
  
  .
• 1871 The feudal domain system is replaced
  Abolition of the han system
  The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
  
   by a prefectural system
  Prefectures of Japan
  The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
  
  . Tokyo Prefecture is established out of parts of former Musashi province
  Musashi Province
  was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Prefecture, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama...
  
  .
• 1872 Tokyo Prefecture expands to include what is now the 23 wards.
  • Tokyo's (and Japan's) first rail line opens between Shimbashi (now Shiodome
    Shiodome
    Shiodome is an area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located adjacent to Shinbashi and Ginza, near Tokyo Bay and the Hamarikyu Gardens. Formerly a railway terminal, Shiodome has been transformed into one of Tokyo's most modern areas...
    
    ) and Yokohama
    Yokohama
    is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
    
    
  • Tokyo National Museum
    Tokyo National Museum
    Established 1872, the , or TNM, is the oldest and largest museum in Japan. The museum collects, houses, and preserves a comprehensive collection of art works and archaeological objects of Asia, focusing on Japan. The museum holds over 110,000 objects, which includes 87 Japanese National Treasure...
    
     is opened.
• 1874 Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
  Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
  The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department serves as the police force for the entire Tokyo metropolis. Founded in 1874, it is headed by a superintendent general, who is appointed by the National Public Safety Commission and approved by the prime minister.The Metropolitan Police, with a staff of more...
  
   is established.
• 1877 A modern higher education school was opened, forerunner of the University of Tokyo
  University of Tokyo
  , abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
  
  .
• 1882 Ueno Zoo
  Ueno Zoo
  The is a zoo, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and located in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It is Japan's oldest zoo, opening on March 20, 1882. It is a five-minute walk from the Park Exit of Ueno Station, with convenient access from Tokyo's public-transportation network...
  
   opens.
• 1885 The first section of what was to become the Yamanote Line
  Yamanote Line
  The is commuter rail loop line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres, including the Yūrakuchō/Ginza area, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, with all but two of its...
  
   opens between Akabane
  Akabane Station
  is a JR East railway station located in Kita, Tokyo, Japan.-Lines:* Tōhoku Main Line* Takasaki Line* Keihin-Tōhoku Line* Shōnan-Shinjuku Line* Saikyō Line-Adjacent stations:-External links:*...
  
   and Shinagawa Stations. Train stations such as Shibuya
  Shibuya Station
  is a train station located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.4 million passengers on an average weekday in 2004, it is the fourth-busiest commuter rail station in Japan handling a large amount of commuter traffic between the center city and suburbs to the south and west.-JR East:*Saikyō Line /...
  
   and Shinjuku Station
  Shinjuku Station
  is a train station located in Shinjuku and Shibuya wards in Tokyo, Japan.Serving as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on inter-city rail, commuter rail and metro lines, the station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007,...
  
  s open as a result.
• 1889 Tokyo City
  Tokyo City
  was a municipality in Japan and part of Tokyo-Fu which existed from May 1, 1889 until its merger with its prefecture on July 1, 1943. The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by independent special wards...
  
   is established with 15 wards.
• 1893 Three districts from the Tama area of Kanagawa Prefecture
  Kanagawa Prefecture
  is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
  
   are annexed to Tokyo Prefecture
• 1893 M6.6 Meiji Tokyo earthquake
  Meiji Tokyo earthquake
  The was an earthquake which occurred in Tokyo, Japan at 14:04 PM on June 20, 1894. It affected downtown Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa prefecture, especially the cities of Kawasaki and Yokohama....
  
   kills 31, injures 157 people
• 1899 Tsukiji Foreign Settlement is abolished.
• 1903 The first tram
  Tram
  A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
  
   lines was opened.
• 1905 In protest against the Treaty of Portsmouth
  Treaty of Portsmouth
  The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905 after negotiations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine in the USA.-Negotiations:...
  
   after the Russo-Japanese War
  Russo-Japanese War
  The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
  
  , the Hibiya Incendiary Incident occurs at Hibiya Park
  Hibiya Park
  is a park in Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan. It covers an area of 161,636.66m2 between the east gardens of the Imperial Palace to the north, the Shinbashi district to the southeast and the Kasumigaseki government district to the west....
  
