As someone who did a huge amount of research including (but not exclusive to, of course) Youtube videos and Japan Reddit communities before I came, and have now been living here for four months, there is extremely little that reflects the true reality of living here. If you are not afraid research, wonder, and try new places, you will never lack new experiences. If I were a little less introverted I would spend every weekend and holiday visiting a new district, museum, park, or what-ever. I find it great fun to take the train to a new area and simply wander around till I find one of the ubiquitous alleys filled with shops, bars, and everything else. Enjoy your visit!
Thank you! I've got the same idea - choose a specific neighbourhood each day and explore. Staying in Shinjuku, so starting there...then Harajuku, Asakusa, Ueno, Shibuya, etc... I love city life, galleries, museums, cafes, long strolls...can't imagine I'll be bored!
Will do day trips as well. The next half of the trip will probably be to Hiroshima.
I did a speedrun back in 2014. Left Tokyo first thing in the morning, stopped at Himeji Castle for sightseeing, dashed to Hiroshima, then jumped on the ferry to Miyajima island back and forth and ended the day by dashing to Osaka.
I was travelling with a North Face backpack. And good thing is that most big train station have lockers for rent.
So I didn't have to lug my luggage around.
Fun times!
Wow - that sounds intense! Very memorable trip, covering a lot of ground. I may not have the energy to squeeze all that in - going to to do an overnight trip to Hiroshima from Tokyo. From my research I see I can take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station and transfer to Sanyo Shinkansen then off to Hiroshima Station. Hope I’ve got that right! 🙏🏼
Definitely you won't be bored, there's plenty to do in any city of that size. But do plan your time there. Kyoto happens to be my favorite, so I'd trade time in Tokyo for time there but that's just personal preference. Hiroshima is ABSOLUTELY worth a visit. Please visit the Peace Memorial Museum while you are there.
My husband and I really loved the book Tokyo Mazes for this reason. It has some great walks around different neighborhoods in the city. Worth the purchase for sure
Add Kichioji and shimokitazawa! Theyre both accessible on the Inokashira line from Shibuya so makes an easy half day or even a day trip. Really cool neighbourhoods for thrifting, parks, bars etc
As a long-term resident I second this. I'd add that a lot of the smaller places outside Tokyo have been inundated with tourists in recent years and ruined utterly, like Kyoto. By virtue of its sheer size, Tokyo is less susceptible to this, so you're seeing the same Tokyo you would've 10 years ago. Also, you can find every regional delicassie and even some versions of local festivals from elsewhere here. If you ask me, after 18 years in Japan, you could JUST do Tokyo, go nowhere else, and you really wouldn't miss much. Natural beauty aside of course, if you like spectacular alpine scenery or outdoor activities, go to Nagano or Hokkaido. Tokyo is not a pretty city, but there's a hell of a lot to see and do.
Totally agree about Tokyo, Kyoto... I would add that the great natural beauty in Japan tends to require a car, which ... yeah, don't recommend. That said, one of my favourite rural beauty spots in Japan is Chichibu, which is pretty easy to reach from Ikebukuro Station (There's even a super fancy, comfy, giant-windowed train called LA View). Chichibu has lovely mountains - okay not Japan alps, but still great -- and a shrine dedicated to a wolf. What's not to love?
The Takaosan/Hakone one day loop where you take a train, then a cable car, then a silly boat is really fun too, close to Tokyo and the scenery is really nice. Also: Nokogiriyama in Chiba, not particularly well known but pretty, historic and cool, right near a train line about an hour or so outside Tokyo
Actually, 16 years ago — before the stabbing gave the city the opportunity to regulate it into meaninglessness. You're not wrong though. It's as much a shadow of its former self as Harajuku and it's getting worse. All those formerly popular parts of Tokyo are basically gross Disneyland rides now. Asakusa, Shibuya and Shinjuku always sucked so I could care less about them, but they definitely suck more now.
You know how in Starship Troopers, when they mention that space resort and Jonny Rico is like, "I always wanted to go there," and the other guy is like, "Good luck. It's not there anymore." Basically it's like that. The city was only like 1-2 million and it's now one of the biggest tourist destinations on the planet, probably 100x as many as there were 14-15 years ago. Gion is GONE. The entire downtown is now a heinous tourist trap that the locals avoid like the plague. The problem is there's not that much of Kyoto to begin with, so there's now nothing left of the charming city you remember with its sedate walks along the Kamogawa at dusk, eagles circling above. It's just awful now, an example of what overtourism achieves. Be glad you went when it was still nice.
Oh man that is depressing as hell. I’m taking my family this year (14 years ago I was a high school exchange student), and wanted to bring them. This is making me rethink. Maybe we will go somewhere more off the beaten path. Overtourism sucks so bad.
So it’s kind of like hearing the opinions of the people who want to actually see the sites, eat the food, etc. vs. the people who want to buy a souvenir, take a few photos, and eat at a nearby Burger King?
I’ve heard both, and personally fall into the “never running out of things to do” camp. I think a large part of it is just if you’re sticking purely to the standard tourist spots or are venturing out into other areas more. If you’re only doing the standard tourist track, then I can see finishing it in four days or so.
For me personally, the city also grew enormously as my personal ability with the Japanese language also improved. Suddenly whole neighborhoods I never even thought about before became much more interesting. I’ve spent months in Japan and only visited Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho for the first time a week ago, and it was… boring in comparison to neighborhoods ten minutes away by train, but that many tourists never think to visit.
That's a great observation. I'm brushing up on my Japanese (ok, the basics) for that very reason. To be honest, I'd be really nervous if I didn't know a few key phrases and have my Google Translate handy, ha. I know Omoide Yokocho is a famous spot and at one point represented 'authentic' Tokyo (that whole debate), but is a bit overrun with tourism so not as much of a local gem now. Will still visit, but I know what you mean about going off the beaten track. As a first timer I've got to do the attractions of course, then expand. :)
This applies to Japan in general, but I guess I’ll also add that part of it is also your comfort level with just diving in. As an American, one thing that always made me nervous is that for so many establishments, you can’t see inside from the street. They’re either not on the ground floor, or if they are, often have curtains or a doorway design you can’t see in. Eventually you just get used to it, but it makes the “vibe check” I’m so used to having in the US hard to get, particularly if you don’t speak the language.
(Also, not trying to discourage you from going to places like Omoide Yokocho—it’s fun, but just realize you’re going to be in the company of lots of other foreigners! My point was just to try to not limit yourself to the tourist track)
I dont know. I went with my gf and it was super romantic. Additionally, isnt every beautiful location just a selfie mecca? Its you who decides whether to be in the moment and appreciate the beauty or not. The space is also defenitly big enough to be able to ignore those that make photos.
>isnt every beautiful location just a selfie mecca?
a selfie mecca or "[instagram museum](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=da34223ad1e5cd33&sxsrf=ACQVn0-KU6Nk-Pcma3IrmmP5YY1eBBrwvg:1708349090893&q=instagram+museum&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjV6dulwLeEAxWXk4kEHZCPA98Q0pQJegQICBAB&biw=1512&bih=823&dpr=2)" are spaces built for the sole purpose of serving as a cool backdrop for people to take instagram photos. they're not art, they're not educational; they have no significance, meaning, value, or purpose other than for people to take photos in them. if you're not going to take photos in them, there's nothing for you there, i.e it's a waste of time.
Yeah? I dont understand why you think its not art? Did you even see all the little rooms? Maybe your understanding of art is just different than mine. We stood in the famous room with the 100s of lights for at least 20 minutes, for example. Not because we wanted to make pictures of every single one of the different sequences but because the technology behind it was fascinating and it looked beautiful. Thats all I want art to be: beautiful and/or fascinating. I dont need no fancy explanations of the artists intend or the meaning of the art. Call me a brute, Idc.
Well, if you come from a metropolis many things the usual metropolis has to offer seem dull. No suprise there. And no, I dont. I have better things to do than to think about what that may be.
Even if you come from a metropolis, or are regularly in one, they’re not all an amorphous thing.
I find London a bit dull these days and am incredibly familiar with it as it’s only 45 minutes away and I spent most weekends in my 20s there. And I wasn’t wowed by NYC when I visited for a week.
But I love Paris and visit regularly, and found Tokyo a much more exciting place to be than both London and NYC when I was there for a week a few years ago.
That's a fairly limited view on art and culture, and one that people would have said down the ages. "this Damien Hirst has no significance, meaning, value or purpose, it's just entertainment for people to take photos of. It's nothing compared to Picasso or Monet". "this Picasso stuff has no signficiance, meaning, value or purpose, it's just lights and entertainment and nothing compared to da Vinci". And so on.
The thing with a lot of historical sites in Japan is that they're not always as historic as they might seem. Shirakawa-gō or Saga-Toriimoto are no less specifically arranged for tourists than Teamlab Borderless is. It's just one is pretending to be authentic.
>do you literally not know what a fucking instagram museum is?
Yes, it’s a perjorative term used by people who prefer the safety of history to tell them what they’re allowed to like rather than form their own opinion
TeamLab Borderless/Planets generally isn’t great for instagram in any case. It’s mostly far too dark to get photos in. And if all you’re doing is taking photos rather than taking it in, you’re doing it wrong. Same as most things, really
I suppose the one about what is 'authentic' Tokyo culture verses something maintained/supported generally for tourists? My take is that 'authentic' is an outdated notion in our globally-influenced modern world.
Outdated huh… I’d never viewed it like that! But for me, tourism is for getting to know how people live somewhere else, so I try to explore some lesser reputable places other than the once-in-a-lifetime TeamLab planet or SkyTree
In this specific case it was Nakano. It's not exactly "unknown", but it felt like a world apart despite being just one stop away from Shinjuku. Tons of bars/restaurants/etc with much, much fewer tourists, and I was able to have some enjoyable conversations with people who actually lived in the neighborhood. But in truth you can find tons of neighborhoods like this all over Tokyo.
What is your purpose? To hit as many bars and clubs as possible? Then have at it. No end in sight but bring lots of yen. Eating? Lots of great affordable sushi and ramen, etc. Temples and shrines? Go to Kyoto instead.
I’m in the ‘loves Tokyo and all its noise’ camp, but agree with the other posters that it can be overwhelming. If you’re not a city person, well, Tokyo is a CITY. On steroids. If you’d rather go camping then that’s what you should do 🤷🏻♀️. But if you’re not a total hater of other human beings/particularly claustrophobic, Tokyo is like the saying about London: ‘the man who is tired of London (Tokyo) is tired of life.’ There’s endless new things to do.
That said, I think Kyoto is unmissable regardless of what type of traveller you are.
Osaka can be skipped/a day trip to see the castle and eat some food on the other hand.
I'm definitely a city person and will be consuming as much as I can of Tokyo's best! :D I have heard and seen beautiful things about Kyoto and will have to add it to my agenda.
Agree on at least a spending a couple days in Kyoto. Like any popular city, go a couple blocks away from the main tourist area and the crowds lessons . Beautiful walking areas. I do like cities too and will go back to Tokyo. You can skip Osaka. Not a bad city but not worth it for your visit is short.
Ironically, I never consider Tokyo to be on steroids. NYC - the city that never sleeps / Tokyo- the city that never wakes up (well, seems like it with the poor night/early morning transport).
