capital and largest city of Japan
Tokyo Metropolis (東京都 Tōkyō-to) covers the city of Tokyo, most of the plain of Kanto, and a chain of islands extending thousands of kilometers south.
- This article is about the prefecture of Japan. For the 23 special wards that foreigners (and many Japanese) think of as the "city of Tokyo", see Tokyo.
Cities edit
Equal in status to the other 46 prefectures, the whole of Tokyo Metropolis is designated the capital of Japan. However, when people think of "Tokyo", they're generally thinking of:
Tama Region edit
The following are all suburban cities outside the city core, which are collectively known as the Tama Region (多摩地域 Tama-chiiki).
- 2 Chofu — home to Jindaiji Temple and the Jindai Botanical Gardens
- 3 Fuchu — Many shrines, temples, historical sites, and relics. Ōkunitama shrine, Tama. river, Mt. Sengen, Tokyo horse race course, Suntory Brewery's Musashino plant, Wholesale market, Fuchu city museum park
- 4 Hachioji — offering Mt. Takao, one of best little escapes from Tokyo
- 5 Inagi
- 6 Kodaira
- 7 Koganei — Koganei Park, Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
- 8 Kokubunji
- 9 Komae
- 10 Kunitachi
- 11 Machida — a bustling youthful shopping town and quiet greenbelt park
- 12 Mitaka — home of famed animator Hayao Miyazaki's "Mitaka Ghibli Forest Museum"
- 13 Musashino — including Kichijoji, an arty suburb known for the cherry blossoms of Inokashira Park
- 14 Nishitokyo
- 15 Ōme
- 16 Okutama — a picturesque mountain town at the western end of the prefecture
- 17 Tachikawa
- 18 Tama — the self-proclaimed "Home of Hello Kitty" and her theme park, Sanrio Puroland
Islands edit
Tokyo prefecture also includes a large number of small islands, some over 1,000 km from the mainland.
- Izu Islands — a quick getaway from Tokyo, featuring volcanic hot springs and wild dolphins
- Ogasawara Islands — if you really want to get away from it all (and have time to spare)
Understand edit
- GO>TOKYO is a well-maintained sightseeing guide site for foreigners by the government. The site includes a search page for restaurants with multi-language menus.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Get in edit
Tama region edit
- JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku or Tokyo to most places in the Tama region including: Kichijoji, Kokubunji, Tachikawa, Hachioji, and Okutama
- Private Keio line to Southern Tama region to: Chofu, Fuchu, Tama zoo park, Hachioji, and Mt. Takao
- From Shinjuku Station and Yoyogi-Uehara Station on the Odakyu Line, go to Machida.
Islands edit
By plane edit
- All Nippon Airways (ANA). Daily flights from Haneda Airport to Oshima (35 min ¥13,170), Miyakejima (45 min ¥13,170) and Hachijojima (50 min ¥19,870).
- New Central AirService. Three flights a day from Chofu Airport to Oshima (35 min ¥9500) , Kozushima (45 min ¥15,870), four flights a day to Niijima (40 min ¥13,700). To get Chofu Airport, take the Keio line Local Service from Shinjuku to Nishi-Chofu.
By boat edit
- Tokyo - Yokohama - Oshima - Toshima - Niijima - Shikinejima - Kozushima
- Tokyo - Yokohama - Miyakejima - Mikurashima - Hachijojima
- Atami - Oshima - Toshima - Niijima - Shikinejima - Kozushima
Get around edit
See edit
Do edit
Eat edit
The Michelin Guide gave more stars to Tokyo dining establishments than any other city in Japan.