January 2021
Cities that host the Olympic Games are usually really great places to visit since they’ve spent billions making themselves world class and tourist friendly.
If you’re looking to travel to an interesting and exciting destination, to somewhere really quite different; then check out Tokyo! Even if you don’t make it to the Olympics for 2021, all the infrastructure post-Olympics will be there to greet you. Cities that host the Olympic Games are usually really great places to visit since they’ve spent billions making themselves world class and tourist friendly.
The best part about visiting Tokyo is that you will be forced out of your comfort zone. For those of us that look for a little culture shock in our travels, this destination does it. You will therefore need your wits about you.
Greater Metropolitan Tokyo is the world’s largest city with a population of a mind-boggling 37 million. People are busy and in a hurry, like New York City, but with longer hours, so don’t expect laid back denizens. Very few people speak English, so you will have to learn a good 20 key words, which incidentally, will help you make some friends too. People are more likely to practice English with you when they see how bad your Japanese is. ‘Arigato gozaimas des’ka‘ (with a bow) meaning ‘Thank you very much’ is, for example, a must-know. In Tokyo, you will have to adapt and therein lies the fun. Your way of doing things just won’t fly. You will need to be up to speed on etiquette in Japan. This is one area you definitely want to do your research. The rest; where to stay, and go, etc., you can wing.
Foodies rejoice! The quality and variety of the food alone is worth the trip. The food is amazing and the language barrier will not prevent you from getting what you want. Menus are mostly visual. And they are not just pictorial; the cast or mold of any dish is most often displayed in a window to an incredible likeness (see photo).
Tokyo is a very clean with (oddly enough) no public trash cans to be found. This has to do with security; you may recall the sarin gas attack on the subway in 1995 by the Aun Shinrikyo doomsday cult. So where do people put their trash? Answer: In their pockets until they can dispose of the litter at home. Even smokers carry around compact fold-up ashtrays. Still, there is next to no litter at all. And Tokyo is very safe too. You never have to look over your shoulder at any time of the day or night and if you lose your wallet, you are likely to get it back — full. Tokyo truly is a marvel of human organization, civility, and modernity.
In the 1960s and early 70s Tokyo was very polluted. The air quality today is good. One major reason for this is that the municipal and national governments made owning a car an expensive nuisance; but at the same time, they made public transport good and very reliable. Tokyo should be the benchmark when it comes to public transit. Most cities boasting about having good transportation would be put to shame by Tokyo. With the exception of rush hour, the trains are spacious. The trains (like the buses) are clean and comfortable. They are frequent and so you never have to run to catch a train because they arrive every two minutes—on the second. People’s livelihoods depend on the train being on time and so punctuality is taken to another level.
Compared to an average North American city, prices are roughly the same for hotels, food and clothing; but the quality factor is superior in Japan. And when it comes to hotel or lodging choices, there are a lot, and for every budget. If you want to go cheap, you can find some great budget options. Either way, you can expect cleanliness, and safety, and remember, transit is fast, easy and awesome. I saved a lot of money by not staying downtown and using transit. Also, skip the taxis, they are incredibly expensive. Food is roughly the same price and there is no shortage of choice for shoppers and very cool shopping districts.
Chic and elegance is big in Japan and so you might not want to show up in your gym pants, hoodie or uggies. There are some amazing neighbourhoods to explore in Tokyo. The city has some great architecture and plenty of art to take in; and like London, or Paris, Tokyo is super walkable with lots to do and see. You can just enjoy getting lost, so bring your walking shoes.
Tokyo consistently ranks as one of the most innovative cities in the world. In fact, when it comes to technology, Japan is very advanced. You will witness technologies in action years before you see it appearing back home. Everywhere you go, you will be impressed at how well technology is integrated into daily living. From toilets with built-in bidets and robots, to the coolest and craziest gizmos and gadgets, Japan takes it to another level. You won’t be disappointed if you like tech.
Japanese culture is fascinating and the greatest part of traveling there is seeing how things are done elsewhere. You will learn a great many things about yourself, and your own culture in the process.