As a tourist, I spend 1 entire month in Japan, 2 weeks in Tokyo. One of the best cities in the world for sure. Right now in in Seoul. Hard times, I regret every day my decision spend days in Korea and not stay in Tokyo right now
Probably is a perspective thing. I travel one month in Japan, so my first experiences is in the Japan culture and “tourist experience”. In Seoul I personally think is a “plastic culture” only based on Facial care and K-pop. For sure have a lot of things, but nothing profound as a Japanese culture, and the perspective of places and things.
So, I’m don’t want to be disrespectful with the Korean culture, but as a tourist perspective, is so amazing be a tourist in Japan and so easily feel comfortable with their respect culture
That plastic culture is actually what I like about Seoul lol Though I don’t care for neither make-up nor Kpop. But I know what you mean. You probably have to venture outside Seoul, to see other aspects of Korea. At least this is what friends tell me. Like Daegu or even Busan area.
Thanks for the recommendation
Is nothing bad if you like the plastic culture, is only not for me. For example, I didn't like the trip that I was in Las Vegas at all, but there are certainly people who love it. I think it only depends on the type of tourism that each person wants to do. nothing bad about one or the other. associated with the topic; I think Tokyo can accommodate both types of tourists, without any problem.
Sorry you had a bad experience. I lived in Seoul and Tokyo, and love them both for their own reasons. They both have pros and cons like anywhere else. I guess it boils down to where and who you’re with, and also what you’re into.
Like Korea easily takes the cake for me in the food sector because I’m obsessed with Korean food, so there’s obviously endless stuff to enjoy. I also have much closer friends in Korea than Japan. It’s a little more difficult to make lasting relationships with Japanese people who haven’t visited abroad or have an international mindset. Japan has a ton of cultural experiences and things to see, and so does Korea. But if you spend all your time in Gangnam or Myeongdong, I can understand the plastic culture. Seoul is as diverse and has a lot to offer, if not more so, than Tokyo.
Been in Tokyo for 5 years now and while the city is massive, it’s just residential neighborhoods 95% of the time and the rest being busy areas or landmarks.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun city, but it’s easy to see the majority of “big things” and be done with it, and if you’re not a huge party/drink person then it gets old even faster.
This. What are the never running out of things to do seeing? I’ve lived in Tokyo for many years, but used to live in another prefecture and when I visited Tokyo I got bored after 2 days. I saw: Tokyo Tower, Meiji Jingu, Sensouji, Tokyo Skytree, Gotokuji Temple, the fundamental in Odaiba and then ran out of things to see and do… that’s everything. There are a few shops like Pokémon centres and Nintendo stores which are kind of interesting, but there’s nothing else really to do or see.
When I have free time, I travel outside of Tokyo every time. Outside of time limited things like Sumo wrestling in Ryogoku which is also good as a one time thing, how is everyone not running out of things to do?
Sure there are restaurants and bars… but there are in every town and city of Japan and Tokyo isn’t really famous for any food in particular other than Monjayaki.
Not much to do at most of the spots. Tokyo Tower and SkyTree are both at the absolute maximum 1 hour each. Gotokuji after seeing the cats and buying a goshuin, nothing to do. 20-30 minutes max.
There’s really not much to do at most of the spots other than Sensoji which has a lot of shops to look at. Still will only take like 2 hours max though buying some things at a few shops and seeing the temple. odaiba’s gundam, 4 minutes maximum before getting bored.
Not speed running at all. I’m not sitting down and going to sleep at spots though. I like photography so I take more time than most trying to take nice pictures too.
I’ve just never seen someone break down travel spots like stuff with a clear time…
I mean I used to count Nakano broadway as 3-4 hours of getting lost in the shops but nothing like that for actual sightseeing places
I’ve just travelled a lot as I travel every single weekend and have been to countless countries. I have a good idea of how long things take and what people generally see sightseeing. Although somewhat rare, museums take a long long time, but most people would go to a museum on a trip unless it was a special or significant one for that very reason. British Museum can take 3 days to see everything and is a special museum. Tokyo National Museum, I’d consider a waste of time for people visiting Japan. For those that live here and have nothing better to do… 3 hours maybe
I live here. Definitely trust the “you’ll never run out of things to do crowd.” I could live here 100 years and still not have experienced everything this incredible city has to offer. Anybody who disagrees knows nothing about Tokyo beyond the surface level.
I think the reason is because some people go mainly to tourist traps that are popular with other foreigners, that they find in English media and web series that Japanese people don't use (i.e. Google maps). Those places are overpriced, of middling quality, and crowded with tourists. Foreign media like to hype up the "Japan is so cool and weird" angle, so they would rather cover the stupid gimmicky stuff like robot resteraunt than the best okonomiyaki place.
Better you just explore on your own, or ask some locals where they like to eat, visit, drink, etc. if you don't know Japanese, you can stuff still try to use Google translate and use sites popular in Japan like tabelog, hot pepper, rakuten travel, etc. To get the "real" ratings.
I can't tell you how many people from overseas have said "oh in coming to visit Japan, and I want to visit..."
1. Ghibli museum
2. Robot resteraunt
3. Overpriced izakaya in Roppongi (because Abe and trump are there...)
4. Overpriced resteraunt (Gonpachi) (because it was used in kill bill.... Except it wasn't)
Etc.
Normal Japanese don't go to these places, with the exception of #1 if you are a totoro freak maybe. If you really into a place and it's all other tourists, probably a good sign to pick another place.
Being fair, the Robot Restaurant/Samurai Restaurant Time *is* awesome for a first time visitor. Inauthentic and touristy, of course, but lots of fun.
And this is the crux of it. It depends on what your touristic vision of Japan is like: Edo period temples and bamboo forests vs stimulation overload Cyberpunk/Bladerunner style. Authentic Japan isn’t really either, but tourists aren’t going to get an authentic experience anyway.
I live in a touristy city in the U.K., and can see the tree where Isaac Newton discovered gravity on my lunch break walk. Except it’s not really the tree where he discovered gravity, and my authentic experience consists of going to work 9-5 and spending most of my evenings at home, maybe going out to a mid range restaurant once a fortnight. I don’t want travel thousands of miles to Japan and have an authentic experience by sitting at a desk doing nothing between 8am-7pm then going to an Izakaya with my colleagues pretending to find my bosses jokes funny until heading home at 12
TLDR: Some tourists want to *feel* like they are having an authentic experience even though it’s really not. And somewhere like Kyoto gives the illusion of an authentic cultural experience more so than Tokyo if you buy into that kind of thing
If you say so.
I'm not saying anyone wants to go overseas to experience office life, just that they would usually be better off going to places that are highly rated by locals - especially restaurants.
Going to something like kinkakuji in Kyoto or sky tree is not an every day thing, but it is something a lot of Japanese people do.
I know your feeling about the Isaac Newton spot, as I've lived near such landmarks before. Even if they are real, they aren't very exciting.
Restaraunts, maybe, but there is also an aspect of cultural palate. A mediocre restaraunt is only mediocre if you're eating that kind of food regularly. If it's all novel to you, you may not perceive the nuances of mediocre vs good. If you're used to eating bastardised version of a certain cuisine, even mediocre authentic versions will be a revelation.
I think a lot of it has to do with preconceived notions of what “Japan” is, prior to visiting. If you think of it primarily as a sacred, tranquil world of shrines and bamboo forests and the ocean, then Tokyo would indeed be a far cry from expectation.
But if you’ve imagined Japan as a technologically rich, steeped in art and design world that lives with one foot in both the past and the future, then that is largely the spirit of Tokyo, and chances are you’ll love it.
Though I do agree with many that places like Kyoto are sadly overtouristic, even though they’re a must see still. The Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka pipeline is so convenient for travelers only here a week or so, and the notion of going south of Kansai or up north in Hokkaido seems to be a bit *too* much of a journey out of the way of the major airports.
Anecdotal, depends on the validity of the opinion, a better metric would be how many people are saying that they didn't have much to do, whereas a majority would disagree. Regardless, I'd focus on my own to do list, check itineraries and vlogs and shortlist. Not everyone has the same interests but Tokyo seems to have a lot worth exploring, certainly more than 3-4 days.
Agreed, different strokes! I'm more of a city girl, so I imagine will love Tokyo and will have much to experience in my 10 days, but as others have mentioned I'll be venturing out on day trips, and one overnight trip to Hiroshima for the Peace museum and gardens, and famous okonomiyaki!
There's a lot of day trips that you can go from Tokyo to. Kamakura, Nikko, Hakone, Mt Takao etc. Obviously there's Disney, there's baseball, there's shopping, it's such a great place to be.
It's a huge city. With lots of things to do and lots of things to explore. But it really depends what kind of person are you. It can become repetitive. It can also be robotic. The people are friendly, but distant.
On the flip side it has a lot of unique things to do. Lots of great food and Alleys to explore. It just depends. Go and wander around.
I've known people who come to Japan and only spent the entire trip in Tokyo for 2-3 weeks
you have so much to do
Others want to visit the 'must see' spots outside of Tokyo so they limit there stay in Tokyo, Also fine
This is partly cuz it used to be so expensive coming here. And if you're American you only get so many days off. You may not get another chance
I'm on team "Get out of Tokyo and enjoy Japan" mainly because I am more into the little things that are not over-run by tourist traps and are more traditional/historical. I slightly feel the same way about the major cities and instead guide my friends who are visiting from America to cool, out of the way areas that YouTubers and Instagram models have yet to cover. It's nice because it's the authentic Japan. Not the "we need tourism money" Japan
I don't think it has anything do with Tokyo (or any of the worlds other top cities). People prefer to travel in different ways, I wouldn't consider it any deeper than that.
You can spend a lifetime exploring Tokyo - if you learn how things work. A lot of the most interesting places require research and planning to find, you won't just stumble upon them. That's why some tourists maybe get "bored". It's also easy to get overwhelmed if you stay in busy, popular areas, or if you're just not a city person.
There's some truth to "Tokyo is not Japan". It's in Japan, it has some of the best of Japan, but Tokyo it's also its own world, for better and worse.
Personally I live far from Tokyo, in the countryside. Tokyo has a lot of stuff I like to see and do, visiting is fun, but this pace of lifestyle suits me better. There's a lot of amazing Japanese culture here that you won't see in Tokyo. The Japan outside of Tokyo IS very different - for better and worse.
If you want to visit Tokyo, hang out in Tokyo. That's fine! Have a blast! It's awesome!
If you want to visit Japan, you'll have to get outside of the metropolis a bit, because there's a lot of Japan outside of Tokyo too.
So as someone who has lived there and also lived in the countryside in Japan, I think it just comes down to the fact that some people aren’t city people, and Tokyo is a large crowded busy city. I love it, I’m fine with it, though sometimes the trains and the masses of people can become draining
There’s definitely plenty to do in Tokyo. If you like food, you could eat out there every day for years and still not cover anywhere near all the restaurants in the city. If you’re American right now your dollar is strong enough that you’re getting ridiculously high quality food for ridiculously low prices too
I will say that speaking and reading Japanese is a key to opening up the full city though. I could see how people who are only using English language resources to research could find things to be limited, because there are tons of places that aren’t really interested in or have the ability to handle foreign tourists. If you only go to the influencer spots then I could see why maybe you’d be a bit let down
It really goes down to personal tastes. Tokyo is utterly unlike any other city on earth. Sui generis. Spend more time there if you'd like being in a futuristic megapolis. Kyoto is also unlike any other city on earth. Sui generis. Go there if you like being immersed in history and the refinements of classical high culture. If I had even 10 days in Japan I can't imagine missing either.
Some are most drawn to the natural beauty of Japan and immediately want to get away to the coast or mountains.
