Being able to travel to Japan is high on the destination bucket list of many and whilst Japan requires more than one visit to cover its vast grounds and activities, there was no better introduction than jumping head first into its huge capital – the buzzing Tokyo metropolis.
The city holds a tremendous amount of fascination and a reputation of uniqueness, modern boldness merged with tradition and an order to what would be typically chaotic, prompting many to really wonder what it is like in Tokyo.
For over a week, Tokyo was home; a new landscape ready for me to lose myself in like Scarlett Johansson’s character in the film ‘Lost in Translation’. It didn’t intimidate or frustrate me, it just made me love it for the things that you don’t see elsewhere, for its little quirks and bizarre offerings and for not losing its traditions in light of it’s rapid, modern growth.
So, what does Tokyo look like? How does it function? What are the places to visit in Tokyo that give the best glimpses into Tokyo life?
Here’s my top pick of 17 reasons why I love Tokyo city, and what makes it so very different and special to travel in.
What is Tokyo Like? A Guide on Things to Love About Japan’s Capital City
READ MORE: How Much Does it Cost to Travel in Japan?
Contents
- 1 1. Everything is CLEAN
- 2 2. ETIQUETTE is a BIG Deal
- 3 3. Shops Have an ABUNDANCE of Everything
- 4 4. The Pedestrian Walkways are HUGE
- 5 5. THEMED Cafes and a Robot Restaurant
- 6 6. UNIQUE Fashion Sense
- 7 7. NEAT Architecture
- 8 8. In Your Face ADVERTISING on Buildings
- 9 9. A HAPPY and Calm Metro
- 10 10. Transport is ON TIME
- 11 11. PLASTIC FOOD Previews
- 12 12. VENDING MACHINES on Every Street Corner
- 13 13. Everyone WILL HELP You
- 14 14. Tradition still EXISTS
- 15 15. You Can Drink in TINY BARS
- 16 16. EAR-SPLITTING Pachinkos
- 17 17. RANDOM Finds and Situations
- 18 Want to Visit Tokyo and See What It’s Like? Pin It!
1. Everything is CLEAN
Tokyo is so clean to the point where it almost looks brand new. Not one scrap of rubbish is strewn on the pathways or dropped as litter; no large bin bags are left festering for collection; the ‘five-second’ rule of eating something dropped on the floor could turn into the ‘five-minute’ rule; and no graffiti can be found covering an old wall or alleyway. Tokyo cleanliness even extends to dedicated smoking areas, to contain the littering of cigarettes.
When you visit Tokyo, you’ll get a window into the future where people respect their surroundings. It’s as clinical as Singapore, just with more character.
The roads, the pavements – everything is clean in Tokyo
Tokyo is so clean it even has dedicated cigarette smoking stations
2. ETIQUETTE is a BIG Deal
The Japanese are polite, welcoming and follow a rigid etiquette that you should try to uphold too, and unlike most cities where people often become a little uptight, Tokyo hasn’t lost its civility. Bowing when saying hello and thank you is the norm, as is giving and receiving items and gifts with both hands.
Even when it comes to paying, your money should be placed in the plastic tray provided, and it’s where your change will be returned. Guesthouse owners go out of their way for you and shop workers are some of the cheeriest people you will meet. It really is a beautiful thing to encounter on a daily basis in Tokyo and beyond, so these Japan tips for first timers might come in handy to prepare you for the new cultural nuances.
Forming an orderly queue in Tokyo, Japan
3. Shops Have an ABUNDANCE of Everything
I’m not talking about huge shopping malls, but convenience stores and those little specialist shops that sell household, lifestyle or beauty goods. Except they are not that little – these are shops that sell a larger plethora of products than you’ve ever seen and in a whole heap of different varieties. It’s actually fascinating and making a choice out here must take hours! The aisles are sometimes decked out in hand crafted neon coloured signs and posters to point you in the right direction, although it’s still difficult enough to know where to start. No matter how many times I walk past one of these shops, I still go in them, even though they all look the same.
This is what shopping in Tokyo looks like
4. The Pedestrian Walkways are HUGE
Tokyo doesn’t just have standard pedestrian walkways; it has enormous pedestrian walkways. Tokyo doesn’t care too much for footbridges and funky walkways a la Hong Kong and Bangkok – it creates an artistic vision of beautiful chaos on its roads only. Take the famous Shibuya Crossing as an example – hundreds of people cross at any one time in a calm and orderly way. In places like Shinjuku, there’s also uniformed men who help ease the people traffic flow on the thick, white lines that line many parts of the many roads out here.
