2. The Meiji Restoration and Westernization
The Meiji Restoration of 1868 marked a turning point, propelling Tokyo into the modern era. Western technologies and ideas flooded the city, transforming its skyline with stone buildings, gas lamps, and railway lines. Industrialization surged, linking Tokyo to the rest of Japan and the world. This fusion of Eastern tradition with Western innovation laid the groundwork for Tokyo’s dynamic urban identity.
