TOKYO, THE CAPITAL AND THE LARGEST CITY OF JAPAN, IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST CITIES. TOGETHER WITH KAWASAKI AND YOKOHAMA
TO THE SOUTH OF IT, TOKYO FORMS A SPRAWLING BELT OF TALL BUILDINGS, DWELLINGS, SHOPS, AND FACTORIES OCCUPYING THE HEAD AND THE WESTERN SIDE OF TOKYO BAY. THIS BAY IS ON THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF HONSHU, THE MAIN ISLAND OF JAPAN.
THREE FACTORS HAVE HELPED TO MAKE TOKYO AN IMPORTANT CITY: ITS LAND POSITION, ITS LOCATION ON THE SEA, AND ITS ROLE AS AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL. THERE IS LITTLE LEVEL LAND IN MOUNTAINOUS JAPAN, AND EVERY LOWLAND AREA IS IMPORTANT AS A CENTRE OF POPULATION. THE KANTO PLAIN AROUND TOKYO IS THE LARGEST LOWLAND AREA IN JAPAN. ALL THE RICH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF THE KANTO PLAIN IS FUNNELLED THROUGH TOKYO TO OTHER PARTS OF JAPAN.
THE RAIL NETWORK OF JAPAN CENTRES ON TOKYO, AND THE CITY IS IN DIRECT CONTACT BY RAIL WITH ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. ABOUT ONE-FIFTH OF THE JAPANESE POPULATION LIVES ON THE KANTO PLAIN. THIS VAST LABOUR SUPPLY MAKES TOKYO A GOOD LOCATION FOR INDUSTRY.
TOKYO IS A PORT FOR COASTAL AND OVERSEAS SHIPPING. TOKYO BAY IS TOO SHALLOW FOR LARGE OCEAN-GOING VESSELS TO DOCK AT TOKYO. THESE STOP AT THE PORT CITY OF YOKOHAMA, 32 KM (20 MILES) CLOSER TO THE MOUTH OF THE BAY. CARGO FROM LARGER SHIPS IS UNLOADED AT YOKOHAMA AND TRANSFERRED TO BARGES FOR THE TRIP UP THE BAY OF TOKYO.
THE ADVANTAGES OF TOKYO’S SITE WERE EARLY NOTED BY THE RULERS OF JAPAN. WHERE THE PALACE OF THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN STANDS IN THE CENTRE OF TOKYO WAS ONCE THE CASTLE OF EDO (ALSO SPELLED YEDO). THERE DWELT THE SHOGUN, OR MILITARY GOVERNOR OF THE COUNTRY. THE EMPEROR MEIJI AND HIS COURT MOVED FROM KYOTO TO EDO IN 1868. THE SHOGUNATE WAS ABOLISHED AND THE TOWN, RENAMED TOKYO, BECAME THE IMPERIAL CAPITAL.
IN SEPTEMBER 1923 THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS EARTQUAKE FOLLOWED BY A FIRE, WHICH DESTROYED MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL CENTRE OF TOKYO NEAR THE WATERFRONT. THIS PART WAS REBUILT IN MODERN WESTERN STYLE WITH WIDE STREETS AND TALL CONCRETE BUILDINGS, BUT MOST OF IT WAS AGAIN DESTROYED BY UNITED STATES BOMBERS IN WORLD WAR II (1939-1945).
IN 1946 HALF OF TOKYO WAS IN RUINS. THE PEOPLE WHO HAD FLED FROM THE CITY INTO THE COUNTRY FLOCKED BACK BEFORE PROPERLY LAID OUT STREETS AND BUILDINGS COULD BE COMPLETED. AS A RESULT, THE GROWTH OF TOKYO GOT OUT OF CONTROL. PARTS OF THE CITY HAVE SINCE BEEN REBUILT TO PROVIDE NEW INDUSTRIAL AND HOUSING AREAS. THE CENTRE IS DIGNIFIED AND SPACIOUS WITH WIDE STREETS, EARTHQUAKE-PROOF BUILDINGS, AND LARGE SHOPS.
ALTHOUGH TOKYO HAS SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL PARKS SUCH AS THE UENO, SHIBA, AND HIBIYA PARKS, IT IS SHORT OF OPEN SPACES. PARTS OF THE CITY ARE OVERCROWDED. AFTER HEAVY RAINS THE LOW-LYING DISTRICTS NEAR THE SUMIDA RIVER IN THE NORTH ARE OFTEN FLOODED. THE WATERS OF TOKYO BAY AND OF THE SEVERAL RIVERS FLOWING THROUGH THE CITY ARE POLLUTED WITH INDUSTRIAL WASTE. AIR POLLUTION ALSO REMAINS A PROBLEM, THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE AIR QUALITY IN RECENT YEARS.
TOKYO IS JAPAN’S LEADING CENTRE FOR MANUFACTURING, AS WELL AS A NATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL CENTRE FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE. AMONG THE CITY’S MAIN PRODUCTS ARE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC GOODS, CAMERAS, AND MOTOR VEHICLES. THE KAWASAKI-YOKOHAMA AREA TO THE SOUTH SPECIALIZES IN HEAVY INDUSTRIES: IN PETROLEUM REFINING, THE MANUFACTURE OF SHIPS AND MACHINERY, AND CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES.
TOKYO IS A COLOURFUL CITY, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN JAPANESE, OLD AND YOUNG, FLOCK TO THE CITY’S ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS. THE GINZA IS POPULAR WITH BUSINESSMEN WHILE YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FOUND IN LIVELIER AREAS, SUCH AS ROPPONGI OR SHIBUYA.
TRANSPORT IN AND AROUND THE CITY IS MADE EASY BY AN EXCELLENT RAIL AND UNDERGROUND NETWORK, AND ELEVATED MOTORWAYS. HOWEVER, AS MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE TRAVEL INTO CENTRAL TOKYO TO WORK EVERYDAY, TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS ONE OF THE CITY’S MAJOR PROBLEMS. PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER JAPAN TO WORK OR STUDY IN TOKYO AND SINCE 1945 THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED AT THE RATE OF ABOUT 300,000 A YEAR. THE POPULATION OF TOKYO IS ABOUT 28,447,000, THE SECOND MOST POPULATED CITY IN THE WORLD AFTER KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) IN INDIA.