Timeline of Tokyo facts for kids

Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, has a long and exciting history! It started as a small fishing village and grew into one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world. This timeline will take you on a journey through the most important moments in Tokyo's past, from ancient times to today. You'll learn about big changes, famous buildings, and how the city became the amazing place it is now.

Tokyo's Early Days (Before the 1800s)

• 1457 - A famous castle called Edo Castle was built. This was a very important building in the area that would become Tokyo.
• 1634 - A rule called Sankin-kōtai started. It made powerful lords live in Edo (old Tokyo) for part of the year. This helped Edo grow.
• 1657 - March 2: A huge fire, known as the Great Fire of Meireki, swept through Edo. It caused a lot of damage.
• 1682 - Another big fire happened in Edo.
• 1698 - Yet another fire, called the Chokugaku Kaji, affected the city.
• 1707 - December: Mount Fuji erupted! Ash from the volcano fell all over Edo.
• 1721 - The first official count of people in Edo happened. The city had about 1.3 million people, which was a huge number for that time!

Tokyo in the 1800s: Big Changes Begin

• 1853
  • July 8: American ships, led by Commodore Perry, arrived in Edo Bay. This event opened Japan to the rest of the world.
  • Odaiba island forts were built in Edo Bay to protect the city.
  • The Hanayashiki garden, a fun place for people to visit, opened.
• 1855 - November 11: A strong earthquake hit Edo.
• 1856 - A famous artist named Hiroshige published his amazing woodblock prints called One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, showing scenes of the city.
• 1868 - The city of Edo was officially renamed "Tokyo," which means "Eastern Capital."
• 1869
  • The Japanese emperor moved his home from Kyoto to Tokyo. This made Tokyo the new capital of Japan.
  • The Tokyo Shôkonsha (a special shrine) was built.
  • The first telegraph line between Yokohama and Tokyo started working, allowing faster communication.
• 1871 - The Esaki Reiji photo studio opened, where people could get their pictures taken.
• 1872
  • The Yushima Seido Exposition was held, showing off new ideas and products.
  • October: The first railroad line between Yokohama and Tokyo began operating, making travel much faster.
  • The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun newspaper started being published.
  • New rules were made to help make Tokyo a more modern and civilized city.
  • The Imperial Library was set up in Tokyo.
• 1873 - The Dai-Ichi Kokuritsu Bank, one of Japan's first modern banks, was created.
• 1874 - Two important schools, Aoyama Gakuin and Saint Paul's, were established.
• 1877
  • The University of Tokyo, a major university, was founded.
  • The National Industrial Exhibition was held, showcasing new industries and technologies.
• 1880 - Two more big banks, Mitsubishi Bank and Yasuda Bank, were started.
• 1881
  • The Tokyo Imperial Museum was built to display art and artifacts.
  • The Tokyo Vocational School, which taught practical skills, was founded.
• 1882
  • The Bank of Japan, the country's central bank, set up its main office in Tokyo.
  • The Ueno Zoo opened, becoming a popular attraction.
• 1884 - The Yamanote Line railway, which still circles Tokyo today, began operating.
• 1886 - The first permanent advertising billboard was put up in Tokyo.
• 1887 - The Tokyo School of Art was founded, teaching art to students.
• 1888
  • The Tokyo Asahi Shimbun newspaper began publishing.
  • The Tokyo Observatory was established to study stars and planets.
• 1889 - Tokyo was officially divided into a city and 15 wards (smaller areas).
  • The Kabuki-za theatre, famous for traditional Japanese plays, opened.
• 1890
  • Telephone services began in Tokyo.
  • The city's population was 1,155,290 people.
• 1894 - The Tokyo-fu Government Building was built in Marunouchi.
• 1897 - March: Motion pictures (movies!) were shown for the first time in Tokyo.