  .
• 1914 Tokyo Station
  Tokyo Station
  is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
  
   opens.
• 1920 Meiji Shrine
  Meiji Shrine
  ', located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.-History:...
  
   is constructed.
• 1921 Prime Minister of Japan
  Prime Minister of Japan
  The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
  
  , Takashi Hara, is assassinated at Tokyo Station.
• 1923 The Great Kantō earthquake strikes Tokyo, killing approximately 70,000 people.
• 1924 Ueno Park
  Ueno Park
  is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. It occupies the site of the former Kan'ei-ji, a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shoguns, who had built the temple to guard Edo Castle against the north-east, then considered an unlucky direction...
  
   opens.
• 1925 The Yamanote Line
  Yamanote Line
  The is commuter rail loop line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company . It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres, including the Yūrakuchō/Ginza area, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, with all but two of its...
  
   train line loop is completed when the section between Kanda and Ueno
  Ueno Station
  is a major railway station inTokyo's Taitō ward. It is the station used to reach the Ueno district and Ueno Park -- which contains Tokyo National Museum, The National Museum of Western Art, Ueno Zoo, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and other famous cultural facilities...
  
   Stations is completed.
• 1927 Tokyo's first subway
  Rapid transit
  A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
  
   (Ginza Line
  Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
  The is a subway line located in Tokyo, Japan. It is part of the of Tokyo Metro network. The official name is . It is 14.3 km long and serves the wards of Shibuya, Minato, Chūō, Chiyoda, and Taitō....
  
  ) opens between Asakusa and Ueno.
• 1931 Tokyo Airport
  Tokyo International Airport
  , commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
  
   opens at Haneda, in southern Tokyo.
• 1932 Five districts and 82 towns and villages are annexed to Tokyo city which then expands to 35 wards.
• 1936 National Diet Building
  National Diet Building
  The is the place where both houses of the Diet of Japan meet. It is located at 1-chome, Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.Sessions of the House of Representatives take place in the left wing and sessions of the House of Councillors in the right wing....
  
   is completed.
  • In an attempted coup (the February 26 Incident
    February 26 Incident
    The was an attempted coup d'état in Japan, from February 26 to 29, 1936 carried out by 1,483 troops of the Imperial Japanese Army. Several leading politicians were killed and the center of Tokyo was briefly occupied by the rebelling troops...
    
    ), nearly 1500 junior officers of the IJA 1st Division occupy the National Diet Building, the Prime Minister's Residence
    Kantei
    The is the principal workplace of the Prime Minister of Japan.- About :Located at 2-3-1 Nagata-chō, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8968, it is diagonally adjacent to the National Diet Building. The new residence went into service in April 2002 and replaced the former residence, built in 1929. The former...
    
    ) and other key locations in Tokyo. The coup was suppressed by the Army and Navy within three days.
• 1942 Tokyo is bombed in the Doolittle Raid
  Doolittle Raid
  The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
  
  , the first American air raid
  Air raids on Japan
  During World War II the Allied forces conducted many air raids on Japan which caused extensive destruction to the country's cities and killed over 300,000 people. These attacks began with the Doolittle Raid in mid-April 1942, but did not resume until June 1944 when United States Army Air Forces ...
  
   against Japan in World War II
  World War II
  World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
  
  
• 1943 Tokyo Prefecture and Tokyo city merge to form Tokyo Metropolis or Tokyo-to.
• 1945 Tokyo was heavily bombed
  Bombing of Tokyo in World War II
  The bombing of Tokyo, often referred to as a "firebombing", was conducted by the United States Army Air Forces during the Pacific campaigns of World War II. The U.S. mounted a small-scale raid on Tokyo in April 1942, with large morale effects...
  
  , and much of the city was burned to the ground by USAAF B-29 and other aircraft. Extensive tracts of land were leveled both by explosions and subsequent fires. The damage extends to Hachioji
  Hachioji, Tokyo
  is a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 551,901 and a population density of 2,962.27/km². The total area is 186.31 km². It is the eighth largest city in the...
  
   and other cities in western suburbs. From February to March, the Battle of Iwo Jima
  Battle of Iwo Jima
  The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
  
   was fought on Iwo Jima
  Iwo Jima
  Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
  
  . Due to the heavy death toll and populace fleeing to the countryside, the 1945 Tokyo population was only half that of 1940. From September, Tokyo is under military occupation and governed by the Allied forces
  Allies of World War II
  The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
  
  , and the Ogasawara Islands
  Ogasawara Islands
  The Bonin Islands, known in Japan as the are an archipelago of over 30 subtropical and tropical islands, some directly south of Tokyo, Japan. Administratively, they are part of Ogasawara Municipality of Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo...
  
