How did Edo become Tokyo?

Follow the story of how a small castle town became the shogun's capital, grew into one of the world's largest cities, and was renamed Tokyo in 1868.

Published October 20, 2026 at 9:55 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Tokugawa Ieyasu made Edo his base in 1590 and was named shogun in 1603, so Edo became the seat of the shogunate. After the Meiji Restoration ended the shogunate in 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital," and the emperor moved there in 1869. Dates are often simplified in summaries.

Ieyasu chooses Edo

Edo was a modest castle town before the Tokugawa family arrived. Reference works say that Tokugawa Ieyasu moved to Edo in 1590, and that after winning the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 he began building a new government capital there. A castle on the site had been begun in 1457 by a warrior named Ota Dokan, and it became the heart of the growing city.

In 1603, the imperial court named Ieyasu shogun, the military ruler of Japan. That date marks the start of the Edo period, which lasted until the mid nineteenth century. Tokyo's tourism pages describe this as a long age of peace, economic growth and cultural flowering that shaped many traditions people link with Japan today.

One capital for the emperor, another for the shogun

During the Edo period, Japan effectively had two centers, and understanding that split is the key to the question. Kyoto remained the official capital and the home of the emperor and court, while Edo became the practical seat of political power. Reference works describe Edo as the effective seat of power even though Kyoto kept its official status, which is why historians can call both cities capitals of different kinds.

The shogunate also ran Japan through a system called sankin-kotai, in which regional lords, the daimyo, alternated between their home domains and Edo and left their families in the city. This brought samurai households, servants, merchants and craftspeople to Edo, and it made the city a center of trade and consumption as well as government. Reference works describe the system as a strategy the shogunate used to manage the regional lords.

A city that grew fast

Edo expanded quickly. Reference works put its population at around half a million by the 1650s and an estimated 1.3 million by about 1720, which made it one of the largest cities in the world at that time. The Nihonbashi area was the original downtown and a commercial center, according to Tokyo's tourism site.

Daily life in Edo developed its own character. Reference works also note that the population dropped to about half a million by 1869, as the alternate-attendance system ended and the political upheaval of the period unfolded, before growing again to over a million by 1890. The city's culture included kabuki theater, woodblock prints, festivals, public baths and food stalls. Many of these traditions are still visible in today's Tokyo, from festivals to neighborhoods with Edo-era names. Visitors who see Asakusa or Nihonbashi are walking through areas that grew up in this period, even though the buildings have been rebuilt over time.

The change in 1868

The shift from Edo to Tokyo came with the Meiji Restoration. In January 1868, imperial forces took power in Kyoto, ending the shogunate and restoring direct imperial rule. In July of that year, Edo was renamed Tokyo, which can be understood as "eastern capital," and Edo Castle was renamed Tokyo Castle, according to reference works.

The emperor moved to the city in 1869. Tokyo then became the center of the new government, and Tokyo's tourism site states that after the Meiji Restoration in 1868 the city was renamed and became Japan's capital. The imperial residence now occupies the former castle grounds, so a walk around the palace moat is a way to see a place that linked the two eras.

Dates, names and why summaries differ

Different sources give slightly different dates, which is why this article uses wording such as "in 1868" for the renaming and "in 1869" for the emperor's move. The rename happened in 1868, while the emperor's arrival came a year later. Summaries that say "Tokyo became the capital in 1868" usually combine the two events.

Population figures are also estimates, since early censuses were not like modern ones, so numbers such as 1.3 million are best read as approximate. Another point is the word Edo itself. People still use it for the period and for the city's culture, so you may see "Edo-Tokyo" on museum names and tourism pages. The name Tokyo is made of two parts, to (east) and kyo (capital), mirroring the kyo in Kyoto, which helps explain why the two names sound alike.

Common mistakes

One mistake is thinking Edo and Tokyo are different cities. They are the same place under two names. Another is assuming Tokyo has been the capital for all of recorded history; for about a thousand years the emperor lived in Kyoto, and the shift happened in the 1860s. A third is imagining that the move was a single day: the renaming, the court's relocation and the new government took shape across a short period.

Some travelers also expect Edo's streets to survive unchanged. Fires, earthquakes, wars and rapid growth have rebuilt much of the city, so the best clues are in place names, street patterns, shrines, temples, gardens and museums rather than in whole historic districts. A few preserved or reconstructed sites help bridge the gap. Museums devoted to Edo and Tokyo life give a good overview, and walking tours in older neighborhoods can add detail about how streets, canals and temples fit together.

Planning tips and next steps

To explore the Edo past, plan a mix of districts and museums. Tokyo's tourism site has an Edo history and culture section, and local museums and guided walks can add more on Edo-themed spots. Start at the Imperial Palace grounds, then walk to Nihonbashi, then to Asakusa or a museum that covers Edo life.

Check opening days, ticket rules and any seasonal events on the official pages, since they change. If your time is short, the area around Tokyo Station, the palace moat and Nihonbashi can be combined in a single half-day walk, with Asakusa added for an afternoon. This guide shares general information; rules change, so confirm details with the official agency or provider before you act. A day devoted to Edo history gives a clear sense of how the modern city grew from a castle town.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Tokyo mean?

Tokyo is made of two Japanese words: to, meaning east, and kyo, meaning capital. It is often translated as "eastern capital." The name was adopted in 1868 when Edo was renamed, and it echoes the "capital" element in the name Kyoto, the earlier imperial capital.

Was Edo the capital before Tokyo?

In practice, yes, but not officially. During the Edo period, Edo was the effective seat of power because the shogunate governed from there, while Kyoto remained the official capital and home of the emperor. After 1868 the capital function moved to Tokyo as the new government was based there.

Where was Edo Castle?

Edo Castle stood in the center of the city, and reference works say it was the city's center, with most maps centered on it. The site is now the Imperial Palace area in Chiyoda, and parts of the surrounding grounds are open to visitors. Opening days and access vary, so check the official page before you go.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Tokyo, Made Simple is available on Amazon.

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