Country

Japan

Also Known As Nippon

Eastern Asia

An archipelago nation off the eastern coast of the Asian mainland, comprising four main islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, and thousands of smaller ones. Its Heian period (794 to 1185), centered on the imperial capital at Heian-kyo, present-day Kyoto, produced a highly refined aristocratic court culture that gave rise to some of the earliest and most fully realized works of Japanese prose literature. This is the home setting Murasaki Shikibu and The Tale of Genji are described against in the Literature atlas.

Facts

Capital

Tokyo 2

Formerly Edo; became the imperial capital in 1868, replacing Kyoto.

Population

122,587,000 2

Britannica 2026 estimate. The atlas own earlier region-era figure, 123,900,000, is not overwritten; this population-year fact dates THIS value specifically.

Population Estimate Year

2026 2

Area (sq km)

377,975 2

Total land area across the four main islands and thousands of smaller ones.

Classification

Sovereignty Status

UN Member State 1

Japan

Cities

113 entries

Subregion

Country (Contained By)

Continent

Population Band

Capital Status

Founding Era

Showing 1 to 50 of 113 in Cities, page 1 of 3.

FAQs

What was Tokyo called before it became the capital of Japan?

Tokyo was called Edo until 1868, when it was renamed eastern capital in contrast to Kyoto, the earlier capital to the west.

Tokyo was originally known as Edo, a name meaning estuary that came from the city's position on a bay. In 1868 the name was changed to Tokyo, which means eastern capital. The new name was chosen as a contrast to Kyoto, the previous capital, which lies to the west.

Connections

Associated With

Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Aichi Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Chiba Prefecture

East Asia

Fukuoka

Source Fukuoka (Wikipedia)

Fukuoka Prefecture

Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Fukuoka Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Gifu Prefecture

Hiroshima

Source Hiroshima (Wikipedia)

Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Hiroshima Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Hokkaido

Hokkaido is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Hokkaido (Wikipedia)

Hyogo Prefecture

Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Hyogo Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Ibaraki Prefecture

Kanagawa Prefecture

Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Kanagawa Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Kawasaki

Source Kawasaki (Wikipedia)

Kobe

Source Kobe (Wikipedia)

Kumamoto Prefecture

Kyoto

This source names Japan directly: "basin in the Kansai region of Honshu, Japan, ringed by mountains that historically limited its growth and gave the city its grid-planned layout, modeled on the Chinese capital Chang'an when it was..."

Source Encyclopaedia Britannica

Kyoto

This source names Kyoto directly: "capital at Heian-kyo, present-day Kyoto, produced a highly refined aristocratic court culture that gave rise to some of the earliest and most fully realized works of Japanese prose literature."

Source Encyclopaedia Britannica

Kyoto Prefecture

Kyoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Kyoto Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Miyagi Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture

Nagoya

Nagoya is a city in Japan.

Source Nagoya (Wikipedia)

Niigata Prefecture

Okayama Prefecture

Osaka

Osaka is a city in Japan.

Source Osaka (Wikipedia)

Osaka Prefecture

Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Osaka Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Sagamihara

Sagamihara is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Source Sagamihara (Wikipedia)

Saitama

Source Saitama (Wikipedia)

Saitama Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan.

Source Saitama Prefecture (Wikipedia)

Sapporo

Source Sapporo (Wikipedia)

Shizuoka Prefecture

Taiwan

Japan lies to the northeast.

Source Taiwan (Wikipedia)

Tokyo

Tokyo is Japan's capital.

Source Tokyo (Wikipedia)

Tokyo

Source Tokyo (Wikipedia)

Yokohama

Yokohama is a city in Japan.

Source Yokohama (Wikipedia)

Yokosuka

Yokosuka is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Source Yokosuka (Wikipedia)

Bordered By Water

Has Capital

Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan.

Source Tokyo (Wikipedia)

Long-Form Articles

The Sea That Opened Behind It

In the Other Atlases

Has Member

Group of Eight (G8)

Also in Economics Atlas: a member of this subject.

Nationals Include

Ichiro Nakagawa

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: a national of this subject.

Masanobu Fukuoka

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Masanobu Fukuoka

Shoichi Nakagawa

Also in Agriculture and Farming Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Shoichi Nakagawa

Fumihiko Maki

Also in Architecture and Design Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Fumihiko Maki (Pritzker Architecture Prize)Laureate page, announcement

Quote, Laureate page, announcement

Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki

Kenzo Tange

Also in Architecture and Design Atlas: a national of this subject.

Tadao Ando

Also in Architecture and Design Atlas: a national of this subject.

Akira Kurosawa

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Chiharu Shiota

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Chiharu Shiota

Chikamatsu Monzaemon

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Chikamatsu Monzaemon

Daido Moriyama

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Hakuin Ekaku

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Getty Research Institute, Union List of Artist Names: Hakuin Ekaku (Japanese monk and painter, 1685 or 1686-1768)Record display

Quote, Record display

Hakuin, Ekaku (Japanese monk and painter, 1685 or 1686-1768)

Hibari Misora

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Hokusai

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Isamu Noguchi

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Isamu Noguchi

Kaikei

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Getty Research Institute, Union List of Artist Names: Kaikei (Japanese sculptor, active 1183-1223)Record display

Quote, Record display

Kaikei (Japanese sculptor, active 1183-1223)

Kanjiro Kawai

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Kanjiro Kawai

Kanō Tan'yū

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Kawase Hasui

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Kazuo Ohno

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Kenzo Tange

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Kitagawa Utamaro

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikipedia: UtamaroLead sentence 1

Quote, Lead sentence 1

Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿; Japanese pronunciation: [ɯ.ta.ma.ɾo], c. 1753 – 31 October 1806) was a Japanese artist.

