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Tokyo (Japan)

Tōkyō, 東京都

Last modified: 2006-08-26 by phil nelson
Keywords: tokyo | tōkyōjapan | sun: 6-rays (white) | tokyo metropolitan government | iwo-jima |
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[Tōkyō (Japan)]
image by Pascal Gross, 5 May 1998

See also:


Description of the flag

White sun with 6 rays on dark purple colour field. The sun is stylized Kanji character of Tokyo-Nihon which represents developing capital city Tokyo. Dark purple has been popular colour in Tokyo from old days. Adopted 1 October 1964.

Nozomi Kariyasu, 06 May 1998


Tōkyō Metropolitan Government

[Tōkyō Metropolitan Government]
image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 December 2005

[Tōkyō Metropolitan Government construction sheet]
image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 December 2005

Tokyo is a special capital district called Tokyo Metropolitan which contains 23 ku and lots of cities, town and villages.

The image of green emblem on white was adopted as Tokyo symbol flag on June 1, 1990 .The stylized "T" of Tokyo in green is in the center of white background which symbolizes the development, prosperity and peacefulness of Tokyo. The flag is used for casual event like sports assembly. Meanwhile, the purple flag remains unchanged and is still used as Tokyo prefecture flag for more formal events. The two flags are hoisting in front of Tokyo metropolitan government building.
Nozomi Kariyasu19 November 2005


Tōkyō ku

Japanese 46 prefectures are composed of cities, towns and villages while only Metropolitan Tōkyō are composed of 23 ku (special districts) in addition to 27 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages including Ogasawara Islands because Metropolitan Tōkyō has big population (14 million).

The ku (special district) concept is more important and larger than ordinary Japanese city and some of them have their own flags which I have been investigating and collecting official government document on their coat-or-arms and flags with specifications.

I think these flags have never been published in a book.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 December 1998


Tōkyō main prefecture flag was adopted October 1, 1964 and no ku flag was adopted prior to that date. About half of all follow main prefecture's field colour but the rest use their own preference in colours which seem to be either popular or traditional colour in the ku. There is no such law in Tokyo main prefecture as ku must use same field colour.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 26 March 1999


Links to Tōkyō subdivisions

Wards (ku) [23]

Cities (shi/si) [26]

Towns (machi) [3]

Villages (mura) [4]

Islands (machi) [9]