Now, to find the rough population density of the Tokyo area, we combine the total population with the available space for the residents, which comes to 6, Tokyo has always been Japan's largest city, and one of the mightiest cities in Asia , if not the world.
It used to be known as Edo, and grew from a small village to become, in the s, the first city in Asia with a population of more than 1 million people. Renamed Tokyo in , the city continued to grow rapidly. By , its population had passed 2 million for the first time, and by the start of the s, the wider metropolitan area was home to more than 7 million people.
World War II saw the only major population decline in the city's history although there have been other smaller declines over the years. Tokyo's population halved in just five years, and when Japan surrendered in , its population was just 3. Gradual attrition accounted for much of the decline, although the massive Allied air raids also took a staggering toll — at least , were killed in the US Air Force firebombing of Tokyo on March 9 , and around a million were estimated to have been left homeless.
The population rapidly grew again after the war, perhaps indicating that many of its residents had temporarily left the city. It took less than a decade for the city to recover to its pre-war population levels, and in , Tokyo's population passed 8 million for the first time.
Since then, growth has been steady, rather than spectacular, and although Tokyo's economy has like Japan's under-performed in recent years, its population continues to slowly rise. The latest census data, used above, is from There is no firm data on the population of Tokyo in , so the figures listed here are estimates based on the city's growth rate and preliminary census figures.
Tokyo is a major commuter city. That means that many of the people in the city at any one time don't actually live in the city itself; they commute in each day for work. In , the Tokyo Metropolitan Government estimated the nighttime and daytime population of the city, finding that although the city's population was around That means that, every day, approximately 2,, people commute into Tokyo.
When it comes to working age people, the labor force is divided as follows: Clerical, Technical and Management Tokyo is, by most measures, the richest city in the world. The age breakdown of Tokyo's population is, as you would expect, skewed toward working age. The most recent official demographics for Tokyo were released in , and they show that Befitting a country with one of the world's longest life expectancies, there is also a high proportion of retired people in Tokyo: Tokyo is known for being a lively and futuristic metropolis.
It features a unique mix of the old and modern that blends perfectly. Over 14 million foreigners visit Tokyo each year. Vending machines are everywhere in Japan, and Tokyo is not an exception.
Estimations have been made that you will never have to walk more than 12 meters on average to find a vending machine in Tokyo. In fact, there is one vending machine per every 23 people living in the city. Crime-rate is very low and most crimes in larger cities around the world, are almost unheard of here. In many cases, it will also be left alone for hours at the place where it was dropped unless it was turned in.
In the latest edition of the renowned Michelin Guide, a total of restaurants in the city was awarded at least 1 Michelin star. For food lovers, this is perhaps one of the most interesting facts about Tokyo.
That village was founded in and later became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. After that, its number of inhabitants grew quickly, and during the 18th century, more than 1 million people were living in Edo. Tokyo Skytree has a height of meters, which makes it one of the tallest buildings in the world. Purchases that have a total amount of yen or more are qualified for a tax refund.
Foreigners who want to enjoy tax-free shopping need to present their passport when making the purchase. About 2, people cross the intersection on average every time the light turns green at Shibuya Crossing. More reading : 25 Things to do in Shibuya. Tokyo has become known worldwide for its unique style and fashion. Rakuten Fashion Week is one of the major events for designers and people in the fashion industry.
At Takazawa, the service is as good as the food. And that's saying a lot. From humble grocery stores to fancy boutiques, Tokyo's standard of service is remarkably high. Unsurprisingly, the city's top-class restaurants strive for excellence, and Aronia de Takazawa delivers service with a personal touch. Before your visit, you'll get a number of charming, chatty emails from Akiko Takazawa, the chef's wife. During dinner, Mrs. Takazawa will take you step-by-step through the chef's high-tech creations and make you feel as smart and sophisticated as the food.
Noodles you can dream about. There are more noodle shops in Tokyo than any other city in the world. If we had to pick a favorite, it'd be Menya Goto, a tiny counter stall that serves flavorful bowls of ramen to the slurping masses lined up out the door. You can be surrounded by comics.
Ostensibly created for manga freaks, these miniscule rent-a-chairs are fast becoming popular for another reason: they offer young couples and salarymen alike a super-cheap place to kill time and catch some Zs. The extensive Manboo! Bats you don't have to be afraid of. Tokyo calls forth an image of the glimmering city of the future, yet along the Kanda River -- flowing from Inokashira Park in Kichijoji to the Sumida River -- we humans have to share Tokyo with another busy inhabitant: bats.
