View source for Greater Tokyo Area

{{Short description|Metropolitan area in Japan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Greater Tokyo Area
| image_skyline      = ISS064-E-37584 - View of Earth.jpg
| caption            = Greater Tokyo area around [[Tokyo Bay]] at night (2021)
| image_map          = Tokyo-Kanto definitions, South Kanto.png
| map_caption        = Greater Tokyo Area
| subdivision_type1  = Major Cities
| subdivision_name1  = [[Tokyo|Tokyo Metropolis]] (includes [[special wards of Tokyo|23 special wards]])<br />[[Yokohama]]<br />[[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]]<br />[[Saitama, Saitama|Saitama]]<br /> [[Kawaguchi, Saitama|Kawaguchi]]<br />[[Chiba, Chiba|Chiba]]<br />[[Sagamihara, Kanagawa|Sagamihara]]
| area_urban_km2     = 8547
| population_urban   = 38,140,000
| area_metro_km2     = 13452
| coordinates        = {{Coord|35|41|23|N|139|41|30|E|region:JP|display=inline,title}}
| demographics_type1 = GDP<ref name="esri.cao.go.jp">{{cite web|title=県内総生産（生産側、実質：連鎖方式）※支出側も同じ－平成27暦年連鎖価格|url=https://www.esri.cao.go.jp/jp/sna/data/data_list/kenmin/files/contents/tables/2021/soukatu1.xlsx|website=www.esri.cao.go.jp}}</ref><ref name="exchangerates.org.uk">{{cite web|title=US Dollar to Japanese Yen Spot Exchange Rates for 2021|url=https://www.exchangerates.org.uk/USD-JPY-spot-exchange-rates-history-2021.html|website=www.exchangerates.org.uk}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = National Capital Region
| demographics1_info1 = [[Japanese yen|JP¥]]230,077 billion (2021)<br />[[US$]]2.094 trillion (2021)<br /> (40% of Japan's GDP)
}}

The '''Greater Tokyo Area''' is the most populous [[metropolitan area]] in the world, consisting of the [[Kantō region]] of [[Japan]] (including [[Tokyo|Tokyo Metropolis]] and the prefectures of [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]], [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]], [[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]], and [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]]) as well as the prefecture of [[Yamanashi Prefecture|Yamanashi]] of the neighboring [[Chūbu region]]. In [[Japanese language|Japanese]], it is referred to by various terms, one of the most common being {{nihongo|'''Capital Region'''|首都圏|Shuto-ken}}.

As of 2016, the [[United Nations]] estimates the total population at 38,140,000.<ref name="UN-World-Cities-2016">{{Cite book |last=United Nations |url=https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/urbanization/the_worlds_cities_in_2016_data_booklet.pdf |title=The World's Cities in 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112211410/http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/urbanization/the_worlds_cities_in_2016_data_booklet.pdf |archive-date=January 12, 2017 |url-status=live |via=www.un.org}}</ref>{{needs update inline|date=June 2024}} It covers an area of approximately 13,500 [[square kilometre|km<sup>2</sup>]] (5,200&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>),<ref name="MMA">{{Cite web |script-title=ja:第92表/Table 92 |url=http://www.stat.go.jp/data/kokusei/2000/final/zuhyou/092.xls |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210012525/http://www.stat.go.jp/data/kokusei/2000/final/zuhyou/092.xls |archive-date=10 February 2007 |publisher=Japan Statistics Bureau – Keihin'yō Major Metropolitan Area |language=ja,en |format=XLS}}</ref> giving it a [[population density]] of 2,642 people/km<sup>2</sup>. It is the second-largest single metropolitan area in the world in terms of built-up or urban function landmass at 8,547&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (3,300&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>), behind only the [[New York metropolitan area|New York City metropolitan area]] at 11,642&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (4,495&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup>).<ref>{{Citation |title=Demographia World Urban Areas: 12th Annual Edition: 2016:04 |date=2016 |url=http://demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013155105/http://demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf |publisher=Demographia |access-date=2007-05-10 |archive-date=2016-10-13 |url-status=dead}}</ref> With over US$2 trillion in GDP, Tokyo remains the [[List of cities by GDP|second-largest metropolitan economy]] in the world, also behind New York.