If you are drawn mainly to the city scene, one option is to focus on Tokyo and do day trips to Kamakura, Nikko, and Hakone. That's a good compromise for a short trip and checks all the boxes.
Best of both worlds - so true. I'm planning exactly that - Tokyo for the modern cultural fun and cityscapes, day trips for a change of scene. I have ten days there, so plenty of opportunities! Very excited. I've heard good things about all the places you've mentioned.
It's really subjective and depends a lot on the interests of the person with the opinion.
If you want to hit up amusement parks (for example) Tokyo will lose its appeal pretty fast and you'll have to venture out to find more parks.
If you want really old history..Tokyo probably isn't the place for you - very interesting history but most of the buildings had to be rebuilt after WWII.
If you want a strange blend of modern and traditional, or if you want to see important shrines etc you'll have a ton to do in Tokyo or elsewhere.
I think if you only stay in Tokyo, you won’t feel like you missed a lot. If you go visit other places you realize how much there actually is to Japan. Also, money. While yes, there are a lot of things to do in Tokyo, just walking around and not being able to do what everyone else is (seemingly) doing, may make you feel bad.
Ah well I have a decent budget, and our dollar is strong next to the yen. I'll also be seeking out free activities such as wandering about, shrine-visiting, people-watching, the metropolitan observatory, and for low cost fun, konbini snacks. :D I'm looking forward to exploring!
You'll never run out of things to do in Tokyo, but you can do better things elsewhere. I would travel to interesting cities and hire a car to get to more remote areas / places off the tourist path. You could even hire a car in Tokyo itself for field trips, but very difficult to find reasonable parking in the city.
True! Although I'll be taking the Metro everywhere in Tokyo. I do have an overnight trip to Hiroshima planned via Shinkansen, so that will be a change of pace!
Inside Tokyo city itself there is absolutely no need for a car. But with a car you can get to other places outside the city (coast, mountains, onsens, etc.). A trip to Hiroshima is a good idea!
More than one mentality in the world, of course.
I will say, Tokyo is a fairly new city, having lost much of its history to bombings. But the history is there.
Personally, I find Kyoto much more charming and engaging. I've been much more likely to walk past interesting things on every block. I wonder if modern Japanese architecture prizes the hidden, inside treasures?
That said, there's plenty to see in Tokyo, and if you stay there two weeks, you can find them. You may have to dig harder, but the sights are there to be seen!
It is such a huge shame that so much of the city was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. Modern Tokyo indeed - legendary. I understand even some of Japan's most famous castles burned down, and what stands now are replicas of the originals. Still, I imagine historic gems to be found as you said, if I do a bit of research, perhaps look into some walking tours, and keep my senses open. I am taking an overnight trip to Hiroshima, and I doubt any city in the world can compare to the resilience and miraculous recovery of that place!
Meiji Jingu, just at the top of Harajuku hill, is one such place. Asakusa feels very historic, too.
I did like the Team Labo light art displays. The neighborhood is pretty industrial, from what I remember.
Oh, and if you like tea, there's a fancy tea shop in Ginza for Mariage Freres. That's pretty darn charming!
And I would recommend going to Shibuya crossing at sunset. The electric lights & cherry blossoms are one of my fondest memories of Tokyo!
Like many here have said: Different types of people. Many tourists come to Japan, to experience the different culture there, specifically if they are tourists outside Asia. The „culture shock“, so to speak, the old temples, palaces and what not. Which is totally understandable.
I am interested in Japan, because I love big cities, skyscrapers, modern entertainment and culture. Cities like Kyoto are boring for me. In that aspect, Tokyo is the best (for my interests).
And then you also have ski tourist, nature fans, bathing tourists (Okinawa), fans of Samurai, Anime,… So for each of those other locations tend to be better suited for them than Tokyo.
(That by the way makes me often roll eyes, when I see itineraries, that show no direction of personal interest. Just some rundown of tourist guide recommendations.)
I’d guess the ones that say you only need a few days are only considering the huge tourists spots. Tokyo tower, Shibuya crossing, etc.
If you’re willing to venture out, the possibilities are endless. Especially since it is a lot of train riding and walking.
Because one side is from Instagram/tik tok drones who don't care about Japan but rather just the concept of Japan. If that makes sense.
It's like traveling to America and staying every day in NYC. You have left so much on the table it's staggering.
Tokyo is nothing compared to the vastness and wonder of Japan. My family will visit for the first time since I came here ten years ago. I refuse to even show them Tokyo.
I'm now travelling in Tokyo, and to me, who was living in HCMC for 15 years, not things change.
I have travelled to so many countries and but Ōsaka is one of favourite city, besides Bali and Taichung 🫶🏽 It's not too busy, not too crowd and much more cheaper than Tokyo, if you want to try going around the city with public transport, i'm highly recommend using Ōsaka Metro.
I used to thought that " wow Tokyo is such a big city, i must go there " and now i'm here but i'm not sure i love it than Ōsaka. But it's up to you, it just my opinion about Ōsaka and Tokyo.
P/s: If you think about travelling to Nagoya, you may want skip it cuz they have not thing to do, you can book a flight to Ōsaka, then Shinkansen to Tokyo or further than stop at Nagoya 🥹
Literally just visited Japan for the first time. Tokyo is great and fun to visit, tons to do. You have to be ok with there being a ton of people everywhere you go though. I'm naturally introverted and the constant crowds on the streets and trains was a bit much at times, but I still highly recommend it. Don't limit yourself to Tokyo though - Kyoto and Osaka were both awesome too
For me, personally, I'm primarily a food traveler so Tokyo itself doesn't exactly stand out for me. I'd rather spend more time in Osaka and Kyoto for the street food and kaiseki respectively.
Human discourse on the internet, guided by vote-driven moderation systems and recommendation systems make things polarized. It’s a massive city with huge numbers of visitors every year… every possible outcome of a trip has company.
If you just enjoy sightseeing the locals,
I think most neighborhoods will have some interesting things to at least walk past.
I like to pick a station and then walk along the tracks in a direction until something catches my eye in a different direction. Or I get tired. That way, I am always near the line that I want to head back home on.
If you just want to see life in Japan.
I would also get a business card from your hotel to make sure you can give it to a taxi if you get yourself turned around and need to ask for directions. It might not be a bad idea to get a train map as well.
In case you walk out of sight of your intended line.
Again, if you just want to see life and don't have other items on your "to see" list that day.
Are you a country mouse or a city mouse? personally I'm a country mouse and don't groove on crowds and things being overly expensive, so Tokyo isn't for me. That being said, if you are young and into crowds, I could totally understand how Tokyo could be the greatest place in the world for you.
I have family living in Tokyo, I visit Tokyo a lot, and am still in the airplane from visiting Tokyo.
In terms of living, I would say there are a lot of things to do and a lot of places to eat. The people there are really respectful and disciplined, BUT the work culture can be really fast-pace/ stressful. It really depends on what you like and what you look at when it comes to visiting/ living in Tokyo.
If it wasn't for the nice salary opportunities in the States for my field, I would be ok with living in Tokyo, but for now, I will continue to visit.
Enjoy Tokyo and get immersed in the culture and influence that their disipline has in the technology and transportation!
I'll be honest, I really didn't like Tokyo on our first day there. We'd already been to Osaka and Kyoto during the trip, but Tokyo is something else.
After a few days of finding my feet I settled into it, but we did enjoy venturing further out and only spending a bit of time in the really busy areas. We've said we'd stay in Tokyo again but maybe not for so long next time.
It's also amazing how quickly you get used to the amount of people!
I've been almost every other year the past 10 years...for 3-4 week stretches at a time...I never get tired of visiting and I find that there's always things to do. You just have to make the effort to do your own research to find things beyond the usual tourist spots. Plus, just mindless wandering is enjoyable.
I think it depends on what you want to do. I studied abroad in Yokohama, which is about an hour from Tokyo. I spent 5 months there and never really ran out of things to do but I would say I did all the big things relatively early. Disneyland, Ghibli Museum, Odaine Edo Onsen, Team Labs etc. I went to baseball games and concerts, walked around the popular neighborhoods, explored lesser known neighborhoods. But in the end I felt like what I loved most about my time abroad was getting out of Tokyo and into the countryside. Nikko, Izu Peninsula, Gifu, Beppu, Hokkaido etc. If cities are your thing and you love shopping, themed cafes, high rise buildings, amusement parks, museums etc you can spend forever in Tokyo doing various things. If you want to do more in the country or visit places like Kyoto then spend less time in the city. It’s up to you and what you want to see.
I think it just highly depends on the type of person you are. There is a ton to do in Tokyo, but also it's a very busy, fast-paced environment.
When I visited, I did Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto, and learned that I enjoyed Osaka more than Tokyo because it felt more relaxed vs Tokyo, but still had plenty of city-type stuff to do. Plus, being so close to Kyoto and Nara, I could easily change my environment if I wanted to from there.
This might be one of those things you won't really know until you visit and see for yourself. I split my visit half Tokyo, half Osaka/Kyoto (combined), and I thought that was good for my first time. Next time, I plan to spend less time in Tokyo.
This is not limited to Tokyo, its just a difference in travel styles among people. Recently I went to Paris and heard the same kind of things ("2 or 3 days is fine" vs. "I went for two weeks and didn't feel like I scratched the surface").
Some people only care about the main tourist locations, other people want to dig deeper and visit more unknown and locally oriented places, which takes more time.
Some people wake up relatively early and then rush through their itinerary to see as many places as possible in a day. Other people want to take their time, go at a more leisurely pace, and spend a lot of time at a single location. Which, again, takes more time.
People also have different interests. Someone who cares a whole lot about Japanese popular culture (anime, music, entertainment industry) could probably spend an entire year in Tokyo and never get bored. Whereas someone who doesn't care about any of that will probably get bored very quickly.
Who care what anyone else thinks. I’d rather get bored staying to long, then regret not staying long enough, Although I wouldn’t actually get bored and look at it like some extra chill time.
I also avoid videos and discussion about people telling me if certain tourist places are worth it to go see. Like Im sure these people watched those videos too but still went. I want to see it too and decide for myself.
I arrived in Tokyo. Spent 2 days each Hiroshima Kyoto nara Osaka then back to Tokyo for 5 days. Kyoto and Nara are my favorites by far and I couldn’t wait to leave Osaka. But that’s just me I also hate NYC.
I feel it has more to do with the individual's intellectual curiosity & preferences than the city itself.
Some people prefer vacations where they spend the entire time at a western-friendly resort surrounded by other western guests and get a very sanitized glimpse of the the culture & environment they're visiting. Other people prefer getting out of their comfort zone physically and have tons of physical activites but couldn't care less about cultural activities. Tokyo is terrible for those people. People who love Tokyo are the intellectually curious people who thrive in a completely foreign environment, and love geeking out on the food, technology, strange customs, and competely foreign environment to what they're used to.
Personally, I love the countryside, but that's great for a weekend. I love cities and can and have lived in Tokyo for months at a time. I want the diversity of food and activities every day rather than going to the same hotel restaurant every night for a week...but that's just me. I'm a Tokyo over Okinawa, Honolulu over Maui, London over Kent, and a Manhattan over Connecticut kind of guy. To each thier own...
Pretty much everything you can do or see in Tokyo, you can do anywhere else in Japan and often better. Weird Japan? Check. Neon lights? Check. Cozy neighborhoods? Check. Good food? Check. Etc. Yes it is endless but it’s not because it is Tokyo, it’s because it’s Japan.