Tokyo in the 1900s: Growth, War, and Rebuilding

Early 1900s to 1940s

• 1901 - The Tokyo Photography Circle, a club for photographers, was formed.
• 1902 - The Industrial Bank of Japan set up its main office in Tokyo.
• 1903
  • Electric trams started running in the city, making public transport easier.
  • The Electric Hall cinema opened, showing movies.
• 1905 - September 5: The Hibiya Incendiary Incident occurred, a protest that turned into riots.
• 1906 - Harajuku Station, a well-known train station today, opened.
• 1907 - The Tokyo Industrial Exhibition was held.
• 1910 - Luna Park, an amusement park, opened.
• 1911 - The Imperial Theatre opened, hosting plays and performances.
• 1914
  • December: Central Station, a major train hub, opened.
  • The Taisho Exposition was held.
• 1916 - The Tokyo Photographers Guild was established.
• 1917 - The Asakusa Opera became popular.
• 1918
  • The Rice riot occurred due to high rice prices.
  • Neon lights were installed in Ginza, making the area bright at night.
• 1920
  • The Meiji Shrine, a beautiful and important shrine, was built.
  • Tokyo's population reached 3,699,428.
• 1921 - November 4: The Japanese prime minister, Takashi Hara, was sadly assassinated.
• 1923 - September 1: The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake struck, causing massive destruction and fires across Tokyo and the Kanto region.
• 1925 - The Tokyo Broadcasting Station began operating, starting radio broadcasts.
• 1926
  • "Public apartment housing" was built to help people find homes.
  • The NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum were established.
• 1927 - The Tokyo Underground Railway (subway) started running between Asakusa and Ueno.
• 1928 - The Daiba Park opened in Tokyo Bay.
• 1929 - The song and film Tokyo March became very popular.
• 1930 - The population of Tokyo grew to 4,986,913.
• 1931 - Haneda Airport began operating, connecting Tokyo to other cities by air.
• 1933 - The Dai-Ichi Seimei Building was constructed.
• 1934
  • The Yomiuri Giants baseball team was formed.
  • The Hibiya Theatre opened.
• 1936
  • Konishiroku Honten, a photography company, was in business.
  • The Japanese Folk Crafts Museum was founded.
• 1937 - Korakuen Stadium, a sports stadium, opened.
• 1938 - Rikugi-en, a beautiful traditional Japanese garden, opened to the public.
• 1940 - Tokyo's population reached 6,778,804.
• 1941
  • The Port of Tokyo opened, becoming an important shipping hub.
  • The Italian Cultural Institute opened in Tokyo.
• 1942 - April: The bombing of Tokyo by US forces began during World War II.
• 1943 - A new "metropolitan administration system" was created for Tokyo.
• 1945
  • March 10: A major air attack on Tokyo killed 90,000 to 100,000 people and destroyed a quarter of the city's buildings.
  • August: The bombing of Tokyo by US forces ended.
  • The Japan Savings Bank was established.
  • The population of Tokyo dropped significantly to 3,488,284 due to the war.
• 1946 - The Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal began, where trials were held for war crimes.
• 1947
  • Seiichirō Yasui was elected as the governor of Tokyo.
  • The 23 Special wards of Tokyo were created, which are like smaller cities within Tokyo.
• 1948 - The National Diet Library set up its main office in Tokyo.

1950s to 1990s: Recovery and Modernization

• 1950 - Tokyo's population began to recover, reaching 6,277,500.
• 1955
  • The Tokyo International Trade Fair began.
  • The population continued to grow, reaching 6,966,499.
• 1956 - Tokyo hosted the 1956 World Judo Championships.
• 1958
  • The Japanese National Stadium opened.
  • May: The 1958 Asian Games were held in Tokyo.
  • November: The city hosted the 1958 World Judo Championships again.
• 1961
  • The Suntory Art Museum opened.
  • The Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishôken ramen shop, a famous noodle restaurant, opened.

