JAL Guide to Japan - General Information

Familiarize yourself with the local history, culture, and other basic details. Hot news.

Check out this introduction to a few reccommended spots while your in town.

Get local and try some of the flavors offered
that you can't fined anywhere else.

Unique souvenirs, ideas that this city is famous for.

A schedule of annual festivals, shows and events for you to experience and see.

Now take a short trip just beyond. Relatively close, one and two day trips out of town.

Compare routes or just get on track.

City map. Find your way.

How's the weather over there? Find out here.

All kinds of information on other cities in Japan.

Tokyo, the largest city in 21st century Japan

Map of Kanto area

Tokyo was first extensively developed following the move to the area of Tokugwa Ieyasu's first Shogunate Government in 1603. The town which then centered on Edo Castle was primarily constructed during the 70-year regeneration of Edo that followed and after the demise of the 265-year reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate, as Japan's Meiji Restoration remodelled Japan along more modern lines, Tokyo became the nation's capital city after the Emperor moved east along the Tokaido road from Kyoto.
With a current population of some 12 million, Tokyo is by far the largest city in 21st century Japan and one of the charms of Tokyo is to be found in the combination of the traditional and historical sites sitting side by side with the ultramodern urban landscape.
To that end, there are many places in Tokyo with their own unique character: TheShitamachi (older and more traditional) districts in and around Asakusa and Ueno. The shopping zones of Ginza, Aoyama, Shinjuku and Shibuya and of course the well known areas for visitors to shop or eat till they drop such as Nihombashi, Akihabara, Odaiba, Harajuku, Roppongi and Ikebukuro For the visitor or its inhabitants, Tokyo has something for everyone.

Iriya Asagao Matsuri

Iriya Asagao Matsuri

- Iriya Kishimojin, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Wednesday July 6th - Friday 8th

More than a dozen gardeners began to cultivate Japanese morning glories in the Iriya area during the early Meiji era(1868-1912). As the efforts of these gardeners increased in popularity over the years, especially the featuring of larger and rarer blooms, many came to view the products of the gardeners' sweat and toil. Although the event was halted for a time in the following Taisho Period, it resumed just prior to the start of the Showa-era in 1925.

http://www.asagaoroad.com/ (Japanese only)

Hozuki Ichi

Hozuki Ichi

- Sensoji, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Saturday July 9th - Sunday 10th

If somebody visits Sensoji on July 10th, they are said to receive credit for many more visits than the one they are then making. The Hozuki Ichi on this day and the market open in the large precincts of Sensoji therefore make July 10th an especially good time to make the journey as visitors can then purchase potted hozuki (ground cherries) as a good luck charm to take home. Approximately 200 stalls line the sides of the temple grounds during the event.

Sumidagawa Hanabi

Sumidagawa Hanabi

- The first venue: From Sakurabashi to Kototoibashi, Tokyo
- The second venue: From Komagatabashi to Umayabashi, Tokyo
- Saturday July 30th

The Sumidagawa Hanabi Fireworks display originated as the Ryogoku Hanabi (festival) in 1733 making this display over 270 years old. Today's version of the display features some 20,000 fireworks and over 900,000 people visit the venues in search of the mid-summer and seemingly impossible to find 'Edo cool.'

Tokyo Bay Daihanabi Sai

Tokyo Bay Daihanabi Sai

- Toyomi Undo Koen, Harumi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
- 7pm - 8.20pm, Saturday August 13th

12,000 fireworks will be released in Tokyo Bay on Saturday August 13th to illuminate the night sky of Tokyo. Seeing skyscrapers on the waterfront, Rainbow Bridge and various views of Odaiba all affected by the beauty of the fireworks is a fun way to pass an evening.

Koenji Awaodori

Koenji Awaodori

- From the South Exit of Koenji Station to Ome Kaido Street (Suginami-ku, Tokyo)
- 6.30pm - 9.30pm, Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th August (Eve: 6pm - 8pm, Friday August 26th)

The Koenji Awaodori is the largest Awaodori dancing event in eastern Japan and features 600 dancers from 80 groups. A new Tokyo version of the dance is blended to the traditional musical accompaniment and the influential dancing of Tokushima, home of Awaodori.

http://www.koenji-awaodori.com/ (Japanese only)

Asakusa Samba Carnival

Asakusa Samba Carnival

- From Umamichi Dori to Kaminarimon Dori, Asakusa, Tokyo
- Saturday August 27th

Energetic dancers wearing bright costumes dance to the strong sounds of samba throughout the Asakusa Samba Carnival held in the "Shitamachi" area of eastern Tokyo each summer. Dancers, competing to have their moves recognized as the best of the bunch, attract 450,000 onlookers to the streets of Asakusa.