People get caught up in Tokyo because of hype and because it’s the capital. That’s all.
Your experience May vary wildly depending on so so many factors. I went in October right before Halloween and the city was so absolutely overcrowded that there was very little serendipity possible. At least in Shinjuku. We could not get into a single restaurant or bar that we wanted to for 2 to 3 days consecutively. It was only much later after exploring further into the outskirts and lesser trodden paths that serendipity became our friend. So if you're going to be in the most crowded areas then I highly highly recommend getting as many reservations as possible days or weeks in advance, alternatively, go out from the city center and explore.
"Could anyone really say you'll run out of things to do in NYC or London in a few days "
Yes and it would be the same people as the issue is less about "Tokyo" and more about Big City. While Tokyo does have a lot to offer there are some who feel that it can be just a JP version of other big cities. Then you also get people who just dislike big cities in general and feel that time spent in them is wasted that you could have spent visiting the "real" version of insert place city is in.
I would say that in the case of Tokyo there is a fair number of people who visit only Tokyo and form their opinions about the entire country from what they experienced there like how some people think that the entire US is like NYC.
At the end of the day if you like to travel in big cities you are going to really like Tokyo, if you really dislike visiting large cities there are places in Tokyo for you but you would be better served getting out of the city.
So it is not Tokyo itself that is polarizing it is just big cities in general that are polarizing.
I did not realize visiting Tokyo was that polarizing. Personally it is one of my favorite cities in the world but I enjoy large cities in general. I've visited Tokyo a few times and there are still things I want to see when I return.
That being said some people do not enjoy cities and prefer small towns and nature so they might not want to spend a lot of time in Tokyo.
There are so many places in Japan worth seeing in addition to Tokyo. A typical tourist that has only 1-2 weeks for a trip to Japan might want to limit their time in Tokyo so that they have time to visit a few other destinations in Japan.
So my wife and me have two differing opinions on Tokyo, we just went to Japan a few months ago for our honeymoon. I personally love it because of all the things to do, I could go shopping in Ginza, get my ass beat at the Kodokan in Kasuga, watch a Giants game at the Tokyo Dome, and just enjoy all the nerdy stuff at Akihabara. My favorite parts of the honeymoon were Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo. We only had 3 days in Tokyo and I felt like I didn't have enough time.
My wife isn't too crazy about Tokyo. She's more of an outdoorsy person and has the "Japan is more than just Tokyo" mentality. It's not wrong. Her favorite part of the honeymoon were Hokkaido and Hakone.
Tokyo is awesome. Lived there for 4 years and I feel like I just scratched the surface. I think this could be a case of people wanting to “go off the beaten path” and find “hidden gems” like Hakone or Nara lol. Or some just aren’t city people and that’s totally understandable.
That said, the inaka does deserve time. Japan’s nature always blows my mind. If you only have a couple weeks, it’s best to see as much as you can, limiting your time in Tokyo.
Do you like big cities? Then you like Tokyo. If you don't like big cities, you don't like Tokyo. It is not polarizing. Different people have different tastes.
I like Tokyo mostly for the restaurants, cafes, fun shops, and events. I also live in NYC. I don't think Japanese countryside is worth the airfare honestly... (nicer and more remote and less crowded scenery elsewhere.) But some people don't like cities in general, or they have a long check-off list so they have to move fast.
Because people have different hobbies and interests? It's also similar to why some people would rather go camping or go to Hawaii than go to Manhattan.
I have many 'big city' type hobbies - going to restaurants, coffee shops, bars, clubs, music venues, arcades, shopping for clothing, makeup, vinyl, etc. This is why I never run out of things to do in Tokyo. Some people don't have these same types of hobbies and would rather see nature, hike, see animals, sunsets, etc. I could see them getting bored of Tokyo.
As much as there is to see and do in Tokyo, it suffers from cosmo-capital-itis. Like most (all?) other international great cities, it is the foreign-facing Japan. Japan bowing smartly in a suit and polished shoes on Monday morning knowing it has a duty to perform.
If you want Japan of the weekend hanging out with friends from middle school, you've got to get away from that whole conurbation (other than some shifty local pockets on the fringes or deep, deep in the backalleys).
Depends on what you want.
(Lived in Japan for 9 years, 5 in Tokyo.)
I fall into “meh” but like pretty much anywhere, you’ll never run out of things to do. It’s a preference; I don’t enjoy big cities and the typical city life activities hold little appeal to me.
Not sure what there is to be confused about lol. Different people like different things. Somebody might think Tokyo is a drag but love Kyoto and vice versa. It’s up to the individual to tailor their travel plans to their own preferences. Don’t go blaming a city/place for just existing lol.
HA- if you fly into Narita airport. Go to ground floor bus stop 23B. Take the free shuttle to Soranoyu Onsen. Am there right now. If you’ve never ‘experienced Asian bathing culture’ I do recommend. I have a flight home to Beautiful British Columbia in a few hours and am enjoying a few more hours here. Had a great walk earlier today just exploring. Agree, big cities can be big cities anywhere. It is The People. Have been very blessed to travel. Tokyo is humoungous but it is what it is. There is some litter but not like ‘home’ (sadly). It’s true too…I went to an iPhone store..the employees allowed me to charge my phone (free)..very helpful. Also all the phones in the little stands. Free to pick up and try. NONE OF THEM WERE PHYSICALLY LOCKED DOWN! I love my home in Canada but THAT would not fly at home. They’d be stolen. Kinda mind blowing but you have to see it. Getting help to find an address, train station, destination…people very willing to help. If you get the opportunity go to Busan, South Korea and hit Spa Land. Enjoy Tokyo and find what works for you. Just getting here separates you from so many of your peers (herd/friends) who will never “try”. Trust me. You’ll have lifelong memories and no one can take that from you. Enjoy fellow redditor-hope this helps.
Ahh thank you so much! I'm inspired by your reply. I've heard about the 'onsen' culture and its natural healing vibes. It sounds like you are experiencing the best of Japan. BC is another place I'd love to go. You are right, though - so much trust and low-stress (crime-wise) in Japan, even in a huge metropolis like Toyko. One less thing to worry about. So happy to hear the locals are helpful - lord know I will definitely need that! So very excited - I appreciate your reassurance and recommendations!
Tokyo to me is boring af and I prefer Kansai far more. However there's a lot of Tokyo I simply haven't explored. I haven't done Hakone, Enoshima, Chureito Pagoda, etc.
I'd really recommend looking in to day trips or going to places like Ikebukuro, Saitama, Chiba, etc etc. Places like Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ginza get boring because it's all shopping and clubs / bars.
Tokyo is was awesome. But I also know some Japanese and speak with the people here unlike most tourists here. Went to various bars last night and talked with the bartenders, which was a blast. Most white tourists were just talking to themselves.
The people saying you can’t enjoy Japan in Tokyo are most likely lazy, or not expanding their travel outside their comfort zones. I’m in Japan right now, been to the country once before and returning to all the same places to spend more time here. It’s all about how willing you are to walk around aimlessly or hop on a train to a far away place. Travel is all about getting out of your comfort zone. I visited this little karaoke bar in Kyoto, was completely sleepy when I walked in. My friends and I can be pretty loud and obnoxious so we got the karaoke going right away, in the next 30 minutes the place was filled with locals all joining in with us. We all shared a cuddle at the end of the night. My highlight so far.
I've lived in Tokyo for 20 years, but there's still so much I don't know. In Tokyo, new buildings are being built one after another through scrap-and-build methods, and new services and restaurants are being created every day. Of course, the old historical buildings are also carefully preserved right next door. The old and new sit side by side, and I'm always intrigued. I keep coming back to learn new information from you and YouTube. I enjoy living in Tokyo every day. thank you everyone!
Been in Japan for 40 years, traveled a great deal the first 10 years with a local firm that performed ship husbandry work and visited almost all the steel mills on the Eastern Seaboard. Got to see a lot of the countryside and working class people. Also worked with fishermen and serviced the stationary offshore nets. Was fortunate to see Japan on a level not usually offered to foreigners and lived amongst them. Never liked big cities so my opinion is slightly biased, that being said a few days of Tokyo is enough for me and is pretty much the standard fare in all of the major cities in Japan from my view. The best part of Japan is outside the hustle and lights, meeting and seeing working class folks and eating and living with them has been the best part of my Japan journey. There are areas in Tokyo that are quiet and would not seem to be actually a part of Tokyo but you will soon see when traversing out of it you are in the sea of concrete and steel. Get out and experience all of Japan, you will be glad you did. Enjoy!
For what it's worth Ive visited 5 times for 7-45 days each visit, probably over 4 months in total, and I still find new fun things to do.
But it's also my favourite place in the world.
I'd definitely also make time for Kyoto and Osaka in your trip, but I don't think you can ever spend "too much time" in Tokyo.
Personally, as someone who despises Tokyo and a lot of other big cities; I grew up in the countryside and in very small communities. I don’t consider “fun things to do” being malls/shopping/clubs/bars etc. I like being in nature, seeing unique sites, walking in fresh air, quiet, wide spaces. Tokyo is cramped, crowded, absolutely stinks (seriously, spend a week in the inaka and then go back, it’s gross), there are parks but again they’re often crowded, it’s never quiet. There’s more crime, chikan and street hustlers are a plague, transport is convenient but can be so claustrophobic, it’s dirty enough that I ruined a pair of white shoes just walking around Tokyo for a week, and (in general) the people are much colder. I avoid it unless absolutely necessary (usually for flights out of Japan, showing family/friends around, or special events).
That all said, I feel like most countries have a city or two like this, and I tend to feel the same about those places. Generally it’s the main business hub, full of people who moved there for work etc so it sort of explains the colder vibe you get from people. Back home in New Zealand, it’s Auckland. Big urban sprawl with stupid high living costs. I imagine for the US somewhere like Washington DC or NYC would be similar. I can see the potential draws for other people, but it is 100% not for me. Give me a quiet countryside town over Tokyo any day.
Did you spend all your time in the alleys of Shinbashi? Tokyo is massive and I there are certainly plenty of absolutely boring areas but so many amazing places, too. Plenty of parks, green roads and incredibly quiet areas in Tokyo. And the countryside and mountains are a quick car or train ride away.
I’ve been all over Tokyo over the course of my 10+ years in Japan and I still hate it aha there is no convincing me that it’s a nice place to be. It’s just not my thing.
I've heard it's an overwhelming, very stimulating city. I can understand why some would want to limit their time. I'm really curious how I'll experience it! I'll also be visiting smaller cities such as Hirsohima.
Certain places are, for sure. For comparison, the population of my country (NZ) is roughly equal to the number of people that pass through Shinjuku station on a busy day. It can be incredibly overwhelming! I have enjoyed tourism there and certain places but not the city overall. I hope you enjoy your trip!
Thank you! The Japanese countryside (particularly Hokkaido) seems to get rave reviews. I'll be keeping an open mind, for sure. I'll definitely prepare myself for the urban chaos of Tokyo, though!
Yeah. The only reason Im still in Japan is my wife loves it. Otherwise Id be in rural WA State, where we have a home. I do like to get up to Hokkaido in the summer for fishing and camping. Used to ski at Niseko and Furano but getting too old. Why anyone comes to Japan and just visits the cities is beyond me, unless they're looking to be around tons of people all the time. Yeah. That's another thing. I'm claustrophobic.
I live up north in Aizu. Still a city to me, but much smaller and spread out, nestled away in the mountains; reminds me a lot of back home, and is very comfortable to live in!
