Before it was renamed Tokyo, what was the earlier name of the capital city of Japan?

Introduction / Context:
Countries sometimes change the names of their cities for historical, political or cultural reasons. Japan's capital city, now known as Tokyo, once had a different name that is frequently asked in history and geography exams. The earlier name reflects a period when the city was the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate and played a central role in Japanese feudal governance. This question checks whether you can correctly recall that earlier name and link it to the modern city of Tokyo.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The city currently known as Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
• The question asks for its earlier name before it was renamed.
• The options are Osaka, Kyoto, Samurai and Edo.

Concept / Approach:
Tokyo was historically known as Edo, which served as the headquarters of the Tokugawa shogunate from the early seventeenth century until the Meiji Restoration in the nineteenth century. When the emperor moved the imperial capital from Kyoto to Edo, the city was renamed Tokyo, which means eastern capital. The approach is to recall this transformation and identify Edo as the former name. Osaka and Kyoto are important Japanese cities but have their own distinct roles, while Samurai refers to a warrior class, not a city name.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Tokyo has not always been the official capital under that name. Step 2: Remember from Japanese history that Edo was the political centre during the Tokugawa shogunate. Step 3: Note that during the Meiji Restoration, the imperial court moved from Kyoto to Edo. Step 4: At that time, Edo was renamed Tokyo, meaning eastern capital. Step 5: Therefore, choose Edo as the correct earlier name of Tokyo from the options given.

Verification / Alternative Check:
History and world geography textbooks commonly refer to the Edo period in Japan, dating roughly from 1603 to 1868, when Edo was the de facto capital under the shogunate. Maps and historical documents from that era show Edo where modern Tokyo stands today. Kyoto is described as the old imperial capital before the move to Tokyo, not as Tokyo's former name. These sources consistently reinforce that Edo and Tokyo refer to the same city at different times, confirming that Edo is the correct earlier name.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Osaka is a major commercial and industrial city in Japan but has its own identity and was never the old name for Tokyo. Kyoto served as the imperial capital for many centuries and remains an important cultural centre, yet it is a separate city and not a former name of Tokyo. Samurai is a term for the warrior aristocracy in feudal Japan, not a city name at all. None of these options describe the historical renaming of Edo to Tokyo, so they are not correct for this question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Kyoto with Edo because Kyoto was the traditional capital and they may think Tokyo simply replaced or renamed Kyoto. Another mistake is to focus on more familiar city names like Osaka and choose them without recalling the specific historical context of the Meiji Restoration. To avoid such errors, connect the word Edo with the Edo period, Tokugawa rule and the transformation into Tokyo as the eastern capital. Creating a simple timeline of Japanese capitals and important cities can help fix these facts more firmly in memory.

Final Answer:
Before it was renamed Tokyo, the capital city of Japan was called Edo, so Edo is the correct option.