Tokyo, Japan's largest city at the start of the 21st century Map of the Kanto region Tokyo was extensively developed following the move to the area of Tokugawa Ieyasu's first Shogunate Government in 1603. The town, which then centered on Edo Castle, was primarily constructed during the 70-year regeneration of Edo that followed and in the years after the demise of the 265-year reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate, as Japan's Meiji Restoration remodeled Japan along more modern lines. Tokyo became the nation's capital city after the Emperor moved east along the Tokaido road from Kyoto. With a current population of some 12 million, Tokyo is by far the largest city in 21st century Japan and one of the charms of Tokyo is to be found in the combination of the traditional and historical sites sitting side by side amidst the ultramodern urban landscape. To that end, there are many places in Tokyo with their own unique character: the Shitamachi (older and more traditional) districts in and around Asakusa and Ueno. The shopping zones of Ginza, Aoyama, Shinjuku and Shibuya and of course other well known areas for visitors to shop or eat till they drop such as Nihombashi, Akihabara, Odaiba, Harajuku, Roppongi and Ikebukuro. For visitors and inhabitants, Tokyo has something for everyone.

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Sumidagawa Hanabi - The first venue: From Sakurabashi to Kototoibashi / The second venue: From Komagatabashi to Umayabashi, Tokyo - July 26th (Sat), 2008 The Sumidagawa Hanabi Fireworks display originated as the Ryogoku Hanabi (festival) in 1733 making this display over 270 years old. Today’s version of the display features some 20,000 fireworks and over 900,000 people visit the venues in search of the mid-summer and seemingly impossible to find 'Edo cool.' http://sumidagawa-hanabi.com/index_eg.html

Hozuki Ichi - Sensoji Temple, Taito-ku, Tokyo - July 9th (Wed)-10th (Thurs), 2008 If somebody visits Sensoji on July 9th or 10th, they are said to receive credit for many more visits than the one they are then making. The Hozuki Ichi on these days and the market open in the large precincts of Sensoji therefore make July 9th and 10th especially good time to make the journey as visitors can then purchase potted hozuki (ground cherries) as a good luck charm to take home. Approximately 200 stalls line the sides of the temple grounds during the event. http://www.e-asakusa.jp/ (Japanese version only)

Sanno Matsuri Festival - Hie Jinja Shrine, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo - June 7th (Sat)-17th (Tue), 2008 Sanno Matsuri was formerly called Tenka Matsuri, a name under which it was known as one of the most outstanding festivals of the Edo-era, as well as Kanda Matsuri Festival. During the 200 plus years of the era, various rulers from the Tokugawa Shogunate observed the festival and bowed their heads in worship at the portable shrines they saw carried into Edo Castle. Recognized by such prestigious personages of old Japan, the festival became the most respected of Edo's three main festivals and was also ranked as one of the three great festivals in the nation; alongside the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto and the Tenma Matsuri of Osaka. http://www.hiejinja.net/jinja/english/

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