Tokyo Was Formerly Known as Edo, and

Tokyo was formerly known as Edo, and from 1603 it served as the "seat of power of the Tokugawa shogunate" and was thus the political center of Japan (Naito, 2003). Edo was a cultural hub and Naito asserts that "much of what is now thought of as traditional Japanese culture found its final form in Edo." Edo started life as a village when it was chosen as the site for a castle by Iesayu Tokugawa. The town arose around the castle.

As the political center of the country, Edo soon became one of the largest towns in the country. In 1868, it was renamed Tokyo, meaning "Eastern capital." Tokyo today is the world's largest city, with a metro population over 30 million people. The city is classed as an Alpha world city and is one of the economic and cultural hubs of the planet. Tokyo is one of the most multi-faceted cities on the planet.

It is known as a foodie paradise for the diversity and high quality of its cuisine, and the Tsukuji Fish Market is a famous attraction. The city is an architectural wonderland, with both avant garde buildings and one of the world's highest number of skyscrapers. The shopping is reported to be fantastic. Essentially, modern Tokyo is a place for the visitor or resident to do just about anything, for a price (Traulein et al., 2013).

While the visitor may seek out the fascinating and sublime, everyday life in Tokyo is much more ordinary, if on a much larger scale. The Japan News is full of stories that would seem at home in any major city. The local government has rejected a request to help fund a new stadium, which is to be built for the 2020 Olympics, the rights to which Tokyo recently won. There are stories about banking executives, the local stock exchange and the local baseball team. The Emperor and Empress are visiting India.

In short, Tokyo is much like any other city for those who live there, except of course that it is Tokyo and therefore nothing like an ordinary city. Tokyo is divided into twenty-three wards, and each one is run a little bit like its own city. These are centered around Edo Bay, but extends in a western direction inland. The city is situated about halfway down the island of Honshu, on the eastern (Pacific) side. The city also includes a number of islands in the area.

Despite being a global city, Tokyo has a relatively low rate of diversity in its population. There are very few foreign born residents -- less than in the city of Vancouver, by comparison. Most immigrants come from China and Korea, with minor communities of Filipinos and ex-pats from the West, most of whom are in Tokyo for business.

Tokyo is an economic hub, and has the highest GDP of any city in the world, partly a function of its size and partly because most major Japanese corporations are located in the city. Tokyo is also a major global cultural hub, exporting everything from comic books and animation to Godzilla. This role is a natural extension of Tokyo's traditional role as a hub for Japanese culture, which has been cultivated since it was the cultural hub of the shogunate during the Edo days.

Other cultural legacies include the method of preparing sushi, which originated in the city at a mobile street cart and has since been exported around the world. With respect to business, Tokyo is home to the national stock exchange and most of Japan's major corporations. The city's population increases by an estimated 2.5 million during the day with commuters from outside the 23 special wards. An extensive transportation network has been developed to cater to the business people.

The reputation of Japanese business is to work long hours, and this results in businesses for sleeping capsules and sex hotels, along with bars and restaurants that cater to the business audience. Tokyo's civilian life still incorporates old traditions. The city has a number of shrines and temples, and religion is still important to the people of Tokyo. Part of this is because the Shinto faith is embedded deeply in Japanese culture and this endures beyond modern life.

Because Tokyo is so thoroughly Japanese, it is one of the few major cities where only one language is spoken and where it can be difficult to find multilingual people. The same can be said of Japanese culture -- it can be difficult for outsiders to penetrate. Yet for business or pleasure, many try to understand the culture of Tokyo. Overall, Tokyo is a fascinating city for many things. Its history is intriguing, if buried underneath the skyscrapers.

The fact that there are mountains and farmland within Tokyo is also interesting, because major cities like New York and London do not normally contain such things. With a unique topography and a.