==Definition==
[[File:Densely Inhabited District of Saitama-shi 1960-.gif|thumb|Growth of densely inhabited districts (''{{ill|Densely Inhabited District|ja|人口集中地区|lt=DIDs}}, defined as >4,000 people/km<sup>2</sup> or >10,355 people/mi<sup>2</sup>'') of suburb [[Saitama, Saitama|Saitama city]] (outlined) of northern Greater Tokyo, 1960s to 2010. Notice how the densely populated zones grow along railway lines and stations, the purple circles and lines. Green southern border is Tokyo.]]

There are various definitions of the Greater Tokyo Area, each of which tries to incorporate different aspects.  Some definitions are clearly defined by law or government regulation, some are based coarsely on administrative areas, while others are for research purposes such as commuting patterns or distance from [[Central Tokyo]]. Each definition has a different population figure, granularity, methodology, and spatial association.

===Various definitions of Tokyo, Greater Tokyo, and Kantō===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Inner Tokyo and Tokyo !!Details!!Population, thousands<br />(year)!!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)!!Population density (people/km<sup>2</sup>)!!Map
|-
|'''Area of former (dissolved) [[Tokyo City]] limits'''|| [[Special wards of Tokyo|23 special wards]], does not correspond to any single authority ||8,841 (1970CF),<br />8,135 (2000CF),<br />8,490 (2005CF),<br />8,949 (2010CF),<br />9,256 (2015-12CR) || 621.9 || 13,080 (2000)<br /> 14,390 (2010)<br /> 14,883 (2015–12) || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, 23 wards.png|right|140px]]
|- 	 	
|'''[[Tokyo|Tokyo Metropolis]]'''|| [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefectural-level]] jurisdiction (Tokyo-to), figures excluding the [[Izu Islands|Izu]] and [[Bonin Islands|Ogasawara]] islands || 12,038 (2000CF),<br />12,541 (2005CF),<br />13,129 (2010CF),<br />13,479 (2015-12CR) || 1808 || 6,658(2000)<br />6,936 (2005)<br />7,216.5 (2010)<br />7,455 (2015–12) || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, Tokyo Metropolis.png|right|140px]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Metropolitan area !!Details!!Population, thousands<br />(year)!!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)!!Population density (people/km<sup>2</sup>)!!Map
|-
|'''{{nihongo|Tokyo [[Urban Employment Area|Metropolitan Employment Area]]|東京大都市雇用圏|Tōkyō Dai-toshi Koyō-ken}}'''||  All municipalities that have at least 10% of their population commuting to the 23 special wards.  Figures for this definition are complex to update without a major re-study.|| {{plainlist|
* 27,106 (1980)
* 29,958 (1990)
* 31,730 (2000)
* 34,834 (2010)
* 35,304 (2015)}}<ref name="UEA">{{Cite web |title=Metropolitan Employment Area (MEA) Data |url=http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_data_e.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502161110/http://www.csis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/uea_data_e.htm |archive-date=2019-05-02 |access-date=2016-06-21 |publisher=Center for Spatial Information Science, The [[University of Tokyo]]}}</ref>
| {{plainlist|
* 9,036.67 (1998)
* 10,403.76 (2010)}}<ref name="UEA" />
| 3,348.2 (2010) || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, Tokyo MEA 2015.png|right|140px]]
|-
|'''{{nihongo|One Metropolis, Three Prefectures|一都三県|Itto Sanken}}''' ||Coarse administrative definition that contains Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures. Misses many of the more-distant suburbs that lie outside the prefectural borders, especially in Ibaraki and Gunma. Incorporates sparsely settled rural districts like [[Nishitama District, Tokyo|Nishitama]]. || 33,534 (2000CF),<br />35,623 (2010CF),<br />36,092 (2015-12CR) || 13,555.65 || 2,627.9 (2010), 2,662 (2015–12) || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, South Kanto.png|right|140px]]
|- 	 	
