Japan and Tokyo in General

Size and Population

Japan has a population of about 123 million, similar to the populations of Mexico, Russia, and the Philippines.

Tokyo has a population of about 14 million, larger than London, Paris, and Seoul.

Japan’s total land area is about 378,000 square kilometers. It is larger than Germany and considerably larger than the U.K.

Tokyo covers about 2,200 square kilometers, while the central 23 wards cover only about 630 square kilometers.

Tokyo has less than 1% of Japan’s land area, but more than 10% of its population.

During the day, many people commute into Tokyo from the surrounding areas. Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures form a huge metropolitan area commonly known as Greater Tokyo.

Climate

Japan is a long country stretching from north to south, so it has four distinct seasons.

In spring, we enjoy cherry blossoms.
In summer, we enjoy swimming in the sea.
In autumn, we enjoy colorful leaves.
In winter, we enjoy skiing and snowboarding.

Capital

Until the seventeenth century, Japan’s political and cultural center was in western Japan, particularly around Kyoto and Osaka.

In 1603, the Tokugawa shogunate established its base in Edo and ruled Japan for about 265 years. Edo was the former name of Tokyo during the samurai period.

After the military government was replaced by a modern government, the imperial capital was moved to Edo.

Edo was then renamed Tokyo in 1868.

Kyoto literally means “capital city,” while Tokyo means “eastern capital.”