History of Tokyo

Tokyo, one of the most developed and advanced cities of the world is also one of the ancient cities of Japan. The history of Tokyo gives us a clear picture of how the city grew from a small fishing village into a major global city.

The history of Tokyo goes back to nearly 400 years. The city was a small fishing village known as Edo. The city was actually constructed in the year 1457, when Ota Dokan, a vassal of Uesugi Mochitomo, built the Edo Castle. The city however gained importance and started to flourish from 1590 onwards under the rule of Tokugawa Leyasu, who set up the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1603. During the Edo period, the Great fire of the Meireki destroyed a major part of Asakusa and the Edo Castle. During the eighteenth century, the city grew and became the cultural and political center of Japan.

The shogunate came to an end in 1867 after Tokugawa Yoshinobu surrendered his powers to the emperor. In 1868 after the Meiji restoration, Emperor Meiji took over the city and renamed it Tokyo, which means the 'Eastern Capital'. It became the permanent home of the imperial dynasty of Japan. In 1871, the emperor abolished the feudal han system and set up the prefectural system in Tokyo. It was in this year 1889, when Tokyo city was established with 15 wards. The Great Kanto earthquake was a major natural disaster in the history of Tokyo, which occurred in the year 1923 and killed nearly 70,000 people.

During World War II, the city experienced heavy bombing, which damaged major portions of the city. During that period the city was under military occupation and was controlled by the Allied forces. It became a major military base during this time. Between 1950 to 1960, the city experienced extensive economical development. Industries grew and infrastructure was developed. From 1970 onwards, the city grew at an alarming rate and by late 1980, it became one of the most developed cities of the world. The modern history of Tokyo is filled with tales of growth and development. In the year 1995, the city gained international focus after the Aum Shinrikyo cult terrorist organization attacked the Tokyo subway.

The history of Tokyo traces the growth of the city into a major financial and advanced city of the world.

Hotels in Tokyo
Courtyard Marriott Ginza Formerly Ginza Tobu Renaissance Hotel	Celestine Hotel
Nikko Winds Hotel	Radisson Miyako Hotel
Palace Hotel	New Otani Hotel