Historical Timeline of Tokyo

Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

• Edo Castle (1603): Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu established Edo (now Tokyo) as his base, which kicked off Edo era. Edo Castle served as the headquarters of Tokugawa shogunate.

• Great Fire of Meireki (1657): A devastating fire that destroyed much of Edo, leading to redesign of the city including wider streets and firefighting measures.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

• Meiji Restoration (1868): Capital moved from Kyoto to Edo and city was renamed Tokyo. The emperor's residence was moved to Edo Castle, renamed the Imperial Palace.

• First Tokyo Olympics (1912): Tokyo was supposed to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, but they were moved to Helsinki because of Japan's invasions of China.

Showa Era (1926-1989)

• Great Kanto Earthquake (1923): One of the most severe earthquakes in Japanese history, it ravaged Tokyo and led to the reconstruction of the city.

• World War II (1941-1945): Tokyo was heavily bombed during the war, causing extensive destruction.

• Postwar Reconstruction (1945 onwards): Tokyo underwent major rebuild after World War II, rising to become one of the world's foremost metropolises.

Heisei Era (1989-2019)

• Bubble Economy (1986-1991): Tokyo experienced a period of extreme economic growth, resulting in high property values and a boost in construction.

• Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack (1995): A major terrorist attack launched on the Tokyo subway by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult.

Reiwa Era (2019 to present)

• Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Initially scheduled for 2020, this international sporting event was postponed to 2021 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.