   (Bonin Islands) was separated to U.S. military occupation. General Douglas MacArthur
  Douglas MacArthur
  General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
  
   established the occupation headquarters
  Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
  Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
  
   in what is now the Dai-Ichi Seimei building
  DN Tower 21
  DN Tower 21 is an office building in Tokyo, Japan. It includes the former Dai-Ichi Seimei Building, in which Douglas MacArthur had his headquarters during the occupation of Japan following World War II. The Government of Tokyo has designated DN Tower 21 as a historical building.-External links:*...
  
  . The American presence in Tokyo made it an important command and logistics center during the Korean War
  Korean War
  The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
  
  . Tokyo still hosts Yokota Air Base
  Yokota Air Base
  , is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...
  
   and a large number of minor U.S. military installations.
• 1946 The first Central May Day
  May Day
  May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
  
   Festival after 1935 was held on the Front Park of Tokyo Imperial Palace.
• 1947 Tokyo's number of wards is consolidated to 23
  • Typhoon Kathleen floods eastern Tokyo.
• 1948 The International Military Tribunal for the Far East
  International Military Tribunal for the Far East
  The International Military Tribunal for the Far East , also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, or simply the Tribunal, was convened on April 29, 1946, to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who...
  
   (IMTFE, Tokyo Trial) is concluded. Seven men were executed.
• 1950 The Capital Construction Law was passed.
• 1954 The Marunouchi Line, Tokyo's second subway line, opens between Ikebukuro
  Ikebukuro
  is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits....
  
   and Ochanomizu
  Ochanomizu
  Ochanomizu is a neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan. It extends from the Yushima section of Bunkyo-ku to the Kanda section of Chiyoda-ku. Meiji University, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and Juntendo University all have main campuses in the area. Ochanomizu Station on the Chūō Line is the transport...
  
  .
• 1957 Tokyo Metropolitan Government completes Ogochi Dam on the Tama River
  Tama River
  The is a major river in Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshū, Japan. It is officially classified as a Class 1 river by the Japanese government....
  
  , creating Lake Okutama
  Lake Okutama
  is in Tokyo and Yamanashi Prefectures in Japan. Lying above the Ogōchi Dam, it is also known as the Ogōchi Reservoir. The lake occupies part of the town of Okutama in Nishitama District, Tokyo and the village of Tabayama in Kitatsuru District, Yamanashi...
  
   in Okutama
  Okutama, Tokyo
  is a town in Nishitama District, Tokyo. As of August 1, 2007, the town had a population of 6712 people, of which 3280 were men and 3432 were women. With an area of 225.63 km², it is the largest community in Tokyo. Mount Kumotori, Tokyo's highest peak at 2017 m, divides Okutama from the...
  
  , in northwest Tokyo for drinking water.
• 1958 Tokyo Tower
  Tokyo Tower
  is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At , it is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations.Built in...
  
   is completed.
• 1961 Hibiya
  Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
  The is a metro line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro located in Tokyo, Japan. The line was named after the district of Hibiya, under which it passes.-Overview:The Hibiya Line runs between in Meguro and in Adachi...
  
   subway line opens between Minami-Senju and Naka-Okachimachi.
• 1962 The population of Tokyo exceeds 10,000,000, making it the largest city in the world.
  • The first line of the Shuto Expressway
    Shuto Expressway
    is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...
    
     opens for traffic.
• 1964 Tōkaidō Shinkansen opens on October 1 in time for the Tokyo Olympic Games
  1964 Summer Olympics
  The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
  
   starting on October 10.
• 1967 The first (and thus far, only) left-wing Governor, Ryokichi Minobe
  Ryokichi Minobe
  was a Japanese politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1967 to 1979. He is one of the best known socialist figures in modern Japanese history.-Early life:Minobe was born in Tokyo...
  
   was elected, with backing by the Japan Socialist Party
  Social Democratic Party (Japan)
  The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan (abbreviated to SDPJ or SDP in English) is a political party that advocates for the establishment of a...
  
   and Japanese Communist Party
  Japanese Communist Party
  The Japanese Communist Party is a left-wing political party in Japan.The JCP advocates the establishment of a society based on socialism, democracy and peace, and opposition to militarism...
  
  .
• 1968 The Ogasawara Islands (Bonin Islands) are returned to Japan and become Ogasawara Village
  Ogasawara, Tokyo
  is a village in Ogasawara Subprefecture, Tokyo, Japan, that governs the Bonin Islands, Volcano Islands and three remote islands .-Geography:...
  