|'''{{nihongo|Kantō [[List of metropolitan areas in Japan|Major Metropolitan Area]]|関東大都市圏|Kantō Dai-toshi-ken}}'''|| One of the two definitions the [[Japan Statistics Bureau]] uses. Consists of all municipalities that have at least 1.5% of their population aged 15 and above commuting to a [[cities designated by government ordinance of Japan|designated city]] ([[Chiba, Chiba|Chiba]], [[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]], [[Sagamihara, Kanagawa|Sagamihara]], [[Saitama, Saitama|Saitama]], and [[Yokohama]]) or the [[Special wards of Tokyo|23 special wards]]. Before Saitama became a designated city in 2001, the area was called ''{{nihongo|Keihin'yō Major Metropolitan Area|京浜葉大都市圏|Keihin'yō Dai-toshi-ken}}''. Excludes adjacent metropolitan areas of Gunma, Ibaraki, and {{ill|Greater Utsunomiya|ja|宇都宮都市圏|lt=Utsunomiya}} which are urbanized but have some small towns in between them and Tokyo. Most locally detailed definition, but hard to update without major re-study.|| 36,923 (2010)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010 |script-title=ja:第60表 /Table 60 |url=http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/Xlsdl.do?sinfid=000025518736 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924003453/http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/Xlsdl.do?sinfid=000025518736 |archive-date=2015-09-24 |access-date=2015-08-26 |publisher=統計局 Tōkeikyoku [Statistics Bureau] |language=ja,en |format=XLS}}</ref> || – || – || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, Kanto MMA 2015.png|right|140px]]
|- 	 	
|'''{{nihongo|Tokyo Major Metropolitan Area|東京大都市圏|Tōkyō Dai-toshi-ken}}'''|| Set of municipalities that are completely or mostly within 50 and 70 kilometres of the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]]s in [[Shinjuku]]. Suburbs tend to extend finger-like along major commuter train routes and density builds along express stops, not in a uniform fashion, and so this definition is of value. || 32,714 (<50&nbsp;km, 2010),<br /> 36,303 (<70&nbsp;km, 2010)<ref name="stat.go.jp">{{Cite web |date=2010 |script-title=ja:第61表 /Table 61 |url=http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/Xlsdl.do?sinfid=000025518737 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924003454/http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/Xlsdl.do?sinfid=000025518737 |archive-date=2015-09-24 |access-date=2015-08-26 |publisher=統計局 Tōkeikyoku [Statistics Bureau] |language=ja,en |format=XLS}}</ref> || – || – || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, Tokyo UEA.png|right|140px]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Administrative area!!Details!!Population, thousands<br />(year)!!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)!!Population density (people/km<sup>2</sup>)!!Map
|- 	 	
|'''[[Kantō region]]'''|| Entire [[list of regions of Japan|national region]], includes many rural areas || 40,550 (2000CF)<br />42,607 (2010CF)<br />42,945 (2015-12CR)<br />42,995 (2020CF<ref name="auto">{{Cite report |url=https://www.stat.go.jp/data/nihon/zuhyou/n240200200.xlsx |title=2-2 都道府県別人口と人口増減率 |trans-title=2-2 Population by prefecture and population growth rate |date= |publisher=[[統計局]] (Statistics Bureau) |language=Japanese |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240812203720/https://www.stat.go.jp/data/nihon/zuhyou/n240200200.xlsx |archive-date=2024-08-12}}</ref>) || 32,423.9 || 1,314.1 (2010) || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, Kanto region.png|right|140px]]
|- 	 	
|'''National Capital Region'''|| According to the National Capital Region Planning Act, very coarse administrative zone, essentially Kantō plus Yamanashi, includes large rural areas.|| 41,438 (2000CF)<br />43,470 (2010CF)<br />43,785 (2015-12CR)<br />43,830(2020CF<ref name="auto"/>) || 36,889.28 || 1,178.4 (2010)  || [[File:Tokyo-Kanto definitions, National Capital Region.png|right|140px]]
|}