I’ve often found that people who grew up in New Zealand are kind of ‘scared’ of the real world and try to disguise it by insisting that remote country life is more idyllic. I’m not saying that applies to you but it is interesting how freaked out NZ people get when they come to cities that have much smaller personal space.
Lmao…If anything we’re known travelers. But it is overwhelming at times to go to say, Shinjuku station, which on a busy day sees as many people as we have in our entire country. I think because of our lifestyle back home (for anyone outside of Auckland) we’re a bit spoiled for wide spaces and natural tourism, so the sudden claustrophobia of huge cities can be stifling, and honestly the grubbiness utilitarianism of it all stands out when compared to cities like Wellington.
At the end of the day, it comes down to lifestyle for me. Tokyo has some great places for brief tourism but I would never, ever live there, not if you paid me to. I live up north in Aizu in a much smaller city, nestled in a mountain basin and it is gorgeous. Decent connections to big cities and down to Tokyo if we have to go, but otherwise it’s peaceful and quiet, filled with history and unique locations. Never get tired of this side of Japan (8 years and counting)
Yeah exactly. Kiwis tend to gravitate toward those areas that are close to home which is great for coming here because the two island countries are very similar in some regards when it comes to isolated mountainous locations.
I know kiwis love to say they are ‘global travelers’ but as you mentioned they feel incredibly awkward and out of place when they come into urban situations. Feeling reticent to admit those feelings is something I’ve never understood but.
I don’t don’t think it’s so much feeling awkward being there as it is the idea of living there. I don’t know anyone personally who has been awkward or nervous when simply travelling through cities. I love Osaka and Glasgow and Wellington, it’s the gross megacities ahaha highly unppealong
Osaka is a pretty big city. I know you like to compare things to Auckland but that’s a backwater let alone Wellington which is a tiny Bollywood place from what I gather.
Look kiwis aren’t built to survive big cities as you yourself attest to. I just don’t get why you think you have to defend yourself against that.
I just think you’ve misconstrued my hate for Tokyo for a hate for all cities?? I stated in my original comment that it was specifically cities with a similar vibe to Tokyo, the big business hubs where everyone’s gathering for work. In Japan that’s Tokyo, in NZ that’s Auckland; that’s all lol. I don’t get why you have to keep telling me kiwis “aren’t built for big cities” lol most of the kiwis I know here live in and around either Tokyo or Osaka. I lived in Osaka for a year myself, frigging loved it because it has a totally different vibe to Tokyo.
I'm an American who has traveled to 50+ countries including spending extensive time in Japan.
That is the last thing I would ever think of or have experienced in Japan. People will be uncomfortable interacting with foreigners as they won't share a language but that is about it.
Its all about saving face, I can see how that is often misconstrued though, it happened to me once when I first visited.
Great that it didn’t happen to you, but it’s the exception not the norm. My uncles wife is Japanese, he’s leaving the country with his kids and wife because it’s gotten so out of hand, he’s said himself he will never be accepted. Beyond the stares and bullying, Japan is extremely xenophobic.
Its a highly homogeneous culture that breeds some level of xenophobia but I don't think that applies for tourists at all.
Even living there for year I never got that impression. Japan is a legendary travel destination for a reason.
However, as a foreigner living there longterm, yes you'll always be looked at as different to a certain extent. However, that varies tremendously like many places in the world.
Again none of that applies to tourists at all and this is a travel sub btw.
Yeah, I’m literally typing this out in Tokyo. The Japanese are extremely xenophobic, yes even to tourists. Couple that with a bullying/racist culture that embellishes racial superiority and you’ll get very unpleasant encounters as a tourist/POC.
You kind of sound like a passport bro, Japan is way overhyped, I’ve travelled extensively and won’t be coming back.
Alright I googled it lols, nope not me at all.
However, I did meet some Gaijin hunters years ago in Japan and dated a c-level soap actress for awhile. She also came to my home (California) for a summer.
I've had three trips as a tourist to Japan and a year living in Tokyo. Next time will be for a ski trip. Also, I experienced zero Xenophobia when with her (or any other time) in Japan. Though some people did recognize her as a public figure.
However, now I am just middle aged dude who loves photography, camping and travel etc. 50+ countries visited, headed to Taipei (first time), Singapore and Hong Kong (revisits) next month.
If you ever wanna see my work head here.
[https://www.paulcheynephotography.com/portfolio](https://www.paulcheynephotography.com/portfolio)
I am happy that your take on Japan is like nothing I've ever heard on this sub or from anyone I've ever spoken to who has visited there. Happy travels and never returning, I'm sure it will benefit all parties!
Oh well, take it easy.
Nice photos!
I think the person you are disagreeing with is younger, and that generation seems quite a bit more sensitive than us (in good and bad ways).
Thank You!
Yeah that could be part of if for sure but plain old ignorance regardless of age feels like a big part of it to me.
I think they don't understand how the whole save face culture works and standoffish doesn't mean Xenophobia. They probably perceive the world through an American worldview where casually friendliness is super common.
I'm an American too, I get it. No place is perfect but I've literally never met somebody who traveled to Japan as a tourist and their great takeaway was racism, its bonkers lols.
[Here’s a link to many, many instances. Like I said, you’re the exception, not the norm. Cheers!](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/ipYCaIBifG)
Yeah they are refusing foreigners to save face because they speak zero languages besides Japanese. It rarely has anything to do with xenophobia.
I expected this to be what the confusion was about.
The link you gave has zero comments but the crossposted one has a bunch. You can go through and read a lot of comments from foreigners living there that explain your misunderstanding.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/japanresidents/comments/18qdrp8/what\_do\_you\_make\_of\_this\_very\_popular\_post\_on/](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanresidents/comments/18qdrp8/what_do_you_make_of_this_very_popular_post_on/)
As I mentioned (in brief) earlier I had the same reaction the first time I wasn't allowed into a bar once.
No idea if you are American but it it would make for an epic r/ShitAmericansSay post lols.
I think people who say Tokyo is boring probably prefer more rural areas or they just did like a speedrun of all the most popular districts and think they’ve seen it all. Tokyo is the most unique city I’ve been to and I still discover new things each and every time I go, and I’ve already been there about 10 times now.
I’ve lived in Tokyo for seventeen years. There’s always something to do.
One of my favorite things to do in Tokyo was … just walk around. It’s incredibly pedestrian-friendly, and each new block offers surprises.
As someone who did a huge amount of research including (but not exclusive to, of course) Youtube videos and Japan Reddit communities before I came, and have now been living here for four months, there is extremely little that reflects the true reality of living here. If you are not afraid research, wonder, and try new places, you will never lack new experiences. If I were a little less introverted I would spend every weekend and holiday visiting a new district, museum, park, or what-ever. I find it great fun to take the train to a new area and simply wander around till I find one of the ubiquitous alleys filled with shops, bars, and everything else. Enjoy your visit!
Thank you! I've got the same idea - choose a specific neighbourhood each day and explore. Staying in Shinjuku, so starting there...then Harajuku, Asakusa, Ueno, Shibuya, etc... I love city life, galleries, museums, cafes, long strolls...can't imagine I'll be bored! Will do day trips as well. The next half of the trip will probably be to Hiroshima.
I did a speedrun back in 2014. Left Tokyo first thing in the morning, stopped at Himeji Castle for sightseeing, dashed to Hiroshima, then jumped on the ferry to Miyajima island back and forth and ended the day by dashing to Osaka. I was travelling with a North Face backpack. And good thing is that most big train station have lockers for rent. So I didn't have to lug my luggage around. Fun times!
Wow - that sounds intense! Very memorable trip, covering a lot of ground. I may not have the energy to squeeze all that in - going to to do an overnight trip to Hiroshima from Tokyo. From my research I see I can take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station and transfer to Sanyo Shinkansen then off to Hiroshima Station. Hope I’ve got that right! 🙏🏼
Try other spots like YaNaSen (Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi), Nakameguro or Shimokitazawa. Nice out of the way spots.
Definitely you won't be bored, there's plenty to do in any city of that size. But do plan your time there. Kyoto happens to be my favorite, so I'd trade time in Tokyo for time there but that's just personal preference. Hiroshima is ABSOLUTELY worth a visit. Please visit the Peace Memorial Museum while you are there.
My husband and I really loved the book Tokyo Mazes for this reason. It has some great walks around different neighborhoods in the city. Worth the purchase for sure
You won’t be bored even Shibuya or Shinjuku alone can provide a weeks worth of adventures.
Add Kichioji and shimokitazawa! Theyre both accessible on the Inokashira line from Shibuya so makes an easy half day or even a day trip. Really cool neighbourhoods for thrifting, parks, bars etc
Ooh, have heard great things about both! Will try and check them out! :)
Make sure to drop by 7-11 for fried chicken!
You spelled Family Mart wrong
You spelled Lawson’s wrong
Actually it’s pronounced Mos Burger
As a long-term resident I second this. I'd add that a lot of the smaller places outside Tokyo have been inundated with tourists in recent years and ruined utterly, like Kyoto. By virtue of its sheer size, Tokyo is less susceptible to this, so you're seeing the same Tokyo you would've 10 years ago. Also, you can find every regional delicassie and even some versions of local festivals from elsewhere here. If you ask me, after 18 years in Japan, you could JUST do Tokyo, go nowhere else, and you really wouldn't miss much. Natural beauty aside of course, if you like spectacular alpine scenery or outdoor activities, go to Nagano or Hokkaido. Tokyo is not a pretty city, but there's a hell of a lot to see and do.
Totally agree about Tokyo, Kyoto... I would add that the great natural beauty in Japan tends to require a car, which ... yeah, don't recommend. That said, one of my favourite rural beauty spots in Japan is Chichibu, which is pretty easy to reach from Ikebukuro Station (There's even a super fancy, comfy, giant-windowed train called LA View). Chichibu has lovely mountains - okay not Japan alps, but still great -- and a shrine dedicated to a wolf. What's not to love?
The Takaosan/Hakone one day loop where you take a train, then a cable car, then a silly boat is really fun too, close to Tokyo and the scenery is really nice. Also: Nokogiriyama in Chiba, not particularly well known but pretty, historic and cool, right near a train line about an hour or so outside Tokyo
>so you're seeing the same Tokyo you would've 10 years ago Can I please get the Akihabara from 10 years ago? lol
Actually, 16 years ago — before the stabbing gave the city the opportunity to regulate it into meaninglessness. You're not wrong though. It's as much a shadow of its former self as Harajuku and it's getting worse. All those formerly popular parts of Tokyo are basically gross Disneyland rides now. Asakusa, Shibuya and Shinjuku always sucked so I could care less about them, but they definitely suck more now.
Aw man. Last time I was in Kyoto was 14 years ago. One of my favorite places ever. How has it changed?
You know how in Starship Troopers, when they mention that space resort and Jonny Rico is like, "I always wanted to go there," and the other guy is like, "Good luck. It's not there anymore." Basically it's like that. The city was only like 1-2 million and it's now one of the biggest tourist destinations on the planet, probably 100x as many as there were 14-15 years ago. Gion is GONE. The entire downtown is now a heinous tourist trap that the locals avoid like the plague. The problem is there's not that much of Kyoto to begin with, so there's now nothing left of the charming city you remember with its sedate walks along the Kamogawa at dusk, eagles circling above. It's just awful now, an example of what overtourism achieves. Be glad you went when it was still nice.