Crossing the road in Tokyo is less chaotic than it looks
5. THEMED Cafes and a Robot Restaurant
Tokyo has its quirks and oddities – fact – and one of those is in the form of its many themed restaurants and cafes. There’s cat, robot and Super Mario cafes, Vampire, Ninja and Alice in Wonderland restaurants, and many more besides. I decided to have dinner at the Alcatraz ER restaurant, where you sit behind prison bars and bang on them with a metal rod to call attention to the waiter. My cocktail was made with syringes and my food served by eccentric doctors and nurses. Crazy times.
READ MORE: The Robot Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan. A Futuristic Foodie Experience
WATCH: My Experience at the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo
Themed cafes and restaurants in Tokyo are a highlight of travel here
6. UNIQUE Fashion Sense
I’ve wanted to visit Harajuku since Gwen Stefani sang about the “subculture in a kaleidoscope of fashion” and which made my curiosity grow. Were these people real? Harajuku girls certainly do have “a wicked style”, and whilst you will find all manner of individual fashion styles throughout the city, nothing says unique quite like this enclave of the city, with Sunday being the best day for people watching. Little Boo Peeps, Goths, best friends who wear the exact same outfit head to toe and the trend of wearing a bath towel around your neck all exist here. Throw in funky hairstyles, doll makeup and a few traditional yakatas (kimonos) and you would think this is a giant fancy dress party at a shopping district. Except it isn’t – these young locals wear their unique style with pride and they certainly get the attention.
7. NEAT Architecture
If you haven’t worked it out already, I love architecture – from grandiose skyscrapers to local houses with style made of tin shack. In Tokyo, and throughout Japan, the majority of the residential buildings here are compact and neat. The are either small and very square or tall and rectangular thin, exist in varying shades of coffee, caramel and grey and are neatly placed together, making Tokyo look like it was only built 10 years ago but by someone really anal and with a passion for beige. Although Tokyo has its area of skyscrapers and modern architecture, the overwhelming feeling here is for design to be functional and simple, rather than used as a showpiece.
Residential areas on Tokyo are an interesting contrast to the high rise buildings
8. In Your Face ADVERTISING on Buildings
A sign on the front of a shop or other outlet is not enough here. Instead, signs protrude from the sides of buildings, overwhelming you in a sea of choice and Japanese characters. In the areas like Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ginzo, where buildings have more than one floor, there may be as many as six signs denoting the different uses of each floor including restaurants, bars, beauty salons etc. Which means many signs – up, down and all around. And nothing is more amazing than when night comes in and all the signs are lit up like a psychedelic version of Times Square.
9. A HAPPY and Calm Metro
I love the metro / underground train – in London, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong… each has it’s own unique style. In Tokyo it’s something special. There’s no chaos (outside of commuter hours); no ones rushes, runs and pushes on the trains and escalators; there’s a cute tune that plays when the train stops at every single station stop, where you listen hoping to pick up a new one; and there’s even mirrors at some platforms, just in case you need to make sure you are fitting in with the style of the Tokyo crowd. The only downside here is the long walks between the lines, but the cheesy tune puts a smile right back on your face.
Looks confusing, right? But the Tokyo metro system is ordered despite its size
10. Transport is ON TIME
Japan is a country of expert time keeping and Tokyo, despite it’s frantic city status, still adheres to the rule. I’m a Londoner and this NEVER happens, so imagine being in a place where if a train is due to arrive at 15.34, it actually pulls in at 15.34 and 40 seconds and leaves at 15.34.
I was informed that if a train is late, then you can request a ticket from the platform inspector, which states by how many minutes the train was late. This you can then present to your employer. There’s no messing here.
However, it can be a panic when you have to meet a Japanese friend. I was nearly 10 minutes late meeting somebody at a station (to be fair, I got lost), and I felt terrible – tardiness is not at all respected.
11. PLASTIC FOOD Previews
Plastic preview is one of the best inventions ever created, especially in a country where there is a huge language barrier for us visitors. It reminds me of when I was a kid and used to play with this material that you shaped and put in the oven to harden. I got to make food for my Barbie dolls but this is far more skilled than that. If you are not sure what to order or are curious as to what your dish contains, fear not – the plastic food mock-up will how you exactly what you will be purchasing. It actually looks scarily similar.
Plastic food dishes are placed casually out the front of the restaurants or are lined up in the shop windows. There’s even a plastic re-creation of every cake and cookie available in specialist confectionary shops too. Plastic fantastic.