<small>Notes and sources: All figures issued by Japan Statistics Bureau,<ref name="statb2">{{Cite web |date=2010 |script-title=ja:第2表 /Table 2 |url=http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/XlsdlE.do?sinfid=000008640424 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912182027/http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/XlsdlE.do?sinfid=000008640424 |archive-date=2016-09-12 |access-date=2018-12-28 |publisher=統計局 Tōkeikyoku [Statistics Bureau] |language=ja,en |format=XLS}}</ref><ref name="statb1">{{Cite web |date=2010 |script-title=ja:第1表 /Table 1 |url=http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/XlsdlE.do?sinfid=000008640423 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004190437/http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/XlsdlE.do?sinfid=000008640423 |archive-date=2011-10-04 |access-date=2018-12-28 |publisher=統計局 Tōkeikyoku [Statistics Bureau] |language=ja,en |format=XLS}}</ref> except for Metro Employment Area, a study by ''Center for Spatial Information Service'', the [[University of Tokyo]]. Abbreviations: CF for National Census Final Data (every 5 years by JSB), CR for Civil Registry (compiled by local governments, monthly as per legal requirement), CP for Census Preliminary.</small>

===National Capital Region===
<!-- Merged National Capital Region into this article and redirected its page ([[National Capital Region (Japan)]]) here. Be careful when editing this section title to change redirect page as well -->
The {{nihongo|'''National Capital Region'''|首都圏|Shutoken}} of Japan refers to the Greater Tokyo Area as defined by the {{nihongo|{{ill|Metropolitan Area Readjustment Act|ja|首都圏整備法}}|首都圏整備法|Shutoken-seibi-hō}} of 1956, which defines it as "Tokyo and its surrounding area declared by [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government|government]] ordinance." The government ordinance defined it as Tokyo and all six prefectures in the Kantō region plus Yamanashi Prefecture.<ref>{{cite web |last1=豊島 |first1=秀雄 |title=「首都圏」 ことば（放送用語）- 放送現場の疑問・視聴者の疑問 |url=https://www.nhk.or.jp/bunken/summary/kotoba/gimon/135.html |website=www.nhk.or.jp |publisher=[[NHK]] |access-date=16 July 2024 |quote=Q:放送や新聞・雑誌で「首都圏」ということばが、よく使われていますが、はっきりした定義があるのでしょうか。 A:法律的には「首都圏整備法」で定められた1都7県を指しますが、一般的には色々な意味で東京を中心とした周辺地域・近県を指すことばとして使われています。}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=首都圏(シュトケン)とは？ |url=https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%A6%96%E9%83%BD%E5%9C%8F-77989 |website=[[Kotobank]] |publisher=DIGITALIO |access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref> While this includes all of Greater Tokyo, it also includes sparsely populated mountain areas as well as the far-flung [[Bonin Islands]] which are administered under Tokyo.

===International comparison===
Using the "One Metropolis Three Prefectures" definition, Tokyo is {{convert|13555.65|km2}}, a similar size to that of [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]], and almost two-thirds smaller than the [[combined statistical area]] of [[New York City]], at {{convert|30671|km2}} and 21.9 million people.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} Other metropolitan areas such as [[Jakarta metropolitan area|Greater Jakarta]] are considerably more compact as well as more densely populated than Greater Tokyo.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

===Metropolitan Area definition ambiguities and issues===
*The {{nihongo|South Kantō region|南関東|Minami Kantō}} is a potentially ambiguous term. Informally, it may mean the One Metropolis, Two Prefectures, or the area without Saitama Prefecture. Formally, it may mean the South Kantō Block, which is not the Greater Tokyo Area, but a [[proportional representation]] block of the national election, comprising Kanagawa, Chiba, and Yamanashi Prefectures.
*In informal occasions, the term {{nihongo|[[#National Capital Region|National Capital Region]]|首都圏|Shuto-ken}} often means Greater Tokyo Area. Officially, the term refers to a much larger area, namely the whole Kantō region and Yamanashi Prefecture.
*Tokyo as a metropolis includes some 394&nbsp;km{{su|p=2}} of islands (the [[Izu Islands|Izu]] and [[Bonin Islands|Ogasawara]] islands), as well as some mountainous areas to the far west (331&nbsp;km{{su|p=2}}), which are officially part of Greater Tokyo, but are wilderness or rustic areas.

==Cities==
(populations listed for those over 300,000)

===Cities within Tokyo===
Tokyo is legally classified as a {{nihongo|''to''|都|}}, which translates as "metropolis", and is treated as one of the forty-seven [[prefectures of Japan]]. The metropolis is administered by the [[Tokyo Metropolitan Government]] as a whole.

[[File:Tokyo Oka2.JPG|thumb|[[Special wards of Tokyo]]]]
[[File:Tokyo_Shibuya_Scramble_Crossing_2018-10-09.jpg|thumb|[[Shibuya]]]]

====Eastern Tokyo Metropolis====
Central Tokyo, situated in the eastern portion of Tokyo Metropolis, was once incorporated as [[Tokyo City]], which was dismantled during [[World War II]]. Its subdivisions have been reclassified as {{nihongo|[[Special wards of Tokyo|special wards]]|特別区|tokubetsu-ku}}. The twenty three special wards currently have the legal status of cities, with individual mayors and city councils, and they call themselves "cities" in English. However, when listing [[list of cities in Japan|Japan's largest cities]], Tokyo's twenty three wards are often counted as a single city.