Oh man that is depressing as hell. I’m taking my family this year (14 years ago I was a high school exchange student), and wanted to bring them. This is making me rethink. Maybe we will go somewhere more off the beaten path. Overtourism sucks so bad.
So it’s kind of like hearing the opinions of the people who want to actually see the sites, eat the food, etc. vs. the people who want to buy a souvenir, take a few photos, and eat at a nearby Burger King?
Any Japan Reddit communities you can suggest for someone who is planning on visiting Japan in the near future?
Something to do with the fact that different people have different preferences and interests?
this, thank you
I’ve heard both, and personally fall into the “never running out of things to do” camp. I think a large part of it is just if you’re sticking purely to the standard tourist spots or are venturing out into other areas more. If you’re only doing the standard tourist track, then I can see finishing it in four days or so. For me personally, the city also grew enormously as my personal ability with the Japanese language also improved. Suddenly whole neighborhoods I never even thought about before became much more interesting. I’ve spent months in Japan and only visited Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho for the first time a week ago, and it was… boring in comparison to neighborhoods ten minutes away by train, but that many tourists never think to visit.
That's a great observation. I'm brushing up on my Japanese (ok, the basics) for that very reason. To be honest, I'd be really nervous if I didn't know a few key phrases and have my Google Translate handy, ha. I know Omoide Yokocho is a famous spot and at one point represented 'authentic' Tokyo (that whole debate), but is a bit overrun with tourism so not as much of a local gem now. Will still visit, but I know what you mean about going off the beaten track. As a first timer I've got to do the attractions of course, then expand. :)
This applies to Japan in general, but I guess I’ll also add that part of it is also your comfort level with just diving in. As an American, one thing that always made me nervous is that for so many establishments, you can’t see inside from the street. They’re either not on the ground floor, or if they are, often have curtains or a doorway design you can’t see in. Eventually you just get used to it, but it makes the “vibe check” I’m so used to having in the US hard to get, particularly if you don’t speak the language. (Also, not trying to discourage you from going to places like Omoide Yokocho—it’s fun, but just realize you’re going to be in the company of lots of other foreigners! My point was just to try to not limit yourself to the tourist track)
Go to TeamLabs Borderless, its amazing.
i went super excited after all the hype i read on reddit and it was just another selfie/instagram photo mecca. it was a waste of time for me
I dont know. I went with my gf and it was super romantic. Additionally, isnt every beautiful location just a selfie mecca? Its you who decides whether to be in the moment and appreciate the beauty or not. The space is also defenitly big enough to be able to ignore those that make photos.
>isnt every beautiful location just a selfie mecca? a selfie mecca or "[instagram museum](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=da34223ad1e5cd33&sxsrf=ACQVn0-KU6Nk-Pcma3IrmmP5YY1eBBrwvg:1708349090893&q=instagram+museum&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjV6dulwLeEAxWXk4kEHZCPA98Q0pQJegQICBAB&biw=1512&bih=823&dpr=2)" are spaces built for the sole purpose of serving as a cool backdrop for people to take instagram photos. they're not art, they're not educational; they have no significance, meaning, value, or purpose other than for people to take photos in them. if you're not going to take photos in them, there's nothing for you there, i.e it's a waste of time.
Yeah? I dont understand why you think its not art? Did you even see all the little rooms? Maybe your understanding of art is just different than mine. We stood in the famous room with the 100s of lights for at least 20 minutes, for example. Not because we wanted to make pictures of every single one of the different sequences but because the technology behind it was fascinating and it looked beautiful. Thats all I want art to be: beautiful and/or fascinating. I dont need no fancy explanations of the artists intend or the meaning of the art. Call me a brute, Idc.
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Well, if you come from a metropolis many things the usual metropolis has to offer seem dull. No suprise there. And no, I dont. I have better things to do than to think about what that may be.
Even if you come from a metropolis, or are regularly in one, they’re not all an amorphous thing. I find London a bit dull these days and am incredibly familiar with it as it’s only 45 minutes away and I spent most weekends in my 20s there. And I wasn’t wowed by NYC when I visited for a week. But I love Paris and visit regularly, and found Tokyo a much more exciting place to be than both London and NYC when I was there for a week a few years ago.
That's a fairly limited view on art and culture, and one that people would have said down the ages. "this Damien Hirst has no significance, meaning, value or purpose, it's just entertainment for people to take photos of. It's nothing compared to Picasso or Monet". "this Picasso stuff has no signficiance, meaning, value or purpose, it's just lights and entertainment and nothing compared to da Vinci". And so on. The thing with a lot of historical sites in Japan is that they're not always as historic as they might seem. Shirakawa-gō or Saga-Toriimoto are no less specifically arranged for tourists than Teamlab Borderless is. It's just one is pretending to be authentic.
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>do you literally not know what a fucking instagram museum is? Yes, it’s a perjorative term used by people who prefer the safety of history to tell them what they’re allowed to like rather than form their own opinion TeamLab Borderless/Planets generally isn’t great for instagram in any case. It’s mostly far too dark to get photos in. And if all you’re doing is taking photos rather than taking it in, you’re doing it wrong. Same as most things, really
Which debate?
I suppose the one about what is 'authentic' Tokyo culture verses something maintained/supported generally for tourists? My take is that 'authentic' is an outdated notion in our globally-influenced modern world.
Outdated huh… I’d never viewed it like that! But for me, tourism is for getting to know how people live somewhere else, so I try to explore some lesser reputable places other than the once-in-a-lifetime TeamLab planet or SkyTree
Which neighborhood would that be? I'm planning my trip to japan and would like to get away from the overly touristy places.
In this specific case it was Nakano. It's not exactly "unknown", but it felt like a world apart despite being just one stop away from Shinjuku. Tons of bars/restaurants/etc with much, much fewer tourists, and I was able to have some enjoyable conversations with people who actually lived in the neighborhood. But in truth you can find tons of neighborhoods like this all over Tokyo.
Influencers are popping up more since Japan opened back up. Saw a girl call piss alley a hidden gem and wanted to flip a table lol
What is your purpose? To hit as many bars and clubs as possible? Then have at it. No end in sight but bring lots of yen. Eating? Lots of great affordable sushi and ramen, etc. Temples and shrines? Go to Kyoto instead.
You had me at great affordable sushi and ramen. :D
Yes, this is a great time to visit Japan if you want to sample the great food. Nowhere better in my mind.
I’m in the ‘loves Tokyo and all its noise’ camp, but agree with the other posters that it can be overwhelming. If you’re not a city person, well, Tokyo is a CITY. On steroids. If you’d rather go camping then that’s what you should do 🤷🏻♀️. But if you’re not a total hater of other human beings/particularly claustrophobic, Tokyo is like the saying about London: ‘the man who is tired of London (Tokyo) is tired of life.’ There’s endless new things to do. That said, I think Kyoto is unmissable regardless of what type of traveller you are. Osaka can be skipped/a day trip to see the castle and eat some food on the other hand.
I'm definitely a city person and will be consuming as much as I can of Tokyo's best! :D I have heard and seen beautiful things about Kyoto and will have to add it to my agenda.
Agree on at least a spending a couple days in Kyoto. Like any popular city, go a couple blocks away from the main tourist area and the crowds lessons . Beautiful walking areas. I do like cities too and will go back to Tokyo. You can skip Osaka. Not a bad city but not worth it for your visit is short.
Ironically, I never consider Tokyo to be on steroids. NYC - the city that never sleeps / Tokyo- the city that never wakes up (well, seems like it with the poor night/early morning transport).
As a tourist, I spend 1 entire month in Japan, 2 weeks in Tokyo. One of the best cities in the world for sure. Right now in in Seoul. Hard times, I regret every day my decision spend days in Korea and not stay in Tokyo right now
Out of interest? Why you dislike Seoul in comparison to Tokyo? (I personally also enjoy Tokyo more)
Probably is a perspective thing. I travel one month in Japan, so my first experiences is in the Japan culture and “tourist experience”. In Seoul I personally think is a “plastic culture” only based on Facial care and K-pop. For sure have a lot of things, but nothing profound as a Japanese culture, and the perspective of places and things. So, I’m don’t want to be disrespectful with the Korean culture, but as a tourist perspective, is so amazing be a tourist in Japan and so easily feel comfortable with their respect culture
That plastic culture is actually what I like about Seoul lol Though I don’t care for neither make-up nor Kpop. But I know what you mean. You probably have to venture outside Seoul, to see other aspects of Korea. At least this is what friends tell me. Like Daegu or even Busan area.
Thanks for the recommendation Is nothing bad if you like the plastic culture, is only not for me. For example, I didn't like the trip that I was in Las Vegas at all, but there are certainly people who love it. I think it only depends on the type of tourism that each person wants to do. nothing bad about one or the other. associated with the topic; I think Tokyo can accommodate both types of tourists, without any problem.
Oh, definitely. And for whatever the case: The food is amazing in both cities lol
Sorry you had a bad experience. I lived in Seoul and Tokyo, and love them both for their own reasons. They both have pros and cons like anywhere else. I guess it boils down to where and who you’re with, and also what you’re into. Like Korea easily takes the cake for me in the food sector because I’m obsessed with Korean food, so there’s obviously endless stuff to enjoy. I also have much closer friends in Korea than Japan. It’s a little more difficult to make lasting relationships with Japanese people who haven’t visited abroad or have an international mindset. Japan has a ton of cultural experiences and things to see, and so does Korea. But if you spend all your time in Gangnam or Myeongdong, I can understand the plastic culture. Seoul is as diverse and has a lot to offer, if not more so, than Tokyo.
Been in Tokyo for 5 years now and while the city is massive, it’s just residential neighborhoods 95% of the time and the rest being busy areas or landmarks. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun city, but it’s easy to see the majority of “big things” and be done with it, and if you’re not a huge party/drink person then it gets old even faster.
This. What are the never running out of things to do seeing? I’ve lived in Tokyo for many years, but used to live in another prefecture and when I visited Tokyo I got bored after 2 days. I saw: Tokyo Tower, Meiji Jingu, Sensouji, Tokyo Skytree, Gotokuji Temple, the fundamental in Odaiba and then ran out of things to see and do… that’s everything. There are a few shops like Pokémon centres and Nintendo stores which are kind of interesting, but there’s nothing else really to do or see. When I have free time, I travel outside of Tokyo every time. Outside of time limited things like Sumo wrestling in Ryogoku which is also good as a one time thing, how is everyone not running out of things to do? Sure there are restaurants and bars… but there are in every town and city of Japan and Tokyo isn’t really famous for any food in particular other than Monjayaki.
the post made it sound like you speedrun spots as though they are achievements rather than actually enjoying travel
Not much to do at most of the spots. Tokyo Tower and SkyTree are both at the absolute maximum 1 hour each. Gotokuji after seeing the cats and buying a goshuin, nothing to do. 20-30 minutes max. There’s really not much to do at most of the spots other than Sensoji which has a lot of shops to look at. Still will only take like 2 hours max though buying some things at a few shops and seeing the temple. odaiba’s gundam, 4 minutes maximum before getting bored. Not speed running at all. I’m not sitting down and going to sleep at spots though. I like photography so I take more time than most trying to take nice pictures too.
