Edo; Yedo
Historical name for Tokyo during the shogunate period (1603–1868). Used in historical contexts and place names.
The Edo period lasted about 260 years.
He is knowledgeable about the history of Edo.
江戸 was the city's name before 1868 under the shogunate, whereas 東京 is the modern name adopted after the Meiji Restoration, so learners can mix up which era each refers to.
江戸 is the old name for the city (modern Tokyo), while 江戸時代 is the historical era named after that city, so learners must not treat them as interchangeable.
Tokyo style; Edo-style
true Tokyoite; Edoite; Tokyo native
Edo dialect
bluish-violet; royal purple
Edo-made ukiyo-e
true Tokyoite; person born and raised in Edo
Edo chrysanthemum · China aster
Edo dialect
Edo-ma pillar spacing; standard pillar distance in eastern Japan · Kanto-size tatami mat
Standard kanji spelling for the historical city.
The name 江戸 literally means 'estuary' or 'bay entrance', referring to its location at the mouth of the Sumida River. The exact origin of the name is uncertain, but it has been in use since at least the 12th century.
Edokko; true Tokyoite; Edo native
Edo miso; Tokyo-style miso