====Western Tokyo Metropolis====
[[File:Hachioji Station South.jpg|thumb|[[Hachiōji]]]]

[[Western Tokyo]], known as the Tama Area (''Tama-chiiki'' 多摩地域) comprises a number of municipalities, including these suburban cities:

{|
|
*[[Akiruno, Tokyo|Akiruno]]
*[[Akishima, Tokyo|Akishima]]
*[[Chōfu]]
*[[Fuchū, Tokyo|Fuchū]]
*[[Fussa, Tokyo|Fussa]]
*[[Hachiōji]] (pop 540,000)
*[[Hamura, Tokyo|Hamura]]
*[[Higashikurume, Tokyo|Higashikurume]]
*[[Higashimurayama, Tokyo|Higashimurayama]]
|
*[[Higashiyamato, Tokyo|Higashiyamato]]
*[[Hino, Tokyo|Hino]]
*[[Inagi]]
*[[Kiyose, Tokyo|Kiyose]]
*[[Kodaira, Tokyo|Kodaira]]
*[[Koganei, Tokyo|Koganei]]
*[[Kokubunji, Tokyo|Kokubunji]]
*[[Komae, Tokyo|Komae]]
*[[Kunitachi, Tokyo|Kunitachi]]
|
*[[Machida, Tokyo|Machida]] (pop over 410,000)
*[[Mitaka, Tokyo|Mitaka]]
*[[Musashimurayama, Tokyo|Musashimurayama]]
*[[Musashino, Tokyo|Musashino]]
*[[Nishitōkyō]]
*[[Ōme, Tokyo|Ōme]]
*[[Tachikawa, Tokyo|Tachikawa]]
*[[Tama, Tokyo|Tama]]
|}

===Cities outside Tokyo===
[[File:Makuharicity2.jpg|thumb|[[Chiba (city)|Chiba]]]]
[[File:Musashi-kosugi skyscrapers.jpg|thumb|[[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]]]]
[[File:Japanese Saitama Shintoshin west building.jpg|thumb|[[Saitama (city)|Saitama]]]]
[[File:Minato Mirai In Blue.jpg|thumb|[[Yokohama]]]]
[[File:Kawaguchi-eki_shuhen_koso_tatemono.jpg|thumb|[[Kawaguchi, Saitama|Kawaguchi]]]]

The core cities of the Greater Tokyo Area outside Tokyo Metropolis are:

*[[Chiba (city)|Chiba]] (population 940,000)
*[[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]] (population 1.36 million)
*[[Sagamihara]] (population 730,000)
*[[Saitama (city)|Saitama]] (population 1.19 million)
*[[Yokohama]] (population 3.62 million)

