History of Tokyo

Settlement
The site of Tokyo has been occupied since prehistoric Times, but its first recorded appearance dates to the 12 th century. It was then an obscure village called Edo ('Gate of the Inlet'), situated at the junction of the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay . It remained undeveloped until a local general named Ota Dokan chose it as a site on which to build a castle in 1457.

Shogunate
It was not until the town was taken over by Tokugawa Ieyusu, the first of the Tokugawa Shoguns (military leaders), in 1590 that Edo began to develop into a major city. In 1603 it became the capital of the shogunate, although Kyoto remained the imperial capital. Tokugawa made his daimyos (feudal lords) establish residences in Edo so the town grew quickly. As the town grew it became a major commercial and business centre but it was kept isolated from foreign trade by the Shoguns policy of virtual seclusion that ensured Japan remained isolated.

Imperial capital
The appearance of United States naval vessels in Tokyo Bay in 1854 marked the end of Japan 's isolation. Foreign powers established a series of unbalanced trading partnerships with Japan , taking advantage of its relative backwardness to impose their interests on the islands. Resentment of this and dissatisfaction with the perceived weaknesses of the Tokugawa Shoguns led to the Emperor Meiji mounting a successful coup in 1868. The new Emperor established his supreme authority and abolished the Shoguns, samurai and daimyos. The Meiji restoration marked the beginning of modernization for Japan and the Emperor moved his court from Kyoto to Tokyo .

Modern city
Emperor Meiji renamed the city Tokyo (which means 'Eastern Capital') and made it the capital city of Japan . Edo castle was expanded to become the Imperial Palace , which still sits statuesque in the heart of the city. As Japanese power grew; the city expanded. However, its location (like much of Japan ) is vulnerable to earthquakes and in 1923 an earthquake and fire killed over 150,000 people and led to a massive reconstruction project.

War
On April 18, 1942, only five months after Japan bombed the American navy at Pearl Harbor , the city suffered its first bombing raid. Continued American attacks caused massive damage to the city over the next three years. American forces occupied Tokyo from 1945-52, and by prizing power away from the Emperor allowed the Japanese to reorganize their society and establish it as a growing commercial power.

Commercial capital
Tokyo and its surrounding area have since grown into one of the most crowded areas on the planet. Today there are over 800,000 businesses in the city, ensuring Tokyo 's pre-eminence in world economic activity. Many regard Tokyo as the definitive cutting edge urban environment and the recent development of Tokyo Teleport Town , a futuristic business centre being constructed in Tokyo Bay , is evidence of its aspirations to high-tech supremacy. Tokyo has also suffered a more negative symptom of modernity in the growth of the millennial Aum Shrinrikyo cult who killed 12 people and injured more than 5500 in March 1995 with a nerve gas attack on the subway system. Another attack in July the same year led to fears of more outrages but police intervention seems to have kerbed the problem.