Can’t communicate in Japanese? Don’t know what to order? Plastic food displays in Japan have you covered
12. VENDING MACHINES on Every Street Corner
The Japanese LOVE vending machines, and you will see them on every street corner, train and bus stations and even near shines and public parks. Some small restaurants also have a style of vending machine where you select your meal, pay and present your ticket to the waitress, the same with some of the ‘Love Hotels’. It’s all a part of the Japanese attribute of being super organised and time efficient.
For time efficiency, vending machines can be found all over the streets of Tokyo
13. Everyone WILL HELP You
Even with the extreme language barrier, a local will always try to help you in the best way they can. Every time I have asked for directions, the person hasn’t just pointed, they have walked me right to the spot – whether that’s the correct train platform or a destination that’s a 10-minute walk away. Others happily get out their mobile phones and get technical with the GPS. For a nation of people who strictly adhere to time, they always have time for you. For the kindness of strangers, arigato (thank you) Japan.
14. Tradition still EXISTS
Tokyo might be a modern city, but there are still areas that have kept with traditional designs and layouts. From the Imperial Place grounds in Marunouchi and the Sensō-ji temple in Asakusa, the charming ‘old atmosphere’ neighbourhoods of Kagurazaka and Ueno, to the restoration and continuation of the Ryokan houses as forms of accommodation, the traditions, architecture and character of the aged Japan still poke through Tokyo’s contemporary canvas. This isn’t just another concrete jungle.
15. You Can Drink in TINY BARS
The Shinjuku Golden Gai is known for its small cosy bars at street level, tucked away down a compact area of narrow streets. These tiny alleyway bars are often eclectic, loud, filled with junk that could tell a lifetime of stories and marked by neon lights. Some are even attached to the owners’s house. For a real local experience, squeeze your way into a bar at Golden Gai and come away with some great stories.
You haven’t seen Tokyo until you’ve had a drink in a tiny bar in Golden Gai
16. EAR-SPLITTING Pachinkos
I’ve lost count of how many of these ground vibrating, rackety and deafening arcades I walked by or wandered around in fascination. A Pachinko, as it is formally known, specifically refers to the arcades that contain row upon row of the mechanical ‘slot’ machines unique to Japan. The noise is overwhelming, and you can’t help but stand there and be transfixed. It’s serious business and you are quickly ushered out for trying to take photos. A Pachinko forever taints my love of British seaside arcades – which now pale in comparison.
17. RANDOM Finds and Situations
So there I was, taking a leisurely stroll in my quiet neighbourhood in the north-east of the city – close to the Kasuga metro to be precise. It’s the kind of place that had tiny restaurant buildings with small doors, a few shops, and a small business district. It was a place of no particular interest that you could easily pass by, so I just continued meandering with no plan. Then, from a distance I saw twisting tracks of metal protruding from the top of an office tower, figuring it was a funky piece of architecture in this otherwise nondescript place. So I edged closer thinking I had found something. For sure, it was just a roller coaster.
It turns out the Tokyo Dome City complex, which has various attractions, rides, shops and food courts, was just at the end of the road – randomly, in a residential and business area. You have to travel miles for that kind of thing back home! I guess it’s something to do on the way home from work.
Have you been to Tokyo? What else is there about the city that you think makes it so unique?
Want to Visit Tokyo and See What It’s Like? Pin It!
I’ve never been to Tokyo but I’d absolutely love to go! I love the cities quirks and how friendly everyone seems – definitely adding this to my list 🙂
I love cities so I was in my element here! Glad it’s inspired you to want to visit. Japan generally is interesting, scenic and different.
What a great place, and I cant get over the cleanliness and sparkling vitality to the place, yet there are spots with greenery, lakes and beautiful trees to reflect and relax. Did you ride the bullet train, what was that like?
The bullet train is a rite of traveller passage in Japan. It is fun!
Hello Kitty didn’t make the list? 😉 Seriously though, Tokyo sounds wonderful! Absolutely love that photo above #15.
I know, I know. I feel ashamed. It was tough you know…some things are Japan specific and I could have added them…but the list would go on and go. And… I’m still her biggest fan, ok? 😉
I had a friend study in Tokyo, but she is not very much a city person. I would love to visit! Those store pictures are astounding, I can’t even imagine that! One thing I would love to see is the polite nature of everything. Was it culture shocking at all? Coming from Philadelphia, it’s probably a total 180!