The other cities in Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama Prefectures are:
{|
|
*[[Abiko, Chiba|Abiko]]
*[[Ageo]]
*[[Asahi, Chiba|Asahi]]
*[[Asaka, Saitama|Asaka]]
*[[Atsugi]]
*[[Ayase, Kanagawa|Ayase]]
*[[Chichibu, Saitama|Chichibu]]
*[[Chigasaki, Kanagawa|Chigasaki]]
*[[Chōshi]]
*[[Ebina, Kanagawa|Ebina]]
*[[Fujimi, Saitama|Fujimi]]
*[[Fujimino, Saitama|Fujimino]]
*[[Fujisawa, Kanagawa|Fujisawa]] (pop 416,000)
*[[Fukaya, Saitama|Fukaya]]
*[[Funabashi]] (pop 580,000)
*[[Futtsu]]
*[[Gyōda]]
*[[Hadano, Kanagawa|Hadano]]
*[[Hannō]]
*[[Hanyū, Saitama|Hanyū]]
*[[Hasuda, Saitama|Hasuda]]
*[[Hidaka, Saitama|Hidaka]]
*[[Higashimatsuyama, Saitama|Higashimatsuyama]]
*[[Hiratsuka]]
*[[Honjō, Saitama|Honjō]]
*[[Ichihara, Chiba|Ichihara]]
*[[Ichikawa, Chiba|Ichikawa]] (pop. 470,000)
*[[Inzai]]
*[[Iruma, Saitama|Iruma]]
*[[Isehara, Kanagawa|Isehara]]
|
*[[Kamagaya]]
*[[Kamakura]]
*[[Kamogawa, Chiba|Kamogawa]]
*[[Kashiwa]] (pop 380,000)
*[[Kasukabe, Saitama|Kasukabe]]
*[[Katsuura, Chiba|Katsuura]]
*[[Kawagoe, Saitama|Kawagoe]] (pop 353,214)
*[[Kawaguchi, Saitama|Kawaguchi]] (pop 595,011)
*[[Kazo, Saitama|Kazo]]
*[[Kimitsu]]
*[[Kisarazu]]
*[[Kitamoto, Saitama|Kitamoto]]
*[[Koshigaya]] (population 318,000)
*[[Kōnosu]]
*[[Kuki, Saitama|Kuki]]
*[[Kumagaya]]
*[[Matsudo]] (pop 480,000)
*[[Minamiashigara, Kanagawa|Minamiashigara]]
*[[Misato, Saitama (city)|Misato]]
*[[Miura, Kanagawa|Miura]]
*[[Mobara]]
*[[Nagareyama]]
*[[Narashino]]
*[[Narita, Chiba|Narita]]
*[[Niiza, Saitama|Niiza]]
*[[Noda, Chiba|Noda]]
*[[Ōamishirasato]]
*[[Odawara]]
*[[Okegawa, Saitama|Okegawa]]
|
*[[Sakado, Saitama|Sakado]]
*[[Sakura, Chiba|Sakura]]
*[[Satte, Saitama|Satte]]
*[[Sawara, Chiba|Sawara]]
*[[Sayama]]
*[[Shiki, Saitama|Shiki]]
*[[Shiraoka, Saitama|Shiraoka]]
*[[Shiroi]]
*[[Sodegaura]]
*[[Sōka]]
*[[Tateyama, Chiba|Tateyama]]
*[[Toda, Saitama|Toda]]
*[[Tōgane]]
*[[Tokorozawa, Saitama|Tokorozawa]] (pop 338,000)
*[[Tomisato]]
*[[Tsurugashima, Saitama|Tsurugashima]]
*[[Urayasu]]
*[[Wakō, Saitama|Wakō]]
*[[Warabi, Saitama|Warabi]]
*[[Yachimata]]
*[[Yachiyo, Chiba|Yachiyo]]
*[[Yamato, Kanagawa|Yamato]]
*[[Yashio, Saitama|Yashio]]
*[[Yōkaichiba, Chiba|Yōkaichiba]]
*[[Yokosuka]] (pop 420,000)
*[[Yoshikawa, Saitama|Yoshikawa]]
*[[Yotsukaidō]]
*[[Zama, Kanagawa|Zama]]
*[[Zushi, Kanagawa|Zushi]]
|}

source: stat.go.jp census 2005

===Additional cities===
In the major metropolitan area (MMA) definition used by the Japanese Statistics Bureau, the following cities in [[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]], [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]], [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]], [[Yamanashi Prefecture|Yamanashi]], and [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]] Prefectures are included:

====Gunma Prefecture====
*[[Tatebayashi, Gunma|Tatebayashi]]

====Ibaraki Prefecture====
{|
|
*[[Inashiki]]
*[[Ishioka, Ibaraki|Ishioka]]
*[[Jōsō]]
*[[Kasumigaura, Ibaraki|Kasumigaura]]
|
*[[Koga, Ibaraki|Koga]]
*[[Moriya, Ibaraki|Moriya]]
*[[Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki|Ryūgasaki]]
*[[Toride, Ibaraki|Toride]]
|
*[[Tsuchiura]]
*[[Tsukuba]]
*[[Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki|Tsukubamirai]]
*[[Ushiku, Ibaraki|Ushiku]]
|}

====Shizuoka Prefecture====
*[[Atami]]

====Tochigi Prefecture====
*[[Oyama, Tochigi|Oyama]]

====Yamanashi Prefecture====
*[[Ōtsuki, Yamanashi|Ōtsuki]]
*[[Uenohara]]

====Border areas====
Tighter definitions for Greater Tokyo do not include adjacent metropolitan areas of [[Numazu]]-[[Mishima, Shizuoka|Mishima]] (approx. 450,000) to the southwest, [[Maebashi]]-[[Takasaki]]-[[Ōta, Gunma|Ōta]]-[[Ashikaga, Tochigi|Ashikaga]] (approx. 1,500,000 people) on the northwest, and {{ill|Greater Utsunomiya|ja|宇都宮都市圏}} (approx. 1,000,000) to the north.  If they are included, Greater Tokyo's population would be around 39 million. Takasaki-Maebashi is included as part of the Tokyo-Yokohama area in the definition of urban areas by Demographia.

