Timeline of Tokyo facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of Tokyo, Japan.

Prior to 19th century

History of Japan

Paleolithic 35000–10000 BCE Jōmon period 10000–300 BCE Yayoi period 300 BCE–250 CE Kofun period 250–538 Asuka period 538–710 Nara period 710–794 Heian period 794–1185 Kamakura period 1185–1333 Kemmu restoration 1333–1336 Muromachi period 1333–1573 Nanboku-chō period 1336–1392 Sengoku period Azuchi-Momoyama period 1568–1603 Nanban trade Edo period 1603–1868 Late Tokugawa shogunate Meiji period 1868–1912 Meiji Restoration Taishō period 1912–1926 Japan in WWI Shōwa period 1926–1989 Japanese expansionism Occupied Japan Post-Occupation Japan Heisei period 1989-present

• 1457 - Edo Castle built.
• 1634 - Sankin-kōtai policy established.
• 1657 - March 2: Great Fire of Meireki occurs.
• 1682 - 1682 Edo fire [ja].
• 1698 - 1698 Edo fire [ja].
• 1707 - December: Eruption of Mount Fuji; ash falls on Edo.
• 1721 - "First population census conducted (Edo’s population about 1.3 million)."

19th century

• 1853
  • July 8: American Perry Expedition arrives in Edo Bay.
  • Odaiba island forts built in Edo Bay.
  • Hanayashiki garden opens.
• 1855 - November 11: 1855 Edo earthquake occurs.
• 1856 - Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo published.
• 1868 - Edo renamed "Tokyo."
• 1869
  • Japanese imperial capital relocated to Tokyo from Kyoto.
  • Tokyo Shôkonsha (shrine) established.
  • Yokohama-Tokyo telegraph begins operating.
• 1871 - Esaki Reiji photo studio in business.
• 1872
  • Yushima Seido Exposition is held
  • October: Yokohama-Tokyo railroad begins operating.
  • Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun (newspaper) begins publication.
  • "Ordinances aimed at the civilizing of the populace are enacted in Tokyo."
  • Imperial Library headquartered in Tokyo.
• 1873 - Dai-Ichi Kokuritsu Bank established.
• 1874 - Aoyama Gakuin school and Saint Paul's school established.
• 1877
  • University of Tokyo and Fifteen Bank [ja] established.
  • National Industrial Exhibition held.
• 1880 - Mitsubishi Bank and Yasuda Bank established.
• 1881
  • Tokyo Imperial Museum built.
  • Tokyo Vocational School founded.
• 1882
  • Bank of Japan headquartered in city.
  • Ueno Zoo opens.
• 1884 - Railway Yamanote Line begins operating.
• 1886 - "First fixed advertising billboard in Tokyo" installed.
• 1887 - Tokyo School of Art [ja] founded.
• 1888
  • Tokyo Asahi Shimbun (newspaper) begins publication.
  • Tokyo Observatory [ja] established.
• 1889
  • "Tokyo City and 15 wards established."
  • Kabuki-za (theatre) opens.
• 1890
  • Telephone begins operating.
  • Population: 1,155,290.
• 1894 - Tokyo-fu Government Building constructed in Marunouchi.
• 1897 - March: Motion picture first shown.

20th century

1900s-1940s

• 1901 - Tokyo Photography Circle (club) formed.
• 1902 - Industrial Bank of Japan headquartered in city.
• 1903
  • Electric tram begins operating.
  • Electric Hall (cinema) opens.
• 1905 - September 5: Hibiya Incendiary Incident occurs.
• 1906 - Harajuku Station opens.
• 1907 - Tokyo Industrial Exhibition held.
• 1910 - Luna Park opens.
• 1911 - Imperial Theatre opens.
• 1914
  • December: Central Station opens.
  • Taisho Exposition held.
• 1916 - Tokyo Photographers Guild established.
• 1917 - Asakusa Opera [ja] active.
• 1918
  • Rice riot occurs.
  • Neon light installed in Ginza.
• 1920
  • Meiji Shrine built.
  • Population: 3,699,428.
• 1921 - November 4: Japanese prime minister Takashi Hara assassinated.
• 1923 - September 1: 1923 Great Kantō earthquake occurs.
• 1925 - Tokyo Broadcasting Station [ja] begins operating.
• 1926
  • "Public apartment housing" built.
  • NHK Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum established.
• 1927 - Tokyo Underground Railway begins operating between Asakusa and Ueno.
• 1928 - Daiba Park [ja] opens in Tokyo Bay.
• 1929 - Tokyo March song/film become popular.
• 1930 - Population: 4,986,913.
• 1931 - Haneda Airport begins operating.
• 1933 - Dai-Ichi Seimei Building constructed.
• 1934
  • Yomiuri Giants baseball team formed.
  • Hibiya Theatre [ja] opens.
• 1936
  • Konishiroku Honten in business.
  • Japanese Folk Crafts Museum founded.
• 1937 - Korakuen Stadium opens.
• 1938 - Rikugi-en (park) opens.
• 1940 - Population: 6,778,804.
• 1941
  • Port of Tokyo opens.
  • Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo opens.
• 1942 - April: Bombing of Tokyo by US forces begins.
• 1943 - "Metropolitan administration system established."
• 1945
  • 10 March: A major air attack kills 90,000 to 100,000 people and destroys a quarter of the city's buildings
  • August: Bombing of Tokyo by US forces ends.
  • Japan Savings Bank [ja] established.
  • Population: 3,488,284.
• 1946 - Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal begins.
• 1947
  • Seiichirō Yasui elected governor.
  • 23 Special wards of Tokyo created.
• 1948 - National Diet Library headquartered in Tokyo.