Kitaoji Rosanjin

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Kitaoji Rosanjin

Kobayashi Eitaku

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Kobayashi Eitaku (Wikipedia)Lead sentence

Quote, Lead sentence

Kobayashi Eitaku (小林永濯, 22 April 1843 – 27 May 1890) was a Japanese artist and illustrator specializing in ukiyo-e and nihonga.

Nishikawa Sukenobu

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Ogata Kenzan

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Ogata Kenzan

Sada Yacco

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Sesshu Toyo

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Sesshu Toyo

Shikō Munakata

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Shoji Hamada

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Sori Yanagi

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Suzuki Harunobu

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Suzuki HarunobuLead sentence 1

Quote, Lead sentence 1

Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese: 鈴木春信; c. 1725 – 8 July 1770) was a Japanese designer of woodblock print art in the ukiyo-e style.

Tadao Ando

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Tani Bunchō

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Tani Bunchō (Wikipedia)Lead

Quote, Lead

Tani Bunchō (谷文晁; October 15, 1763 – January 6, 1841) was a Japanese literati (bunjin) painter and poet.

Tatsumi Hijikata

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Torii Kiyonaga

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Toru Takemitsu

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Toshiko MacAdam

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Toshusai Sharaku

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikipedia: SharakuLead sentence 1

Quote, Lead sentence 1

Tōshūsai Sharaku (東洲斎写楽; Japanese pronunciation: [toː.ɕɯꜜː.sai | ɕaꜜ.ɾa.kɯ], fl. 1794–1795) was a Japanese ukiyo-e print designer, known for his portraits of kabuki actors.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Unkei

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Utagawa Hiroshige

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Hiroshige, WikipediaLead sentence 1

Quote, Lead sentence 1

Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川広重) or Andō Hiroshige (安藤広重), born Andō Tokutarō (安藤徳太郎; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.

Utagawa Kunisada

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Utagawa Kunisada (Wikipedia)Lead sentence

Quote, Lead sentence

Utagawa Kunisada (Japanese: 歌川国貞; 1786 – 12 January 1865), also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III (三代歌川豊国, Sandai Utagawa Toyokuni), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist.

Utagawa Kuniteru

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Getty Research Institute, Union List of Artist Names: Utagawa Kuniteru (Japanese illustrator and printmaker, ca. 1830-1874)Record display

Quote, Record display

Utagawa Kuniteru (Japanese illustrator and printmaker, ca. 1830-1874)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Yasujiro Ozu

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Yasujiro Ozu

Yayoi Kusama

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Yayoi Kusama

Zeami Motokiyo

Also in Arts and Music Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Zeami Motokiyo

Akio Morita

Also in Business Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Akio Morita - WikipediaLead sentence 1

Quote, Lead sentence 1

Akio Morita (盛田昭夫, Morita Akio; January 26, 1921 – October 3, 1999) was a Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony along with Masaru Ibuka.

Den Kenjiro

Also in Business Atlas: a national of this subject.

Kaoru Ishikawa

Also in Business Atlas: a national of this subject.

Source Wikipedia, Kaoru IshikawaLead sentence 1tier 2

Quote, Lead sentence 1

Kaoru Ishikawa (石川馨, Ishikawa Kaoru; July 13, 1915 – April 16, 1989) was a Japanese organizational theorist and a professor in the engineering faculty at the University of Tokyo who was noted for his quality management innovations.

Showing 1 to 50 of 308 in Nationals Include, page 1 of 7.

Origin Of

Robatayaki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Sake

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1

Sake Brewing

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Sake (Wikipedia)tier 3

Salt bread

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Shabu Shabu

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Shabu-shabu

Shirataki Noodles

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Shochu

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Shochu, Wikipedia

Soba

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Soba (Wikipedia)

Soki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Soy Sauce Fermentation

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Soy sauce (Wikipedia)tier 2

Sukiyaki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Sukiyaki (Wikipedia)tier 3

Surimi

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Surimi (Wikipedia)

Sushi

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1

Takoyaki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Tangzhong

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Tangzhong (Wikidata)

Tataki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Tea Ceremony

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source The Oxford Companion to FoodAlan Davidsontier 1

Tempura

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Tempura (Wikipedia)tier 3

Teppanyaki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Teriyaki

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Teriyaki (Wikipedia)

Tobiko

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Tobiko (Wikipedia)

Tonkatsu

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Tonkatsu Sauce

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Udon

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Udon (Wikipedia)

Unadon

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Wasabi

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Yakiniku

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Yakiniku (Wikipedia)

Yakitori

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Zosui

Also in Food and Drink Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Charter Oath

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Charter Oath

Convention of Kanagawa

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Convention of Kanagawa

Emperor Meiji

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Emperor Meiji

Empress Jito

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Empress Koken

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Iwasaki Yataro

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Iwasaki Yataro

Japanese Instrument of Surrender

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Japanese Instrument of Surrender

Jigoro Kano

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Jigoro Kano

Koxinga

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Koxinga

Minamoto no Yoritomo

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Minamoto no Yoritomo

Oda Nobunaga

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Oda Nobunaga

Sakichi Toyoda

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Sakichi Toyoda

Surrender of Japan

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Tokugawa Ieyasu

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Treaty of Shimoda

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Treaty of Shimoda

Tripartite Pact

Also in History Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source Wikidata: Tripartite Pact

Hiragana

Also in Language Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Katakana

Also in Language Atlas: which originated in this subject.

1Q84

Also in Literature Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Source 1Q84 (Wikipedia)tier 2

Akahon

Also in Literature Atlas: which originated in this subject.

Showing 151 to 200 of 280 in Origin Of, page 4 of 6.