{{wide image|Tokyo from the top of the SkyTree (cropped).JPG|950|align-cap=center|Panoramic view of Tokyo from [[Tokyo Skytree]]}}

==Geography==

At the center of the main urban area (approximately the first {{convert|10|km}} from [[Tokyo Station]]) are the 23 special wards, formerly treated as a single city but now governed as separate municipalities, and containing many major commercial centers such as [[Shinjuku]], [[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]], [[Ikebukuro]] and [[Ginza]]. Around the 23 special wards are a multitude of suburban cities which merge seamlessly into each other to form a continuous built up area, circumnavigated by the heavily travelled [[Japan National Route 16|Route 16]] which forms a (broken) loop about {{convert|40|km}} from central Tokyo. Situated along the loop are the major cities of Yokohama (to the south of Tokyo), Hachiōji (to the west), Ōmiya (now part of Saitama City, to the north), and Chiba (to the east).

Within the Route 16 loop, the coastline of [[Tokyo Bay]] is heavily industrialised, with the [[Keihin Industrial Area]] stretching from Tokyo down to Yokohama, and the [[Keiyō Industrial Zone]] from Tokyo eastwards to Chiba. Along the periphery of the main urban area are numerous new suburban housing developments such as the [[Tama New Town]]. The landscape is relatively flat compared to most of Japan, most of it comprising low hills.

Outside the Route 16 loop the landscape becomes more rural. To the southwest is an area known as [[Shōnan]], which contains various cities and towns along the coast of [[Sagami Bay]], and to the west the area is mountainous.

Many rivers run through the area, the major ones being [[Arakawa River (Kanto)|Arakawa]] and [[Tama River]].

== Demographics ==
[[File:Population of South-Kanto Prefectures, Japan.svg|thumb| Population of South-Kanto Prefectures<br />(Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama)]]
{{Historical populations|percentages=pagr|1950|11,274,641|1955|13,712,679|1960|16,678,821|1965|20,284,371|1970|23,297,503|1975|26,614,733|1980|28,548,512|1985|30,303,794|1990|32,530,003|1995|33,586,573|2000|34,607,069|2005|35,682,460|2010|36,923,193|2015|37,273,866|2020|38,034,418|align=none|footnote=for Kanto MMA:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tokyo Population 2019 |url=http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/tokyo-population/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813172603/http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/tokyo-population/ |archive-date=2019-08-13 |access-date=2019-08-13 |website=World Population Review}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Population Census|url=https://www.e-stat.go.jp/en/stat-search?page=1&toukei=00200521&survey=census|website=e-Stat Japan}}</ref>}}

==Economy==
Tokyo metropolitan area is the second largest metropolitan economy in the world only behind [[New York metropolitan area|New York]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Prefecture
! Gross prefecture product<br />(in billion JP¥, 2021)<ref name="esri.cao.go.jp"/>
! Gross prefecture product<br />(in billion US$, 2021)<ref name="exchangerates.org.uk"/>
|-
| {{flag|Tokyo}}
| {{center|113,686}}
| {{center|1,035}}
|-
| {{flag|Kanagawa}}
| {{center|35,288}}
| {{center|321}}
|-
| {{flag|Saitama}}
| {{center|23,734}}
| {{center|216}}
|-
| {{flag|Chiba}}
| {{center|20,807}}
| {{center|189}}
|-
| {{flag|Ibaraki}}
| {{center|14,539}}
| {{center|133}}
|-
| {{flag|Tochigi}}
| {{center|9,179}}
| {{center|84}}
|-
| {{flag|Gunma}}
| {{center|9,141}}
| {{center|83}}
|-
| {{flag|Yamanashi}}
| {{center|3,703}}
| {{center|34}}
|- style="background:#feb;"
| '''National Capital Region'''
| {{center|'''230,077'''}}
| {{center|'''2,094'''}}
|}

===Metropolitan Employment Area===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|-
! Year !! 2010 !! 1995 !! 1980
|-
! Employed persons 000s
| 16,234 || 16,381 || 12,760
|-
! [[Production (economics)|Production]] (billion US$)
| 1,797 || 1,491 || 358
|-
! Production [[manufacturing]] (billion US$)
| 216 || 476 || 159
|-
! Private [[Capital (economics)|capital]] [[Stock and flow|stock]] (billion US$)
| 3,618 || 2,631 || 368
|-
! Social overhead capital (billion US$)
| 1,607 || 1,417 || 310
|-
! 1 US dollar ([[Japanese yen]])
| 87.780 || 94.060 || 226.741
|}
<small>Sources:<ref name="UEA" /> [https://data.oecd.org/conversion/exchange-rates.htm Conversion rates – Exchange rates – OECD Data]</small>

