Tokyo history

History of Tokyo

Tokyo is one of the most admired cities today. A peep into the history of the city is as interesting as the city itself. About 400 years ago, Tokyo was called Edo. Ota Dokan built the Edo Castle there. This era is known as the Edo era in Tokyo history. Edo or Tokyo was a small fishing village then. It was in the year 1590 when Ieyasu Tokugawa won the battle of Sekigahara and took the control over Japan. He ruled the country through his unofficial capital Edo and established the government in the year 1603.

During the reign of the Ieyasu, the city flourished and became as one of the most important cities of the east. The rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate family remained for around 250 years. These were the days of peace and development in the history of Tokyo. It was when in the year 1853 that an American General Perry turned his eyes to Tokyo. He raged a war against Edo and demanded free trade. It was now when the Meiji restoration took place.

The Meiji restoration ended the imperial rule in Edo. In the year 1868, the ruler of Japan officially declared Edo as the capital of Japan. He renamed Edo as Tokyo. This era is known as the early Showa Era. During this era, Tokyo saw much modernization. The people of Tokyo adapted western culture in full fledge. The buildings and the industries in Tokyo saw a western effect. The city seemed to head on a path of success and it seemed that there is no looking back. But the destiny planned something else for the city.

In the year 1923, a severe earth quake hit the city. It was one of the worst calamities seen by any city. It took the life of more than 140,000 people. Most of the buildings of the city got demolished. The Herculean task of developing the city once again had to be carried out. Slowly, things started heading smoothly.

It was in the Second World War that Tokyo had to face hardships again. In its war with America, it had to face severe bombings that caused great loss to life and property. Tokyo came under the Americans after the surrender of Japan in the year 1945.

After the year 1945 to the present date, the era is known as the present Showa and Heisei era. Japan got its new constitution in the year 1947 and it regained its independence in the year 1952. The sixties and seventies saw huge industrial growth in Tokyo. But the economy saw some severities in the nineties. Today, the economy of Tokyo is returning back to pace and Tokyo is flourishing as one of the major cities of the world.