Take the opportunity to visit there while a friend is there! There is a certain element of culture shock for sure – mainly with the extreme language barrier. But it’s more fascination and wonder rather than the feeling that’s its too difficult. Sometimes you feel lonely and ‘lost’ in that lost in translation sense, but that depends on the individual person how they handle that.
The mix of ancient and futuristic did it for me, plus every single thing you mention. I must say I loved the vending machines – visited in January, and often traveled very early in the morning, so used to grab a warm bottled ice tea on my way to the next temple or train. A little detail, but it just made everything seem… nicer. Oh, and the fact every little train or subway station seems to have lockers available. And clean toilets! And the mountains are really close and fantastic for a day trip or more. And… and… and.. OK, I really miss Japan. Thank you for the nostalgia trip!
This list could go on and on… Tough as so many things are Japan specific and not just Tokyo so I left them out. Nostalgia indeed. I am heading back to Tokyo ago to get a fix before I leave!
Thanks for this, it brought back good memories, and showed some new things I missed. I also felt that Japan was a window into the future in a lot of ways, and its peculiarities charming – wet hand towels before every meal, heated toilet seats!, taxi doors that close by themselves, (most) people waiting for green traffic lights before crossing the road even when there’s not a car in sight, the lovely temples and gardens… Hope to go back some day!
I love hearing other peoples’ loves. The first time I saw a taxi door open on its own I was in such awe. The Japanese really are the window of the future – it’s incredible. I also love the bowing and little head nods. I adore politeness.
Agreed. When I first arrived I got the coach from the airport to the city. The girl manning (?) the bus stop bowed at the coach when it arrived, and also when we drove away. Love it.
Ahhh the bowing. It’s beautiful…
Tokyo has been on my to- visit-list since forever. Every time I see or read something about that city I fall in love even more.
You WON’T be disappointed!
I’m the same way lol. Everytime I read about Tokyo I fall in love with the city more. Man I’ve always wanted to visit Japan for ages now. Im 30 and never been overseas yet lol. I’m really big into The Japanese Anime especially Dragon Ball Z and I heard a lot of people are very friendly and polite there. This is my #1 top place I wanna visit in my lifetime. 🙂
Wow! Those shops are crazy! And I love the interesting outfits. I’d enjoy Japan too. I like to visit places where everywhere you look is something different from what I’m used to.
It certainly is different – very stand alone to the rest of Asia even.
I’ll admit, at first I hated Tokyo. I always preferred Osaka and Kyoto because that was where I lived in Japan. But after giving Tokyo a second chance, I’ve fallen in love. I really hope I find myself back there soon!
I can see how it would put some people off – it’s a complete culture shock in parts. I’m completely in love with Kyoto and would live here, but Tokyo is it’s own unique breed of city!
I had been to Tokyo last year and I could relate to a lot of points you raised above, specially about tradition and the helpful people and of course the mad fashion at Harajuku. One experience that really sticks out from my Tokyo trip was the serendipitious discovery of the Yakotori alley near Shinjuku metro station. I found a bit of Old Japan there with the cheek-by-jowl eating joints, no plastic food outside the eateries, no one who could speak in English. I felt like a little kid and selected what I was going to eat by just pointing to a picture of the food I thought I would like.
I think for my entire stay in Tokyo, there wasn’t an hour that passed by where I wasn’t exposed to something new or learned something new. I hope i am back there sometime in the near future.
PS: Btw that anecdote about employees getting the platform inspectors to state by how many minutes the train was late was quite fascinating.
Absolutely – every day here is new and different. That’s what makes it so damn amazing! 🙂
I noticed the signage density in a lot of places. I think it’s partly because the shops are small so there are 10 times as many per street, but still, I think they have more signs per shop than most other places ever would. Maybe it makes them better readers.
Small with many floors! They certainly know how to maximise space, especially when it comes to business. I love the signage, everywhere I go.
Those themed cafes sound great. I like the sound of a Ninja themed cafe. Question is, do they sell absinthe or tequila? 😉
Well, I am sure that is something we would need to seek out… 🙂
My boyfriend and I are saving for travelling at the moment, he really wants to go to Japan but it seems a lot more expensive than the rest of South East Asia. Did you end up spending a lot in your week? Are the guesthouses/hostels really expensive?
I have spent more here than any other country in Asia. Dorms and private rooms are around $20 upwards per night, food is around $7 upwards for a dish (although super cheap sushi can be found). My three week JR Rail pass was $600 approx (and sometimes you have to use a non-JR Rail line so that’s extra travel costs on top). It’s worth it as it is an incredible country, just don’t expect to live on $15 a day like you can in some South East Asian countries like Cambodia and Laos.