  , Tokyo.
  • The Tōmei Expressway
    Tomei Expressway
    The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
    
     is opened, and Tokyo Interchange in Setegaya Ward connects it to the center of Tokyo via the Shuto Expressway.
• 1971 In the south-western area of Tokyo, Tama New Town
  Tama New Town
  is a large residential development, straddling the municipalities of Hachiōji, Tama, Inagi and Machida cities, in Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a new town in 1965...
  
   accepts its first residents.
• 1972 Almost all 181 km of Tokyo Toden
  Tokyo Toden
  The or simply Toden, is the streetcar network of Tokyo, Japan. Of all its former routes, only one, the Toden Arakawa Line, remains in service. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates the Toden...
  
   tram lines are closed, except a short part, now the Toden Arakawa Line
  Toden Arakawa Line
  The is a streetcar line in Tokyo, Japan. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation operates this line. The Arakawa Line is the sole survivor of Tokyo's once-extensive Tokyo Toden streetcar system, but it is not the only tram line in Tokyo, as the privately owned Tōkyū Setagaya Line is also...
  
  .
  • Takeshi Kitano
    Takeshi Kitano
    is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, singer, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, painter, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic cinematic work. The famed Japanese film critic...
    
     starts his career in comedy at a strip theater in Asakusa
    Asakusa
    is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
    
    .
• 1977 Tachikawa Air Force Base
  Tachikawa Airfield
  is an airfield in the city of Tachikawa, the western part of Tokyo, Japan. Currently under the administration of the Ministry of Defense, it has also served as the civil aviation with Japan's first scheduled air service.-Operations:...
  
   reverts to Japan and converted partially into a park.
• 1978 New Tokyo International Airport (Narita International Airport
  Narita International Airport
  is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
  
  ) in Chiba Prefecture
  Chiba Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
  
   opens. Tokyo International Airport
  Tokyo International Airport
  , commonly known as , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, south of Tokyo Station....
  
   (Haneda Airport) then serves mainly domestic flights.
• 1979 The 5th G7 summit
  5th G7 summit
  The 5th G7 Summit was held at Tokyo, Japan between June 28 and 29, 1979. The venue for the summit meetings was the State Guesthouse in Tokyo, Japan....
  
   is held in Tokyo. The conservative Liberal Democratic Party
  Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
  The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
  
   (LDP) recovers the post of governor, with the win of Shunichi Suzuki in elections.
• 1985 New Ryōgoku Kokugikan
  Ryogoku Kokugikan
  , also known as Sumo Hall, is an indoor sporting arena located in the Ryōgoku neighborhood of Sumida, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo in Japan, next to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is the third building built in Tokyo associated with the name kokugikan. The current building was opened in 1985 and has a...
  
   opens, used for Sumo
  Sumo
  is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
  
  .
• 1986 The bubble economy starts with land prices skyrocketing. Mount Mihara
  Mount Mihara
  is an active volcano on the Japanese isle of Izu Ōshima. Although the volcano is predominantly basaltic, major eruptions have occurred at intervals of 100–150 years....
  
   volcano erupts, forcing all residents of Izu Ōshima
  Izu Oshima
  is a volcanic island in the Izu Islands and administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, Japan, lies about 100 km south of Tokyo, 22 km east of the Izu Peninsula and 36 km southwest of Bōsō Peninsula. serves as the local government of the island...
  
   to temporarily evacuate the island
• 1988 Tokyo Dome
  Tokyo Dome
  Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
  
   indoor baseball stadium opens.
• 1989 Emperor Hirohito
  Hirohito
  , posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
  
   (Emperor Showa) dies in the Tokyo Palace.
• 1990 The bubble economy collapses, triggering a massive fall in Tokyo land prices.
• 1991 The new Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
  Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
  The , also referred to as Tokyo City Hall or Tochō for short, houses the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which governs not only the 23 wards, but also the cities, towns and villages that make up Tokyo as a whole....
  
   in Shinjuku is completed. The office is moved from Yūrakuchō
  Yurakucho
  is a neighborhood of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan situated in between the Ginza and Hibiya Park, near the neighborhood of Shinbashi. Unlike its tonier neighbor Ginza, Yūrakuchō provides a glimpse of Japanese life from the early postwar period, with its many izakaya and outdoor yakitori restaurants , many...
  
  .
• 1993 Rainbow Bridge
  Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)
  The is a suspension bridge crossing northern Tokyo Bay between Shibaura Pier and the Odaiba waterfront development in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.Construction started in 1987 and was completed in 1993. The bridge is long with a main span of . Officially called the "Shuto Expressway No...
  
   is completed. It supports the development in the waterfront area on the Tokyo Bay
  Tokyo Bay
  is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
  
  , Odaiba
  Odaiba
  is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...
  
