Tokyo

Culture

Tokyo was called Edo until 1868. The small settlement became a seat of power in 1603, when Tokugawa Ieyasu set up his shogunate there, and it took its current name, meaning "eastern capital", at the start of the Meiji era, when the emperor left Kyoto and moved in. Flattened by the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923 and by the bombing of 1945, the city rebuilt itself twice and hosted the Olympic Games in 1964 and 2020, held in 2021. More than a single city, it is a mosaic of neighbourhoods with their own character: Asakusa, with its temple and old streets; Shinjuku, with its skyscrapers and the tiny bars of Golden Gai; Shibuya and Harajuku, for youth fashion; Akihabara, for electronics, anime and games; and Ginza, for luxury shopping. In late March and early April the cherry trees bloom and the whole city heads out for hanami, picnics under the blossoms in Ueno Park, around the Imperial Palace moats and along the Meguro River. Summer brings neighbourhood festivals and the Sumida River fireworks at the end of July.

Things to see

Local food

• Edomae sushi — Nigiri sushi was born in Edo as quick street food. Try it at the Tsukiji Outer Market.
• Tempura — Seafood and vegetables in a light fried batter, sold at street stalls since the Edo period.
• Monjayaki — A runny batter with cabbage and fillings, cooked on a griddle at your table. Tsukishima is the place for it.
• Chanko nabe — The hearty hot pot eaten by sumo wrestlers, served in restaurants in Ryōgoku, near the arena.
• Soba — Buckwheat noodles, cold or in broth. On New Year's Eve people eat toshikoshi soba.

Local music

Tokyo is the heart of Japanese pop music. In the late 70s and the 80s the city provided the soundtrack for city pop, by artists such as Tatsuro Yamashita and Mariya Takeuchi, which found a new audience online decades later. In the 90s, the neighbourhood that gave Shibuya-kei its name launched bands like Pizzicato Five and Flipper's Guitar. The city is also known for its jazz kissa, cafés where people listen to jazz on vinyl. Tokyo radio plays J-pop, anime songs, jazz, 80s classics and plenty of news.

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