Why Go To Tokyo. “Animated” is perhaps the best word to describe Tokyo. Crazy about its anime, Japan’s mega city is constantly buzzing with movement – and yet, bright lights and loud signs beg you to pause, to break your motion for just one second to pray (oops, we mean pay) at the altar of consumerism.

The Greater Tokyo Area has a population of around 38 million – on a normal weekday it swells an additional 3 million. This makes it the most populous urban agglomeration globally. The city proper of Tokyo has a population of over 14 million

Tokyo is famously known for its blend of traditional culture and modern innovation. The city is a hub for anime, manga, and video games, with Akihabara being a key location. It also boasts iconic landmarks like the Tokyo Skytree, Shibuya Crossing, and Senso-ji Temple. Furthermore, Tokyo is a major cultural and economic center, with a thriving food scene and a reputation for safety and vibrant nightlife. 

I arrived at Haneda Airport. It’s the closest airport to the center of the city (compared to Narita) and took the Tokyo Monorail and Metro to my accommodation in the heart Shinjuku. I asked a random guy on the Haneda platform if I was heading in the right direction and he went completely out of his way to accompany me to my final Metro stop (and he was not Japanese – he was from Myanmar but I figured everybody is Japanese in Japan – I WAS WRONG because Tokyo has more than 500,000 foreign nationals accounting for around 4.1% of the population).

These pix 1) the narrow streets are crammed with shops and tiny eateries 2) Can you think of a better name for a used closing store than “RAGTAG”? 3) Game arcade to win cheap prizes called “SOFT WINS” 4)Typical walk-up restaurant with sidewalk seating 5) & 6) & 8) & 9) visiting and tasting sake in a sake brewery 10)Temple entrance

Cherry Blossoms

I was lucky enough to catch the last day of the cherry blossom bloom in Tokyo – they were all torn off the trees the following day by a rain storm – I was lucky enough to witness 3 days of the bloom in Kyoto.

There is no other place on Earth that celebrates cherry blossoms quite like Japan. Not only do the tiny pink flowers possess beauty, but cherry blossoms are also a crucial component in Japanese culture. A wide variety of cherry tree species numbering in the hundreds are found throughout all of Japan. In fact, the cherry blossom is so popular it is considered Japan’s unofficial national flower. And their arrival is widely celebrated throughout the country during the spring season with food, song, dance, and camaraderie. 

Check out the slideshow of my visit to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (hit the Slide Show button)

Notice in that slideshow that the National Garden has no seating – you bring your own blanket. This is the same everywhere in Japan – no chairs in Metro stations (except ones with a wheelchair painted on them), at bus stops, etc. The alternative is to stop in a coffee shop or one of the 160,000 restaurants in Tokyo.