Tokyo

City Information

Explore city history, fast facts, climate and practical visitor information for Tokyo.

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City Information

Exchange Rates

City Information

Fast Facts

-Location

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1st January- New Years Day 2nd Monday in January- Coming of Age Day 11th February- National Foundation Day 20th March- Vernal Equinox Day 29th April- Showa Day 3rd May- Constitution Memorial Day 4th May- Greenery Day 5th May- Children’s Day 3rd Monday in July- Maritime Day 3rd Monday in September- Respect for the Aged Day 23rd September- Autumn Equinox Day 2nd Monday in October- Health Sports Day 3rd November- Culture Day 23rd November- Labor Thanksgiving Day 23rd December- The Emperor’s Birthday

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Visa Information

Japan has recently entered into agreements with 62 countries the globe over waiving visa requirements. American, British, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, Irish Nationals among others only require a valid passport to travel to Tokyo. No visa is required so long as the intended stay is no more than 90 days except for Brunei whose nationals can only stay for 14 days without obtaining a visa. Nationals of other countries do require visas to enter Tokyo. There are a number of different visas available for those wishing to travel to Japan including a working visa, a general visa, a transit visa, a temporary visitor’s visa or a specified visa which differ in the duration that one is allowed to stay in Japan and the activities travelers can engage in. People intending to travel to Japan must hold passports valid for the next 6 months and must provide authentic and complete applications. They should provide 2 passport sized pictures, documents certifying the purpose of visit, 2 copies of the application form. Travelers must also provide proof of return tickets and sufficient funds to cover their stay.

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Tokyo’s Residents

Tokyo has a massive population of 13 million. Most are of Japanese origin; however a large number of expatriates are also present from other regions of Asia such as China, North and South Korea, the Philippines. A large number of people from America and Europe also work and reside here. The populace is not extremely religious; however they have a deep rooted respect for their culture and still visit shrines and partake in Japanese customs. Life in Tokyo is extremely fast paced; Tokyo’s residents have little time for anything other than work which they take extremely seriously. However, they do know how to party as well as seen by the numbers of bars and clubs around.

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When to go

The best time to visit Tokyo is in the spring season from March to April and from September to November. The climate during both these periods is fantastic- cool days and nights without rainfall, humidity or the usual hot temperatures that characterize Tokyo for the rest of the year.

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Tokyo History

Tokyo started out as Edo; a little known traditional fishing village. In the beginning of the 17th century Edo was made a capital of sorts by the Shogun Ieyasu. Under his rule, Edo became larger in terms of population size and in terms of the power it wielded undermining Kyoto (the traditional imperial capital). After the middle of the 19th century when Shogun rule came to an end the Emperor Meiji settles in Edo ushering in imperial rule once again after a long lapse of almost 300 years. Tokyo was struck by the tragedy of the Great Kanto Earthquake in the 1920s which left hundreds of thousands of people dead, and soon after by WWII bombings in 1945 which again left 200,000 people dead. After that period Tokyo was resurrected and has only been on the rise since then.

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Tokyo Today

Tokyo is the capital of Japan and one of the major global cities of the world. The divergence in architectural styles shows just how far Tokyo has come from being a traditional Japanese village to becoming one of the major power centers of the world both politically and economically. Traditional ryokans and buildings such as the Imperial Palace and other temples are flanked by ultra-modern glass and steel towers that dot the skyline of the city. Tokyo has a huge subway and rail system making the city one of the busiest in the world. Construction projects are a constant in this city; restaurants, shopping complexes and other estates are flourishing.

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