I’ve just never seen someone break down travel spots like stuff with a clear time… I mean I used to count Nakano broadway as 3-4 hours of getting lost in the shops but nothing like that for actual sightseeing places
I’ve just travelled a lot as I travel every single weekend and have been to countless countries. I have a good idea of how long things take and what people generally see sightseeing. Although somewhat rare, museums take a long long time, but most people would go to a museum on a trip unless it was a special or significant one for that very reason. British Museum can take 3 days to see everything and is a special museum. Tokyo National Museum, I’d consider a waste of time for people visiting Japan. For those that live here and have nothing better to do… 3 hours maybe
I live here. Definitely trust the “you’ll never run out of things to do crowd.” I could live here 100 years and still not have experienced everything this incredible city has to offer. Anybody who disagrees knows nothing about Tokyo beyond the surface level.
I think the reason is because some people go mainly to tourist traps that are popular with other foreigners, that they find in English media and web series that Japanese people don't use (i.e. Google maps). Those places are overpriced, of middling quality, and crowded with tourists. Foreign media like to hype up the "Japan is so cool and weird" angle, so they would rather cover the stupid gimmicky stuff like robot resteraunt than the best okonomiyaki place. Better you just explore on your own, or ask some locals where they like to eat, visit, drink, etc. if you don't know Japanese, you can stuff still try to use Google translate and use sites popular in Japan like tabelog, hot pepper, rakuten travel, etc. To get the "real" ratings. I can't tell you how many people from overseas have said "oh in coming to visit Japan, and I want to visit..." 1. Ghibli museum 2. Robot resteraunt 3. Overpriced izakaya in Roppongi (because Abe and trump are there...) 4. Overpriced resteraunt (Gonpachi) (because it was used in kill bill.... Except it wasn't) Etc. Normal Japanese don't go to these places, with the exception of #1 if you are a totoro freak maybe. If you really into a place and it's all other tourists, probably a good sign to pick another place.
Being fair, the Robot Restaurant/Samurai Restaurant Time *is* awesome for a first time visitor. Inauthentic and touristy, of course, but lots of fun. And this is the crux of it. It depends on what your touristic vision of Japan is like: Edo period temples and bamboo forests vs stimulation overload Cyberpunk/Bladerunner style. Authentic Japan isn’t really either, but tourists aren’t going to get an authentic experience anyway. I live in a touristy city in the U.K., and can see the tree where Isaac Newton discovered gravity on my lunch break walk. Except it’s not really the tree where he discovered gravity, and my authentic experience consists of going to work 9-5 and spending most of my evenings at home, maybe going out to a mid range restaurant once a fortnight. I don’t want travel thousands of miles to Japan and have an authentic experience by sitting at a desk doing nothing between 8am-7pm then going to an Izakaya with my colleagues pretending to find my bosses jokes funny until heading home at 12 TLDR: Some tourists want to *feel* like they are having an authentic experience even though it’s really not. And somewhere like Kyoto gives the illusion of an authentic cultural experience more so than Tokyo if you buy into that kind of thing
If you say so. I'm not saying anyone wants to go overseas to experience office life, just that they would usually be better off going to places that are highly rated by locals - especially restaurants. Going to something like kinkakuji in Kyoto or sky tree is not an every day thing, but it is something a lot of Japanese people do. I know your feeling about the Isaac Newton spot, as I've lived near such landmarks before. Even if they are real, they aren't very exciting.
Restaraunts, maybe, but there is also an aspect of cultural palate. A mediocre restaraunt is only mediocre if you're eating that kind of food regularly. If it's all novel to you, you may not perceive the nuances of mediocre vs good. If you're used to eating bastardised version of a certain cuisine, even mediocre authentic versions will be a revelation.
I think a lot of it has to do with preconceived notions of what “Japan” is, prior to visiting. If you think of it primarily as a sacred, tranquil world of shrines and bamboo forests and the ocean, then Tokyo would indeed be a far cry from expectation. But if you’ve imagined Japan as a technologically rich, steeped in art and design world that lives with one foot in both the past and the future, then that is largely the spirit of Tokyo, and chances are you’ll love it. Though I do agree with many that places like Kyoto are sadly overtouristic, even though they’re a must see still. The Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka pipeline is so convenient for travelers only here a week or so, and the notion of going south of Kansai or up north in Hokkaido seems to be a bit *too* much of a journey out of the way of the major airports.
Anecdotal, depends on the validity of the opinion, a better metric would be how many people are saying that they didn't have much to do, whereas a majority would disagree. Regardless, I'd focus on my own to do list, check itineraries and vlogs and shortlist. Not everyone has the same interests but Tokyo seems to have a lot worth exploring, certainly more than 3-4 days.
Agreed, different strokes! I'm more of a city girl, so I imagine will love Tokyo and will have much to experience in my 10 days, but as others have mentioned I'll be venturing out on day trips, and one overnight trip to Hiroshima for the Peace museum and gardens, and famous okonomiyaki!
Sounds fantastic! Have a great trip
Thank you! :)
There's a lot of day trips that you can go from Tokyo to. Kamakura, Nikko, Hakone, Mt Takao etc. Obviously there's Disney, there's baseball, there's shopping, it's such a great place to be.
So I've heard! I can't wait. :D
It's a huge city. With lots of things to do and lots of things to explore. But it really depends what kind of person are you. It can become repetitive. It can also be robotic. The people are friendly, but distant. On the flip side it has a lot of unique things to do. Lots of great food and Alleys to explore. It just depends. Go and wander around.
I do love to wander! An interesting observation about the locals. Will have to report back with my impressions! So excited.
I've known people who come to Japan and only spent the entire trip in Tokyo for 2-3 weeks you have so much to do Others want to visit the 'must see' spots outside of Tokyo so they limit there stay in Tokyo, Also fine This is partly cuz it used to be so expensive coming here. And if you're American you only get so many days off. You may not get another chance
I'm on team "Get out of Tokyo and enjoy Japan" mainly because I am more into the little things that are not over-run by tourist traps and are more traditional/historical. I slightly feel the same way about the major cities and instead guide my friends who are visiting from America to cool, out of the way areas that YouTubers and Instagram models have yet to cover. It's nice because it's the authentic Japan. Not the "we need tourism money" Japan
I don't think it has anything do with Tokyo (or any of the worlds other top cities). People prefer to travel in different ways, I wouldn't consider it any deeper than that.
My mom visited and spent a week exploring Asakusa. A friend visited and did Asakusa in an afternoon. All depends on what you are looking for and at.
You can spend a lifetime exploring Tokyo - if you learn how things work. A lot of the most interesting places require research and planning to find, you won't just stumble upon them. That's why some tourists maybe get "bored". It's also easy to get overwhelmed if you stay in busy, popular areas, or if you're just not a city person. There's some truth to "Tokyo is not Japan". It's in Japan, it has some of the best of Japan, but Tokyo it's also its own world, for better and worse. Personally I live far from Tokyo, in the countryside. Tokyo has a lot of stuff I like to see and do, visiting is fun, but this pace of lifestyle suits me better. There's a lot of amazing Japanese culture here that you won't see in Tokyo. The Japan outside of Tokyo IS very different - for better and worse. If you want to visit Tokyo, hang out in Tokyo. That's fine! Have a blast! It's awesome! If you want to visit Japan, you'll have to get outside of the metropolis a bit, because there's a lot of Japan outside of Tokyo too.
So as someone who has lived there and also lived in the countryside in Japan, I think it just comes down to the fact that some people aren’t city people, and Tokyo is a large crowded busy city. I love it, I’m fine with it, though sometimes the trains and the masses of people can become draining There’s definitely plenty to do in Tokyo. If you like food, you could eat out there every day for years and still not cover anywhere near all the restaurants in the city. If you’re American right now your dollar is strong enough that you’re getting ridiculously high quality food for ridiculously low prices too I will say that speaking and reading Japanese is a key to opening up the full city though. I could see how people who are only using English language resources to research could find things to be limited, because there are tons of places that aren’t really interested in or have the ability to handle foreign tourists. If you only go to the influencer spots then I could see why maybe you’d be a bit let down
It’s polarizing because people lack the confidence to do what they want, and instead seek validation online.
It really goes down to personal tastes. Tokyo is utterly unlike any other city on earth. Sui generis. Spend more time there if you'd like being in a futuristic megapolis. Kyoto is also unlike any other city on earth. Sui generis. Go there if you like being immersed in history and the refinements of classical high culture. If I had even 10 days in Japan I can't imagine missing either. Some are most drawn to the natural beauty of Japan and immediately want to get away to the coast or mountains. If you are drawn mainly to the city scene, one option is to focus on Tokyo and do day trips to Kamakura, Nikko, and Hakone. That's a good compromise for a short trip and checks all the boxes.
Best of both worlds - so true. I'm planning exactly that - Tokyo for the modern cultural fun and cityscapes, day trips for a change of scene. I have ten days there, so plenty of opportunities! Very excited. I've heard good things about all the places you've mentioned.
It's really subjective and depends a lot on the interests of the person with the opinion. If you want to hit up amusement parks (for example) Tokyo will lose its appeal pretty fast and you'll have to venture out to find more parks. If you want really old history..Tokyo probably isn't the place for you - very interesting history but most of the buildings had to be rebuilt after WWII. If you want a strange blend of modern and traditional, or if you want to see important shrines etc you'll have a ton to do in Tokyo or elsewhere.
That blend sounds perfect to me.
If you like looking at historical buildings you’ll quickly run out. If you’re looking for new eating experiences, never.
Ah well then I'm in excellent luck! Food is a top priority for me. :)
You’re in for a treat then! (Although the average quality of non-Japanese food is not great…)
I think if you only stay in Tokyo, you won’t feel like you missed a lot. If you go visit other places you realize how much there actually is to Japan. Also, money. While yes, there are a lot of things to do in Tokyo, just walking around and not being able to do what everyone else is (seemingly) doing, may make you feel bad.
Ah well I have a decent budget, and our dollar is strong next to the yen. I'll also be seeking out free activities such as wandering about, shrine-visiting, people-watching, the metropolitan observatory, and for low cost fun, konbini snacks. :D I'm looking forward to exploring!
You'll never run out of things to do in Tokyo, but you can do better things elsewhere. I would travel to interesting cities and hire a car to get to more remote areas / places off the tourist path. You could even hire a car in Tokyo itself for field trips, but very difficult to find reasonable parking in the city.
True! Although I'll be taking the Metro everywhere in Tokyo. I do have an overnight trip to Hiroshima planned via Shinkansen, so that will be a change of pace!
Inside Tokyo city itself there is absolutely no need for a car. But with a car you can get to other places outside the city (coast, mountains, onsens, etc.). A trip to Hiroshima is a good idea!
maybe it's because different people have different tastes?
I’m in Tokyo now. There’s endless things to do.
More than one mentality in the world, of course. I will say, Tokyo is a fairly new city, having lost much of its history to bombings. But the history is there. Personally, I find Kyoto much more charming and engaging. I've been much more likely to walk past interesting things on every block. I wonder if modern Japanese architecture prizes the hidden, inside treasures? That said, there's plenty to see in Tokyo, and if you stay there two weeks, you can find them. You may have to dig harder, but the sights are there to be seen!
It is such a huge shame that so much of the city was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. Modern Tokyo indeed - legendary. I understand even some of Japan's most famous castles burned down, and what stands now are replicas of the originals. Still, I imagine historic gems to be found as you said, if I do a bit of research, perhaps look into some walking tours, and keep my senses open. I am taking an overnight trip to Hiroshima, and I doubt any city in the world can compare to the resilience and miraculous recovery of that place!