Great article Becki! I was there in March and couldn’t agree more with every single aspect you pointed out.
Oh actually there was one I didn’t get to see – I never had time to experience a crazily themed cafe like that one! So that’s on the list for next time. I did manage to go to an awesomely chilled – and surprisingly swanky – cat cafe though at least.
Thank you! There’s probably so much more you would add to this too! What swanky cat cafe did you go to? I’m trying to track down a good one!
No worries! It was Calaugh Cat Cafe in Asakusa that I went to. Probably a minute – if that – from the capsule hotel you stayed in there. It’s just across the road from Burger King, and a couple of floors up one of the buildings. I was expecting some crazy cat den, but it was actually a really stylish coffee lounge – just with the awesome addition of cats!
I see, I see. Sounds lush…I’m looking for craaaaazy cat lady kind of cat cafe. haha
Did you play any pachinko in Japan? I never played any pachinko over there – probably because I was so scared of losing…
No, just the normal arcades. Even in there I spend too much money!
Japan never really appealed to me when I was younger, but as I get older the country has really gone up in my expectations – especially the cultural side of things and the beautiful buildings. It’s a photographers dream! Thanks for writing such a lovely blog post! x
It only appealed to me when i was younger because of the Memoirs of a Geisha book and film and I also grew into a city loving girl – so the Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka route is perfect. It’s a fantastic place to visit and is really everything you imagine it to be!
I’m glad you’re enjoying your time here! I live in Okazaki but I was in Tokyo for a few days last week. It was my third visit but I feel like it’s taken me a while to get to grips with the place. I’m going back next month for more.
Looks like you’re seeing a lot of the best bits. I recommend going to Nara if you can :o)
I bet you would find so many more things each time you come back here. I still feel there are things I haven’t yet explored and I’ve been here for eight days in total. Perfect excuse to come back… I went to Nara too, very lovely with the big park!
Leave a wallet, umbrella or any of your possessions anywhere and when you come back your almost always going to get it back. I love their honesty. And something about passed-out salarymen dozing peacefully wherever they damn want to pass out is strangely endearing something done elsewhere would have made me shake my head. Man, I miss Japan already.
I LOVE the honesty here. I saw a businessman leave his bag on the train whilst he popped off the train to grab a drink. That would NEVER happen at home!
I miss it too… more than I thought it would. Always in my heart and would go back in an instant!
Oi Becki!
Stumbled upon this site and recognised you from the snorkelling trip on the Perhentians last March.
You were with your Finnish-Vietnamese friend and we had lunch in that main village/town of the island. 🙂
We’re planning a trip to Japan, if only in a year’s time next autumn, since Russia will be our next destination in spring, but I learned a lot about this country already!
Anyway, great and entertaining site, trying to suck up all your other travel reports, too 🙂
Hey there! Yes, I remember you, although my days on the Perhentians seem so long ago now! Glad you stumbled upon it and I’m very happy to hear that you are off to Japan!! Thanks for your kind words, and hopefully will bump into you on the road again someday 🙂
In regards to the vending machines, I read somewhere that Japan has been trialing vending machines that accept empty plastic bottles as payment or partial payment to encourage people to recycle.
They have a similar system in Germany with bottles 🙂 If you return a bottle while buying a new one they give you a discount. Its a very good system actually, I don’t know why other countries haven’t taken it up yet.
Hi Becki, how difficult was it to get around as a non native speaker? Also did you get a chance to visit Yamagata? I’m from the U.S. but my father is japanese and I have family in yamagata who are farmers but don’t speak japanese fluently.
It can be tricky but my tips are. 1. Take a guide such a Lonely Planet that has Japanese characters and words 2. Find the younger generation to ask for help as they are more likely to speak English. All in all though, with the Japanese being as super helpful and kind as they are, there is always a way around a problem. Someone will always help! I didn’t go to Yamagata. I hope to visit Japan many more times… it’s too incredible to only go once.
Wow this was a great post and i loved the pictures! I’m going to college in Michigan for 2 years and for the last two years I want to go to Tokyo International University and live there for a little bit! I always try to find good feedback from other people who went to Tokyo but a lot of them were always negative feedbacks 🙁 but thank you very much! I enjoyed every bit of your adventure 🙂
Hey there Marcus! I’m going to study at Tokyo International University and I hope to see you there!
Any tips to someone traveling to Tokyo soon? 🙂