Tokyo, Japan – Why I Loved It But Wasn’t Awestruck By It
By the messy optimist
So…yes. Like everyone else on this planet who is lucky enough to make their way to Japan and Tokyo – you fall in love with it. So did I. I spent a week just in Tokyo and there is NOTHING there not to like. The people are incredibly decent and friendly, the sights and sounds are, at once, modern and historic and even though there’s barely ANY vegetarian food – I still loved it there.
BUT…
Here’s the thing though…I LOVED it but I wasn’t awestruck by it.
There. I’ve said. I loved it but just wasn’t awed by it. Because Tokyo was absolutely NOTHING like what I imagined or expected it to be.
So, what did I expect Tokyo to be? Glad you asked. Let me explain.
Tokyo of the 80s and 90s
I have to admit. Tokyo has an uphill battle when it comes to visitors to the city and Japan as a whole. Tokyo has to deal with the average person’s sky high expectations of the city vs. the reality of it all. If you grew up in the last decades of the 20th century – you’d have had to live inside a bubble or behind a veritable iron curtain not to know about the glories of Tokyo, Japan.
Most Modern City in the World.
The Technological Marvel.
Sony.
Panasonic.
Anime.
Manga.
These were just a few of the things that came to mind when someone said Tokyo or Japan in your vicinity. So, anyone visiting Japan already has monumental expectations of the country. I was NO different. But would Tokyo’s reality in the second decade of the 21st century measure up to one’s expectations?
Before I answer that question…
A Quick Overview of Tokyo
Walk around the historic Asakusa district and check out the legendary Senso-ji temple dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy.
Partake of the latest fashions at Harajuku.
Climb up Tokyo’s equivalent of the Eiffel Tower in red – the Skytree (well – by climb, I mean you take the elevator) and take in Tokyo’s amazing skyline.
Play anime and other games in the many loud and colorful and gaudy game parlors at Shinjuku.
Take in Tokyo’s equivalent of New York’s Central Park at Ueno Park – an oasis in the middle of a very concrete jungle.
Let your eyes boggle at the amazeballs sight of Shibuya Crossing and party all night there.
Bow down to the gods at Meiji Shrine.
Walk around the Imperial Palace.
Or simply take in the modernity of Tokyo city – from the high-rise buildings to the freeways to the metro stations – Tokyo is BREATHTAKING. No question about it.
But visiting Tokyo was still not what it should’ve been. And I’ll tell you why.
Tokyo – Not What I Imagined or Expected
Maybe Tokyo was a sight to behold in the 80s and 90s – it was probably unique then. I visited Tokyo in 2019. And I went there after having lived in Shanghai for over three years. And trust me – there is NO place on this planet that is bigger, louder, more colorful, more futuristic – just MORE of everything that one thinks a modern city should be than Shanghai.
Literally every other major city in the world – London, New York, San Francisco, Paris and…well…Tokyo…pale in comparison to Shanghai. So – while I appreciated Tokyo, I was not awed by it.
Shanghai is just larger and bigger and has more freeways and more of everything than I’ve seen in literally any other place on this planet. Everything is just shinier, fresher, newer and looks and works better in Shanghai.
Many, many parts of Tokyo is now just old and run-down, many of the Metro stops are dingy and have no escalators and, instead, have these hundreds of steps that you have to climb (and if you’ve made two changes on your Metro journey – the climbing becomes such a hassle and tiring and time-consuming) – and after awhile, Tokyo (by comparison to Shanghai) just seemed like it was too much of work.
Tokyo felt like the Cinderella step-sister to Shanghai.
I realized – at every stage – that I was being so unfair to Tokyo. I don’t ever like when people make comparisons. I believe everything should be judged based on itself and not based on how it measures up to others. So even as I knew this and kept telling myself this – I still found myself comparing Tokyo to Shanghai.
And I shouldn’t.
Because the city is still awesome. There are still amazingly wonderful sights and sounds that you simply should NOT miss when in Tokyo. And the Japanese people are just so incredibly kind and sweet and gentle and friendly.
Another trip to Japan will happen and happen soon. This time to a city that I’ve been assured and reassured by many, many friends would awe me and stun me – Kyoto. I’m eagerly looking forward to my next Japan trip.
So yeah…Japan was not what I hoped it would be. But that’s OK. This means I get to go back there again. And I will. As always – if there’s anyone out there who wants me to come by and adore the beauty of Kyoto and Tokyo and the rest of Japan – please contact me. Hee Hee!
In the meantime…check out more to do in Tokyo…
https://www.twowanderingsoles.com/blog/best-things-to-do-in-tokyo
https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-things-to-do-in-tokyo
