Tokyo is the capital city of Japan.
Tokyo developed from a fishing village called Edo, which became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603. In 1868, during the Meiji Restoration, Emperor Meiji moved the imperial residence from Kyoto to Edo, and the city was renamed Tokyo, meaning “Eastern Capital.”
The modern metropolis is centered on the Imperial Palace, built on the former Edo Castle site. Tokyo is frequently described as one of the world’s largest urban areas, although rankings vary depending on whether they count the city proper, metropolitan prefecture, or wider urban agglomeration. It is also Japan’s main political, economic, and cultural center, hosting institutions such as the National Diet and the Bank of Japan.