The closing ceremony of the 1964 Summer Olympics

• 1964
  • The Tōkaidō Shinkansen (bullet train) began operating, connecting Tokyo to other cities at very high speeds.
  • October: Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics, a huge international event.
  • Tokyo 12 Channel TV began broadcasting.
  • The Hotel New Otani Tokyo was built.
• 1967
  • January: Tokyo hosted the 1967 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship.
  • Yoyogi Park, a large public park, was created.
• 1968
  • The Kasumigaseki Building, one of Japan's first modern skyscrapers, was built.
  • The Ramen Jiro eatery, another popular ramen shop, opened.
• 1969 - The "Tokyo Metropolitan Pollution Control Ordinance" was put into law to help control pollution.
• 1971 - The Keio Plaza Hotel, another tall building, was constructed.
• 1971 - The Zengakuren student group held protests in Tokyo about the return of Okinawa from US control to Japan.
• 1972 - The unique Nakagin Capsule Tower was built.
• 1973 - The Tokyo Metropolitan Library opened.
• 1975
  • A mayoral election was held for the wards.
  • The population of Tokyo city was 8,640,000, and the larger urban area had 11,622,651 people.
• 1979 - June: Tokyo hosted the 5th G7 summit, a meeting of leaders from major world economies.
• 1988
  • The Tokyo Dome, a large stadium, opened.
  • The Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome, a botanical garden, was established.
• 1989 - Bunkamura, a cultural center with theaters and museums, opened.
• 1991 - The main metropolitan government office moved to a new building in Shinjuku.
• 1993
  • The Rainbow Bridge, a famous bridge over Tokyo Bay, opened.
  • The DN Tower 21 was built.
• 1995 - March 20: The Tokyo subway sarin attack occurred, a serious incident on the subway system.
• 1996 - The Tokyo Big Sight convention center opened.
• 2000 - Tokyo's population was 8,130,408.

Tokyo in the 21st Century: A Global City

• 2001
  • March 10: The Tokyo Stadium opened.
  • October: The Asian Network of Major Cities 21 met in Tokyo.
• 2002 - The Tokyo International Anime Fair began, celebrating Japanese animation.
• 2004 - The ShinGinkō Tokyo bank was established.
• 2005 - The Tokyo Metropolitan University was established.
• 2006 - The Czech Centre opened in Tokyo.
• 2007
  • The Tokyo Marathon began, a popular running event.
  • The Midtown Tower, a very tall building, was constructed.
  • The Shinjuku Wald 9 cinema opened.
• 2008 - The C40 environmental group met in Tokyo.
• 2010 - Tokyo hosted the 2010 World Judo Championships again.
• 2011
  • March 11: The Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami occurred, causing widespread damage and leading to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Tokyo felt the earthquake strongly.
  • November 17: The Polish Institute in Tokyo was founded.

The amazing Tokyo Skytree

• 2012
  • The Tokyo Gate Bridge opened.
  • The Tokyo Skytree tower, one of the tallest structures in the world, was built.
• 2013 - September: Tokyo was chosen to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
• 2014
  • Toranomon Hills, another high-rise building, was built.
  • Yoichi Masuzoe was elected as the governor of Tokyo.
• 2016 - Yuriko Koike was elected governor.
• 2017 - November 25: The Musashino Forest Sport Plaza opened.
• 2019
  • August: The Oi Hockey Stadium opened.
  • August–September: Tokyo hosted the 2019 World Judo Championships.
  • October: The Ariake Gymnastics Centre opened.
  • November 28-December 1: The 2019 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships were held.
  • The New Japan National Stadium opened.
  • The Hungarian Cultural Center in Tokyo opened.
• 2020
  • January 24: The first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in Tokyo.
  • February 3: The Ariake Arena opened.
  • March: The 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to July 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns.
  • October: The Tokyo Aquatics Centre opened.
• 2021
  • The 2020 Summer Olympics were finally held in Tokyo.
  • The 2020 Summer Paralympics were also held.