Advances in Food Science, Processing and Technology

Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan located on the island of Honshu and is the focus of the vast metropolitan area often called Greater Tokyo, the largest urban and industrial agglomeration in Japan. The city is built on low, alluvial plains and adjacent upland hills. The climate is mild in winter and hot and humid in the summer. Early summer and early autumn are rainy seasons; two or three typhoons usually occur during September and October.

The metropolitan area is the largest industrial, commercial, and financial centre in Japan. Many domestic and international financial institutions and other businesses are headquartered in central Tokyo. The city is an important wholesale centre, where goods from all parts of the country and the world are distributed. Tokyo is part of the Keihin Industrial Zone, centred on the western shore of the bay, which has become the country’s leading manufacturing region. Light and labour-intensive industries predominate in the city, notably printing and publishing and the manufacture of electronic equipment.

Tokyo has many sight-seeing spots, but very few of them are old. There are very few buildings in Tokyo that are more than 50 years old. Popular places for visitors range from Tokyo Tower in the center of the city to Mount Takao out in the western countryside. Tokyo Skytree is a new tower and is the tallest in Japan. Traditional religious sights such as Meiji Shrine and Sensō-ji attract many tourists. The Imperial Palace can be seen in the middle of the city, but is not open to the public.

Tokyo is the cultural, business, and political center of the country. It is also the center of many transport systems. Two commercial airports serve Tokyo. Haneda Airport is in the city limits next to Tokyo Bay. Several Shinkansen super-express railway lines begin at Tokyo Station, including the Tōkaidō Shinkansen going west and Tōhoku Shinkansen going northeast. Many highways meet in Tokyo, including: the Chūō, Kan-Etsu, Tōhoku, and Tōmei Expressways. All highway distances in Japan start from zero at a marker in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.