"Our Tokyo" Tokyo's Location

Where is Tokyo in Japan?

Do you know where Tokyo is, on a map of Japan? Japan is roughly divided into eight regions. North to south, they are Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu・Okinawa. Tokyo sits within the Kanto region; approximately in the center of the country. Kanto may be referred to as "Itto Rokken" (一都六県); the metropolis and the six prefectures. This is due to the fact that it is composed of the Tokyo metropolis as well as the six prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Gunma, and Tochigi. Collectively, this may also be referred to as the "Tokyo metropolitan area" (首都圏 / "Shutoken"). Have you heard that term in a weather or news report? In truth, this area is known by many names. The term "Tokyo metropolitan area" (首都圏 / "Shutoken") is also often used in reports of typhoons and earthquakes.

Is Tokyo Wide or Narrow?

Measured from its easternmost to westernmost points, Tokyo looks wide. Its eastern region is home to twenty-three special wards. There, we find a high concentration of schools, companies, and important national organizations. In its western region, we find the Tama area; with abundant nature, mountains, and lakes. This area is also divided into twenty-six cities, five towns, and eight villages. Within Tokyo's borders, we also find many islands; including the Izu islands, and the Ogasawara islands; the latter being one-thousand kilometers away from the mainland.

Tokyo's acreage is smaller than any of the prefectures in Kanto, and it is actually the third smallest in Japan. By stark contrast, 13,940,000 people live in Tokyo; roughly one out of every nine denizens of this country; given that the population of Japan was 125,480,000 people as of March 2021.

"Do you Know What a ‘Train Delay Certificate' Is?"

Because so many people live in Tokyo, trains tend to be quite crowded during the hours when people are headed to work or to school. Trains tend to run on time, however - due to accidents and other trouble – delays sometimes happen. Announcements in regards to the delays may be heard from speakers in trains and in stations, so please remain alert. When a train is late due to some manner of trouble, you may obtain a "Train Delay Certificate" (遅延証明書/"Chien Shomeisho" ) from the train company. When in possession of one of these certificates, you will not be judged as being late for school or for work. They may be obtained from the station staff, or be downloaded from the train company's HP.