Edo

Historical name of Tokyo until 1868 Former city in Musashi, JapanEdo 江戸 (えど)Former cityFolding screen view of Edo in the 17th century, showing Edo Castle on the upper right cornerLocation of the former city of EdoCoordinates: 35°41′02″N 139°46′28″E / 35.68389°N 139.77444°E / 35.68389; 139.77444CountryJapanProvinceMusashiEdo Castle built1457Capital of Japan (De facto)1603Renamed Tokyo1868Government • Type of leaderFeudal governmentPopulation (1721) • Total1,000,000 Edo (江戸; lit. 'bay-entrance'; English: /ˈɛd.oʊ/; Japanese: [è̞.dó̞]), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, Edo developed into a major early-modern urban centre with a population that is believed to have exceeded 1 million by the early 18th century — making it, by many estimates, the largest city in the world at the time. Edo’s population and urban footprint expanded significantly due to deliberate policies, including land reclamation around Edo Bay, planned street layouts, large samurai residential areas, and an extensive system of waterways supporting transportation and commerce. The city was home to samurai offic