Tokyo Bay

Right on the doorstep of Japan's capital is Tokyo Bay. The shores of the bay are packed with industrial complexes and some of the world's most densely populated areas, but it boasts a rich biological diversity that nurtures a wide variety of seafood for the city's inhabitants. In samurai times, the fish caught here were used for tempura and sushi, which are popular to this day. In recent decades when the Japanese economy was booming, Tokyo Bay became badly polluted. But countless initiatives have been undertaken to restore its natural beauty. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is Tokyo Bay. This is part of our special Tokyo trilogy. Clarifying the role the bay has played over the years in Tokyo life casts the city itself in a new light.