Greater Tokyo Area
The Tokyo Megalopolis Region, or Greater Tokyo Area, is made up of Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures, namely Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba. This is home to almost 35 million people or approximately 26% of Japan's total population of 125 million.

The governed prefecture of Tokyo Metropolis comprised of smaller administrative bodies, special wards and municipalities. The most populated area is divided into 23 special wards ("ward" is "ku" in Japanese) and Western Tama, which is made up of 26 cities (shi), 3 towns (cho) and 1 village (son).

Tokyo's 23 special wards and surrounding suburbs, together, form a long narrow stretch of land running about 90 kilometers east to west and 25 kilometers north and south. The Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, two island groups in the Pacific Ocean, are also administratively part of Tokyo, despite being geographically separated from the metropolis.

The overall population of Tokyo is approximately 12.5 million (as of September 1, 2005), comprising a land mass of approximately 2,187 square kilometers.

Twenty-three special wards
There are 23 special wards which represent Tokyo's most valuable real estate and most densely populated area. These are designated as the most prestigious addresses to acquire amongst Japanese and foreigners alike. This area is commonly referred to as the central metropolitan area. The 5 wards, colored in yellow on the map, designate the heart of central Tokyo. There you will find the most popular shopping zones, headquarters of most major Japanese companies, foreign company corporate headquarters and offices, government offices, The Imperial Palace, embassies and other prime real estate. Compared to other wards, population in the five central wards drops-off in evening hours, and then densely re-populates during business hours. Population density is influenced by daily worker/ visitor commute patterns, to-and-from this most prestigious "who's who" area. Property ownership in the 5 wards area is a status symbol, it indicates the attainment of some of the most highly sought after real estate; the most expensive addresses in Japan.