Tokyo is the political and economic center of Japan, and is home to the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the headquarters of many major corporations.

Astro Boy, created by Osamu Tezuka in 1963, is considered the first modern anime and helped to popularize the genre both in Japan and around the world.

The Hakone Ekiden, a long-distance relay race held annually between Tokyo and Hakone, is one of the most prestigious races in Japanese college athletics.