1950s-1990s

• 1950 - Population: 6,277,500.
• 1955
  • Tokyo International Trade Fair begins.
  • Population: 6,966,499.
• 1956 - City hosts the 1956 World Judo Championships.
• 1958
  • Japanese National Stadium opens.
  • May: 1958 Asian Games held in Tokyo.
  • November: City hosts the 1958 World Judo Championships.
• 1961
  • Suntory Art Museum [ja] opens.
  • Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishôken ramen shop in business.

1964 Summer Olympics closing ceremony

• 1964
  • Tōkaidō Shinkansen (hi-speed train) begins operating;
  • October: 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo.
  • Tokyo 12 Channel TV begins broadcasting.
  • Hotel New Otani Tokyo built.
• 1967
  • January: City hosts the 1967 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship.
  • Yoyogi Park created.
• 1968
  • Kasumigaseki Building (hi-rise) built.
  • Ramen Jiro eatery in business.
• 1969 - "Tokyo Metropolitan Pollution Control Ordinance [ja] enacted."
• 1971 - Keio Plaza Hotel (hi-rise) built.
• 1971 - The Zengakuren demonstrate in Tokyo against terms for the return of Okinawa from US to Japanese control.
• 1972 - Nakagin Capsule Tower built.
• 1973 - Tokyo Metropolitan Library opens.
• 1975
  • Ward mayoral election held.
  • Population: 8,640,000 city; 11,622,651 urban agglomeration.
• 1979 - June: 5th G7 summit held in city.
• 1988
  • Tokyo Dome (stadium) opens.
  • Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome established.
• 1989 - Bunkamura cultural venue opens.
• 1991 - Metropolitan government relocates to new building in Shinjuku.
• 1993
  • Rainbow Bridge opens.
  • DN Tower 21 built.
• 1995 - March 20: Tokyo subway sarin attack.
• 1996 - Tokyo Big Sight convention centre opens.
• 2000 - Population: 8,130,408.

21st century

• 2001
  • 10 March: Tokyo Stadium open.
  • October: Asian Network of Major Cities 21 meets in Tokyo.
• 2002 - Tokyo International Anime Fair begins.
• 2004 - ShinGinkō Tokyo [ja] bank established.
• 2005 - Tokyo Metropolitan University established.
• 2006 - Czech Centre in Tokyo opens.
• 2007
  • Tokyo Marathon begins.
  • Midtown Tower built.
  • Shinjuku Wald 9 cinema in business.
• 2008 - C40 environmental group meets in Tokyo.
• 2010 - City hosts the 2010 World Judo Championships.
• 2011
  • 11 March: 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami occurs and seriously Fukushima nuclear disaster.
  • 17 November: Polish Institute in Tokyo founded (see also Japan–Poland relations).

Tokyo Skytree

• 2012
  • Tokyo Gate Bridge opens.
  • Tokyo Skytree tower built.
• 2013 - September: Tokyo chosen as site of the future 2020 Summer Olympics.
• 2014
  • Toranomon Hills (hi-rise) built.
  • Yoichi Masuzoe elected governor.
• 2016 - Yuriko Koike elected governor.
• 2017
  • 25 November: Musashino Forest Sport Plaza open.
• 2019
  • August: Oi Hockey Stadium open.
  • August–September: City hosts the 2019 World Judo Championships.
  • October: Ariake Gymnastics Centre open.
  • 28 November-1 December: 2019 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships held.
  • New Japan National Stadium open.
  • Hungarian Cultural Center in Tokyo opened (see also Hungary–Japan relations).
• 2020
  • 24 January: First confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo.
  • 3 February: Ariake Arena open.
  • March: Ultimately postponement of 2020 Summer Olympics to July 2021 announced due to COVID-19 concerns.
  • October: Tokyo Aquatics Centre open.
• 2021
  • 2020 Summer Olympics held.
  • 2020 Summer Paralympics held.