  .
• 1995 On March 20, the Aum Shinrikyo
  Aum Shinrikyo
  Aum Shinrikyo was a Japanese new religious movement. The group was founded by Shoko Asahara in 1984. The group gained international notoriety in 1995, when it carried out the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway....
  
   cult spread Sarin
  Sarin
  Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
  
   nerve gas on the Tokyo subway system; 12 people were killed and thousands affected (see Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
  Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway
  The Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway, usually referred to in the Japanese media as the , was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated by members of Aum Shinrikyo on March 20, 1995....
  
  ). Newly-elected Tokyo governor Yukio Aoshima
  Yukio Aoshima
  was a Japanese politician who served as a Governor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government from 1995 to 1999. He is also well known as a novelist, a film director and a TV-actor.- Early life :...
  
   cancels the "World City Expo" that was to be held in 1996 in the Odaiba waterfront area.
• 1999 Conservative Shintaro Ishihara
  Shintaro Ishihara
  is a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
  
   is elected Governor of Tokyo
• 2000 The Oedo
  Toei Oedo Line
  The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation . It commenced full operations on December 12, 2000; using the Japanese calendar this reads "12/12/12" as the year 2000 equals Heisei 12...
  
   subway line opens.
  • Due to volcanic eruption all residents of Miyakejima
    Miyakejima
    is an island in the Izu group, southeast of Honshū, Japan, administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, with an area of 55.50 km². The island, 180 km south of Tokyo, is located at 34.5N and 139.34E. As of January 1, 2006, the population of the island is 2884...
    
     evacuate; cannot return until 2005.
• 2001 Studio Ghibli
  Studio Ghibli
  is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
  
   opens its Ghibli Museum
  Ghibli Museum
  is a museum featuring the Japanese anime work of Studio Ghibli, and is located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western suburb of Tokyo, Japan.The museum is a fine arts museum, but does not take the concept of a usual fine arts museum. With many features that are child-oriented and a sprawling and...
  
   in Mitaka
  Mitaka, Tokyo
  is a city located in Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 November 2010, the city has an estimated population of 176,737. The total area is 16.50 km² and is about 50 – 55 meters above sea level...
  
  , the eastern of Tama area.
• 2003 Shintaro Ishihara
  Shintaro Ishihara
  is a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
  
   is reelected Governor of Tokyo. Roppongi Hills
  Roppongi Hills
  is a New Urban Centre and one of Japan's largest integrated property developments, located in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo.Constructed by building tycoon Minoru Mori, the mega-complex incorporates office space, apartments, shops, restaurants, cafés, movie theaters, a museum, a hotel, a...
  
   opens.
• 2005 Tsukuba Express railway line opens.
• 2007 Completion of Tokyo Midtown (currently the city's tallest high-rise building) and the Tokyo Metro Line 13
  Tokyo Metro Line 13
  The , formally the , is a Tokyo Metro subway line in west-central Tokyo, Japan. The newest line in the Tokyo subway network, it opened in stages between 1994 and 2008.-Overview:...
  
  .
• 2008 Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid
  Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid
  The Tokyo bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics was an unsuccessful campaign, first recognized by the International Olympic Committee on September 14, 2007...
  
   is submitted to the IOC. Tokyo Metro
  Tokyo Metro
  is one of two rapid transit systems making up the Tokyo subway system, the other being Toei. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.-Organization:...
  
   begins the operation of its Fukutoshin Line. The length of subway network is nearly 400 km.

Anticipated events

• 2011 Completion of Tokyo Sky Tree, Japan's tallest structure (634m high displacing the CN Tower
  CN Tower
  The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
  
   in Toronto as the world's tallest free-standing structure). Completion of the renovation of Tokyo Station
  Tokyo Station
  is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
  
  .

External links

• History of Tokyo by Tokyo Metropolitan Government
• Chronological History of Tokyo by Tokyo Metropolitan Government
• Thousands of photographs and films of Edo and Tokyo from Meji (1867) to present.
• Tokyo Rising - review of Edward Seidensticker's book on the history of Tokyo from 1923 to the late 1980s
• Old Tokyo - Vintage Tinted Images of the Japanese Capital City
• National Archives of Japan
  National Archives of Japan
  The preserve Japanese government documents and historical records and make them available to the public. Although Japan's reverence for its unique history and art is well documented and illustrated by collections of art and documents, there is almost no archivist tradition...
  
  : Map of Meiji Tokyo, showing 11 large districts and 103 small districts on map published in 1876, (Meiji 9).