Lots of 'em. Every evening, you can see them storming the skies on any pleasant stroll along the river, but since they don't attack people, they're considered part of the ambience.
You can ride the world's shortest escalator. Kawasaki isn't officially Tokyo, but we'd like to claim the world's shortest escalator -- in Kawasaki More's Department Store - as part of our urban experience.
We can't explain why an escalator this tiny exists, but you don't hear us, or Guinness, complaining. You can see it here. The cuddliest cafes. It's a tough gig, but the cats seem to keep it all in stride.
Then be heartbroken when you leave. Cyberpunk infrastructure. Who but the Japanese would think to connect the major wards and neighborhoods of their capital with an "expressway" perched several stories above ground that weaves in between office buildings and national landmarks?
It's mod tailoring's last stand. London boasts the high-end suiting of Savile Row, while Bangkok is famous for its ultra-cheap bespoke factories. Tokyo's Yofuku no Namiki tailor may be the world's last great mod tailor -- making slim suits for cool youngsters. The most absurdly priced retail establishments on one block. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, Harry Winston -- and many more -- as far as the eye can see, each a dedicated storefront encased in a building of impeccable modern architectural design.
Ginza is where to go to see and be seen and to spend more money than most salarymen ever dream of on fashion, handbags and jewelry. Ginza used to be pithily described as Tokyo's 5th Avenue, but nowadays it's more accurate to call 5th Avenue New York's Ginza. Religious experiences for cat lovers. The beautiful Gotokuji Buddhist temple is believed to be the birthplace of Japan's ubiquitous beckoning cat statues.
As you might expect, its display of the lucky ceramic felines, tucked tastefully behind a side building, is second to none. Gotokuji Temple, Gotokuji , Setagaya-ku. No need to leave the airport. Haneda's international terminal is so swanky you might not want to bother leaving. But that's only half the story. Thanks to the terminal's Edo-Koji marketplace -- a warren of history-themed restaurants and souvenir shops -- even jet-setters on a layover can soak up some old-school Japanese culture.
Porn shops with increasing levels of weirdness. Like entering the 36 Chambers of Shaolin, every flight up the Ali Baba Akihabara mini-skyscraper of pornography is another level of weirdness.
As with many Japanese porn shops, the first floor sells a halfhearted selection of mainstream Hollywood and Japanese films for a thin veneer of respectability. Take the stairs one flight up and the real adventure begins, with fetishes organized by floor.
Not for the prudish. Water is just an excuse for the bridges. Connecting the Shibaura area with the futuristic Odaiba island, the Rainbow Bridge is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city. With its pale shining towers and multicolored night lighting, the bridge provides a knockout frame through which to view the city's skyline from a restaurant terrace in Odaiba.
Taste the teeniest, tiniest haute cuisine. In a city known for its diminutive dining spots, the seven-seat Tapas Molecular Bar is one of the smallest. But its menu of fanciful concoctions, such as cucumber "caviar," lime salt "foam" and chocolate "pumice," makes it worth the squeeze. Reservations can be made for either 6 p. Tardiness is severely frowned upon. Behold the least impressive statue of a giant monster.
The bronze statue is so unimpressive, we thought we'd show you another one. Standing in the shadow of the film company that unleashed Godzilla on the world, this bronze effigy of the giant creature in Hibiya Park towers a whopping We suppose a life-sized meter version would have been prohibitive, but half a meter? At least the pedestal raises it above eye level. Apartments are like MC Escher drawings.
No city on Earth is as novel in its approach to housing. Exhibit A: the rainbow-colored, multishaped Reversible Destiny Lofts apartment complex. Located in an otherwise boring part of the Mitaka suburbs, the complex looks like a LSD vision of a giant McDonald's jungle gym.
Its red-light district is the least dangerous. Areas like Kabukicho offer an endless choice of safe nightlife destinations. Yes, the Shinjuku red-light district isn't "classy," but it's still Tokyo. Walking distance from the East exit of Shinjuku Station. You have to work for high-end tempura. It might take a while to find Motoyoshi among the backstreets of Minami-Aoyama, but its GPS-confounding location is part of the fun.
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