Travel to Tokyo with TourJapan.com

With a population of approximately 12,800,000, Tokyo is the most known region of Japan and the State's capital. It's modern, wide spread and is made of 23 city wards (known as "ku"), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages. Tokyo is a highly populated metropolitan and the seat of both the official Japanese government and the breathtaking imperial palace (also known in its formal name: The Edo Castle). The city has humid, hot summer and cool yet pleasant winters. The city population had contributed much for the increased heat in the city in comparison with its neighboring more rural areas.

Places to See in Tokyo

Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo, and even as the modern, high-speed metropolitan that it is today, it has preserved a lot of its ancient charm and unique sites. Tokyo is famous for having two faces - the magical, historical one and the modernized, urban and technological one.

One of the most known tourist attraction in the city is of course Edo Castle, but it is accessible for the public for only two days a year. If you have not been so lucky as to reach the city in those two days, you can still admire the beauty of the East Garden of the Imperial Palace, which is open in specific days and times throughout the year. If you visit the area in either October or April, you may also enjoy the charms of the royal Music Room. Keep in mind though, that tickets must be bought in advanced and that you need to ask for a written permission.

But the Edo Castle is far from being the only tourist attraction in this unique city. The city has several unique parks that will leave even the cynical visitors moves and amazed. The most known one is the Ueno Park that aside from its natural beauty also includes four famous national museums, including Tokyo National Museum. This huge museum is Japan's biggest and better known museum and it specialize in traditional, exquisite Japanese art. After you've had your share of museum, don't miss the Ueno Park's incredible Zoo. Opened as early as 1882 this Zoo is in fact the oldest zoological garden in the whole of Japan.

Another special site the city offers is The Meiji Shrine. This shrine was built in 1920 in the honor of Emperor Meiji (father of The Meiji Reforms that have altered Japan economy and society) and is perhaps the most popular Shinto worship places. The shrine is surrounded by two beautiful gardens - the inner and the outer ones. It was damaged and almost destroyed completely during the Second World War, but was later on rebuilt.

There are many modern tourist sites and shopping centers worth visiting in the city of Tokyo. These include Kanda district (the huge bookshop district), Korakuen Sports and Games Center which is located within the Korakuen Park, and of course - Tokyo Disneyland.

For more information regarding site seeing in Tokyo, sites such as Asianinfo.org/asianinfo/Tokyo, thereareplaces.com/Guidebook/pdest/Asia and tourism.metro.tokyo.com will provide you with more useful information.