Tokyo

Effortlessly blending the old and the new, Tokyo is a city that defies definition. Cutting edge technology sits alongside ancient temples, flashing neon lights, and shining skyscrapers towering above stunning Shinto shrines. Tokyo is one of the world's leading economic centres, and with its population of almost 13 million people, is the most populous city on the planet. Tokyo only became Japan's capital in 1868. Before then it was a small settlement known as Edo, but with the restoration of Imperial rule, the city became the showpiece of a rapidly modernising country.

In the first half of the 20th century, Tokyo suffered two major setbacks. The catastrophic Kanto Earthquake of 1923 - and the resulting fires - claimed the lives of 140,000 people, made almost 2 million homeless and virtually levelled the city. Furthermore, it again suffered major destruction during the Second World War after being bombed by US forces. But the city rose from the ashes of all of this to become a major economic force, and though much of Tokyo consists of relatively new buildings, it still retains a selection of wonderful historic structures.