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Tokyo Facts & Worksheets

Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan. It is officially named and governed as Tokyo Metropolis, a metropolitan prefecture which is a unique merge of a city and a prefecture.

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Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan. It is officially named and governed as Tokyo Metropolis, a metropolitan prefecture which is a unique merge of a city and a prefecture. It is one of the world’s most densely populated cities. The city is a perfect mix of modern and traditional living.

See the fact file below for more information on the Tokyo or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Tokyo worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

  • The original name of Tokyo is Edo which means estuary.
  • Edo was changed to Tokyo in 1868 before it officially became the capital city in 1869.
  • Tokyo is a combination of the words “to” (meaning east) and “kyo” ( meaning capital).

HISTORY

  • In the late 1200s, Edo was a small fishing village and was fortified by the Edo clan.
  • In 1603, Edo was named as such when it became the headquarters of Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu.
  • Emperor Meiji moved his seat from Kyoto to Edo in 1868 and that’s how it became the new capital of Japan.
  • On July 1943, the former Tokyo Prefecture merged with the city of Tokyo and formed the Tokyo Metropolis.
  • Tokyo has 62 municipalities and 23 wards.
  • Tokyo made a record in 1962 when it became the first city in the world to have a population of over 10 million.
  • There are more than a hundred universities and colleges in Tokyo.
  • The main language spoken in Tokyo is Japanese.
  • Buddhism, Christianity, and Shintoism are the top religions practiced in Tokyo.
  • Tokyo is earthquake-prone: major earthquakes have happened in the years 1703, 1782, 1812, 1855, 1923, and 2011.
  • The 1923 earthquake in Tokyo caused around 142,000 deaths.
  • Tokyo was rebuilt to have more protection from the disasters of a quake after the Second World War.
  • Because of the combined damage of the earthquake and World War II, most architectural wonders in Tokyo are new.
  • The literacy rate in Tokyo is very high, going up to more than 90%.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

  • Tokyo is part of the Kantō region which is located on the southeastern side of Honshu island.
  • Tokyo covers a land area of around 2,188 square kilometers.
  • Also included in the Tokyo Metropolis are the Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands.
  • Tokyo is situated in the humid subtropical climate zone making it susceptible to humid summers and really cold winters.
  • Snow occurs almost every year.

HIGHLIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS

  • Tokyo Tower is an observation and communication tower in Tokyo that was modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
  • Shibuya Crossing is rumored to be the busiest crossing in the entire world, with up to 2,500 pedestrians crossing at the same time.
  • The Imperial Place is a top tourist attraction but most of its areas are closed to the public except during New Year and the Emperor’s Birthday.
  • Mount Takao on the western outskirts of Tokyo is the world’s most popular mountain to hike, as 2.6 million people visit the mountain each year.
  • At the end of hiking Mount Takao, visitors are welcomed by an udon shop and beer garden.
  • The Harajuku district is known for alternative street fashion and shops for creatives.
  • Tsukiji Market was the busiest seafood market in the world. It closed and moved to Toyosu Market in October 2018.
  • Tokyo Skytree was the world’s tallest tower in 2010.
  • The Golden Gai district in Shinjuku, Tokyo is popular for its picture-perfect night life with more than 250 bars in the area.
  • The Ginza district, which is likened to New York’s Times Square, is Tokyo’s most iconic and busiest shopping area.
  • Ryogoku district is known for sumo wrestling as it is home to the Ryogoku Sumo Hall where sumo wrestling tournaments take place as well as the Sumo Museum.
  • There are numerous museums in Tokyo that house artifacts of the city, such as the Tokyo National Museum and the Sumo Museum.

TOURISM AND ECONOMY

  • Tourism is a big contributor to Tokyo’s economy.
  • Tokyo is a great city to shop in because of its tax-free shopping available to tourists.
  • In Tokyo, capsule hotels, which are small, comfortable refrigerator-like rooms for travelers, are popular.
  • Tokyo is the largest domestic and international hub for rail and ground transport in Japan.
  • The national symbol of Japan is the cherry blossom, and Tokyo hosts its famous Cherry Blossom festival annually.
  • Because of clouds and fog, Mount Fuji can only be visibly seen less than 80 days a year.
  • Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disneyland outside of the United States that was constructed.

TRIVIA

  • The Greater Tokyo Area was ranked as the world’s most populous metropolitan area in 2018.
  • The Shinjuku station in Tokyo is the busiest rail station in the world. More than 3.6 million passengers pass through Shinjuku station on any given day.
  • Tokyo is home to many top-rated restaurants, including 14 Michelin three-star restaurants, surpassing any other city.
  • Tokyo has one of the lowest crime rates per capita of any major city in the world.
  • Vending machines can be found everywhere in Tokyo at short distances from each other.
  • It can get really busy in Tokyo’s railway stations to the point that employees called ‘pushers’ are assigned to push people into the trains when it’s rush hours.
  • Tokyo has more neon signs than any other city – some streets are filled with neon signs.
  • Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics and will again host the Summer Olympics in 2020 as well as the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
  • Tokyo will also host the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Tokyo Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Tokyo across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Tokyo worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Tokyo which is the capital and largest city of Japan. It is officially named and governed as Tokyo Metropolis, a metropolitan prefecture which is a unique merge of a city and a prefecture. It is one of the world’s most densely populated cities. The city is a perfect mix of modern and traditional living.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Tokyo Facts
  • The History of Tokyo
  • Tokyo Tweets
  • Sight Sketching
  • Fill In The Trivia
  • Describe The Area
  • According To Some
  • Japanese Blossoms
  • Fashion Police
  • Comparing Cities
  • A Trip To Tokyo

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Link will appear as Tokyo Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 16, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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