==Transportation==
[[File:3rd floor of Narita Terminal 2 200507.jpg|thumb|[[Narita International Airport]]]]
[[File:Series-E235-0 9.jpg|thumb|[[Yamanote Line]]; 3.61 million passengers ride per day.]]
[[File:Rainbow colored Rainbow Bridge at night.jpg|thumb|[[Shuto Expressway]] on [[Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)|Rainbow Bridge]]]]
{{Main article|Transport in Greater Tokyo}}

===Air===
The Greater Tokyo Area has two major airports, [[Haneda Airport|Tokyo International Airport]], commonly known as Haneda Airport (once chiefly domestic, now turning international) and [[Narita International Airport]] (chiefly international as well). Minor facilities include [[Chōfu Airport|Chōfu]] and [[Ibaraki Airport]]. [[Tokyo Heliport]] serves helicopter traffic, including police, fire, and news. [[Japan Civil Aviation Bureau]] handles air traffic in large part but various military facilities handle air traffic in part: [[Ibaraki Airport|Hyakuri Air Base]] ([[Japan Air Self-Defense Force]]), [[Utsunomiya Air Field]] ([[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force]]), and [[Yokota Air Base]] ([[United States Air Force]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/koku/content/001420928.pdf |title=Approach Control Areas/Positive Controlled Airspace |publisher=Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan |accessdate=2023-08-16}}</ref>

===Rail===
Greater Tokyo has an extensive railway network comprising [[Shinkansen|high-speed rail]], [[commuter rail]]s, [[Rapid transit|subway]]s, [[monorail]]s, [[Private railway|private lines]], [[tram]]s and others. There are around 136 individual rail lines in the Greater Tokyo Area, and between 1,000 and 1,200 railway stations depending on one's definition of the area, most designed for heavy use, usually long enough to accommodate 10-car ({{convert|200|m}} long) trains. Stations are designed to accommodate hundreds of thousands of passengers at any given time, with miles of connecting tunnels linking vast department stores and corporate offices. [[Tokyo Station]] has underground connections that stretch well over {{convert|4|km}}, and [[Shinjuku Station]] has well over 200 exits. Greater Tokyo's Railway Network is easily considered the world's largest in terms of both daily passenger throughput with a daily trips of over 40 million (20 million different passengers) as well as physical extent with approximately {{convert|2,578|km}} of track. Shinjuku station is used by an average of 3.34 million people per day, making it the world's busiest train station. Some 57 percent of all Greater Tokyo residents used rail as their primary means of transport in 2001.<ref>{{Citation |title=Urban Transport Fact Book: Tokyo–Yokohama Suburban Rail Summary (Commuter Rail, Regional Rail) |date=2003 |url=http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-cr-tok.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070507211123/http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-cr-tok.pdf |access-date=2007-05-15 |archive-date=2007-05-07 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[East Japan Railway Company|JR East]] and many other carriers crisscross the region with a network of rail lines. The most important carriers include [[Keihin Electric Express Railway|Keihin Kyūkō Electric Railway]] (''Keikyū''), [[Keisei Electric Railway]], [[Keio Electric Railway|Keiō Electric Railway]], [[Odakyu Electric Railway|Odakyū Electric Railway]], [[Seibu Railway]], [[Tobu Railway|Tōbu Railway]], and [[Tokyu Corporation|Tōkyū Corporation]]. In addition to Tokyo's two subway systems — [[Tokyo Metro]] and [[Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation]] (''[[Toei Subway|Toei]]'' and ''[[Tokyo Toden|Toden]]'' lines), Yokohama also has two [[Yokohama Municipal Subway|subway lines]].

The [[Tokyo Monorail]] provides an important shuttle service between Haneda Airport and Hamamatsucho station on the Yamanote line.

===Others===
The [[Shuto Expressway]] system connects to other national [[expressways of Japan|expressways]] in the capital region.

Tokyo and Yokohama are major commercial seaports, and both the [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]] and [[United States Navy]] maintain naval bases at [[United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Tokyo}}
*[[Jing-Jin-Ji]]
*[[List of metropolitan areas in Asia]]
*[[List of metropolitan areas by GDP over US$ 100 billion]]
*[[List of metropolitan areas in Japan]]
*[[#National Capital Region|National Capital Region]], briefly shows the two definitions of the "Capital Area" (Shuto-ken)
*[[Seoul Capital Area]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070202012748/http://www.urban.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/UEA/index_e.htm Urban Employment Areas in Japan] (2000)

{{JPLargestMetros}}
{{Tokyo transit}}
{{World's most populous urban areas}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Greater Tokyo Area| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Japan]]