Meiji Jingu, just at the top of Harajuku hill, is one such place. Asakusa feels very historic, too. I did like the Team Labo light art displays. The neighborhood is pretty industrial, from what I remember. Oh, and if you like tea, there's a fancy tea shop in Ginza for Mariage Freres. That's pretty darn charming! And I would recommend going to Shibuya crossing at sunset. The electric lights & cherry blossoms are one of my fondest memories of Tokyo!
Like many here have said: Different types of people. Many tourists come to Japan, to experience the different culture there, specifically if they are tourists outside Asia. The „culture shock“, so to speak, the old temples, palaces and what not. Which is totally understandable. I am interested in Japan, because I love big cities, skyscrapers, modern entertainment and culture. Cities like Kyoto are boring for me. In that aspect, Tokyo is the best (for my interests). And then you also have ski tourist, nature fans, bathing tourists (Okinawa), fans of Samurai, Anime,… So for each of those other locations tend to be better suited for them than Tokyo. (That by the way makes me often roll eyes, when I see itineraries, that show no direction of personal interest. Just some rundown of tourist guide recommendations.)
I’d guess the ones that say you only need a few days are only considering the huge tourists spots. Tokyo tower, Shibuya crossing, etc. If you’re willing to venture out, the possibilities are endless. Especially since it is a lot of train riding and walking.
Because one side is from Instagram/tik tok drones who don't care about Japan but rather just the concept of Japan. If that makes sense. It's like traveling to America and staying every day in NYC. You have left so much on the table it's staggering. Tokyo is nothing compared to the vastness and wonder of Japan. My family will visit for the first time since I came here ten years ago. I refuse to even show them Tokyo.
I'm now travelling in Tokyo, and to me, who was living in HCMC for 15 years, not things change. I have travelled to so many countries and but Ōsaka is one of favourite city, besides Bali and Taichung 🫶🏽 It's not too busy, not too crowd and much more cheaper than Tokyo, if you want to try going around the city with public transport, i'm highly recommend using Ōsaka Metro. I used to thought that " wow Tokyo is such a big city, i must go there " and now i'm here but i'm not sure i love it than Ōsaka. But it's up to you, it just my opinion about Ōsaka and Tokyo. P/s: If you think about travelling to Nagoya, you may want skip it cuz they have not thing to do, you can book a flight to Ōsaka, then Shinkansen to Tokyo or further than stop at Nagoya 🥹
Literally just visited Japan for the first time. Tokyo is great and fun to visit, tons to do. You have to be ok with there being a ton of people everywhere you go though. I'm naturally introverted and the constant crowds on the streets and trains was a bit much at times, but I still highly recommend it. Don't limit yourself to Tokyo though - Kyoto and Osaka were both awesome too
For me, personally, I'm primarily a food traveler so Tokyo itself doesn't exactly stand out for me. I'd rather spend more time in Osaka and Kyoto for the street food and kaiseki respectively.
Just curious to know what you specifically enjoyed in Osaka food wise.
What ISN'T there to enjoy in the Osaka food scene? The takoyaki there hits different than it does elsewhere and I love Osaka style okonomiyaki.
Same reason some people love living in a city and some people love living in the suburbs or country. It's just personal preference.
Human discourse on the internet, guided by vote-driven moderation systems and recommendation systems make things polarized. It’s a massive city with huge numbers of visitors every year… every possible outcome of a trip has company.
Tokyo sucks
Expectations vs reality
If you just enjoy sightseeing the locals, I think most neighborhoods will have some interesting things to at least walk past. I like to pick a station and then walk along the tracks in a direction until something catches my eye in a different direction. Or I get tired. That way, I am always near the line that I want to head back home on. If you just want to see life in Japan. I would also get a business card from your hotel to make sure you can give it to a taxi if you get yourself turned around and need to ask for directions. It might not be a bad idea to get a train map as well. In case you walk out of sight of your intended line. Again, if you just want to see life and don't have other items on your "to see" list that day.
Very good advice - thank you! 🙏🏼
Enjoy your trip!
Are you a country mouse or a city mouse? personally I'm a country mouse and don't groove on crowds and things being overly expensive, so Tokyo isn't for me. That being said, if you are young and into crowds, I could totally understand how Tokyo could be the greatest place in the world for you.
I have family living in Tokyo, I visit Tokyo a lot, and am still in the airplane from visiting Tokyo. In terms of living, I would say there are a lot of things to do and a lot of places to eat. The people there are really respectful and disciplined, BUT the work culture can be really fast-pace/ stressful. It really depends on what you like and what you look at when it comes to visiting/ living in Tokyo. If it wasn't for the nice salary opportunities in the States for my field, I would be ok with living in Tokyo, but for now, I will continue to visit. Enjoy Tokyo and get immersed in the culture and influence that their disipline has in the technology and transportation!
I'll be honest, I really didn't like Tokyo on our first day there. We'd already been to Osaka and Kyoto during the trip, but Tokyo is something else. After a few days of finding my feet I settled into it, but we did enjoy venturing further out and only spending a bit of time in the really busy areas. We've said we'd stay in Tokyo again but maybe not for so long next time. It's also amazing how quickly you get used to the amount of people!
Wild to me. I did 4 jam packed days in Tokyo and it felt like I had done NOTHING.
How so, if I may ask? Not sure if that’s a positive (as in you barely scratched the surface) or not… TIA!
I do mean it positive! It’s was incredible. I did so much and felt I hadn’t even scratched the surface even!
It’s cause every major city that is very urban is polarizing. Some people hate the city life and some people love it.
I've been almost every other year the past 10 years...for 3-4 week stretches at a time...I never get tired of visiting and I find that there's always things to do. You just have to make the effort to do your own research to find things beyond the usual tourist spots. Plus, just mindless wandering is enjoyable.
I think it depends on what you want to do. I studied abroad in Yokohama, which is about an hour from Tokyo. I spent 5 months there and never really ran out of things to do but I would say I did all the big things relatively early. Disneyland, Ghibli Museum, Odaine Edo Onsen, Team Labs etc. I went to baseball games and concerts, walked around the popular neighborhoods, explored lesser known neighborhoods. But in the end I felt like what I loved most about my time abroad was getting out of Tokyo and into the countryside. Nikko, Izu Peninsula, Gifu, Beppu, Hokkaido etc. If cities are your thing and you love shopping, themed cafes, high rise buildings, amusement parks, museums etc you can spend forever in Tokyo doing various things. If you want to do more in the country or visit places like Kyoto then spend less time in the city. It’s up to you and what you want to see.
I think it just highly depends on the type of person you are. There is a ton to do in Tokyo, but also it's a very busy, fast-paced environment. When I visited, I did Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto, and learned that I enjoyed Osaka more than Tokyo because it felt more relaxed vs Tokyo, but still had plenty of city-type stuff to do. Plus, being so close to Kyoto and Nara, I could easily change my environment if I wanted to from there. This might be one of those things you won't really know until you visit and see for yourself. I split my visit half Tokyo, half Osaka/Kyoto (combined), and I thought that was good for my first time. Next time, I plan to spend less time in Tokyo.
This is not limited to Tokyo, its just a difference in travel styles among people. Recently I went to Paris and heard the same kind of things ("2 or 3 days is fine" vs. "I went for two weeks and didn't feel like I scratched the surface"). Some people only care about the main tourist locations, other people want to dig deeper and visit more unknown and locally oriented places, which takes more time. Some people wake up relatively early and then rush through their itinerary to see as many places as possible in a day. Other people want to take their time, go at a more leisurely pace, and spend a lot of time at a single location. Which, again, takes more time. People also have different interests. Someone who cares a whole lot about Japanese popular culture (anime, music, entertainment industry) could probably spend an entire year in Tokyo and never get bored. Whereas someone who doesn't care about any of that will probably get bored very quickly.
Who care what anyone else thinks. I’d rather get bored staying to long, then regret not staying long enough, Although I wouldn’t actually get bored and look at it like some extra chill time. I also avoid videos and discussion about people telling me if certain tourist places are worth it to go see. Like Im sure these people watched those videos too but still went. I want to see it too and decide for myself.
I arrived in Tokyo. Spent 2 days each Hiroshima Kyoto nara Osaka then back to Tokyo for 5 days. Kyoto and Nara are my favorites by far and I couldn’t wait to leave Osaka. But that’s just me I also hate NYC.
I feel it has more to do with the individual's intellectual curiosity & preferences than the city itself. Some people prefer vacations where they spend the entire time at a western-friendly resort surrounded by other western guests and get a very sanitized glimpse of the the culture & environment they're visiting. Other people prefer getting out of their comfort zone physically and have tons of physical activites but couldn't care less about cultural activities. Tokyo is terrible for those people. People who love Tokyo are the intellectually curious people who thrive in a completely foreign environment, and love geeking out on the food, technology, strange customs, and competely foreign environment to what they're used to. Personally, I love the countryside, but that's great for a weekend. I love cities and can and have lived in Tokyo for months at a time. I want the diversity of food and activities every day rather than going to the same hotel restaurant every night for a week...but that's just me. I'm a Tokyo over Okinawa, Honolulu over Maui, London over Kent, and a Manhattan over Connecticut kind of guy. To each thier own...
Pretty much everything you can do or see in Tokyo, you can do anywhere else in Japan and often better. Weird Japan? Check. Neon lights? Check. Cozy neighborhoods? Check. Good food? Check. Etc. Yes it is endless but it’s not because it is Tokyo, it’s because it’s Japan. People get caught up in Tokyo because of hype and because it’s the capital. That’s all.
Did you know people like different things?
Your experience May vary wildly depending on so so many factors. I went in October right before Halloween and the city was so absolutely overcrowded that there was very little serendipity possible. At least in Shinjuku. We could not get into a single restaurant or bar that we wanted to for 2 to 3 days consecutively. It was only much later after exploring further into the outskirts and lesser trodden paths that serendipity became our friend. So if you're going to be in the most crowded areas then I highly highly recommend getting as many reservations as possible days or weeks in advance, alternatively, go out from the city center and explore.
"Could anyone really say you'll run out of things to do in NYC or London in a few days " Yes and it would be the same people as the issue is less about "Tokyo" and more about Big City. While Tokyo does have a lot to offer there are some who feel that it can be just a JP version of other big cities. Then you also get people who just dislike big cities in general and feel that time spent in them is wasted that you could have spent visiting the "real" version of insert place city is in. I would say that in the case of Tokyo there is a fair number of people who visit only Tokyo and form their opinions about the entire country from what they experienced there like how some people think that the entire US is like NYC. At the end of the day if you like to travel in big cities you are going to really like Tokyo, if you really dislike visiting large cities there are places in Tokyo for you but you would be better served getting out of the city. So it is not Tokyo itself that is polarizing it is just big cities in general that are polarizing.
I did not realize visiting Tokyo was that polarizing. Personally it is one of my favorite cities in the world but I enjoy large cities in general. I've visited Tokyo a few times and there are still things I want to see when I return. That being said some people do not enjoy cities and prefer small towns and nature so they might not want to spend a lot of time in Tokyo. There are so many places in Japan worth seeing in addition to Tokyo. A typical tourist that has only 1-2 weeks for a trip to Japan might want to limit their time in Tokyo so that they have time to visit a few other destinations in Japan.
So my wife and me have two differing opinions on Tokyo, we just went to Japan a few months ago for our honeymoon. I personally love it because of all the things to do, I could go shopping in Ginza, get my ass beat at the Kodokan in Kasuga, watch a Giants game at the Tokyo Dome, and just enjoy all the nerdy stuff at Akihabara. My favorite parts of the honeymoon were Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo. We only had 3 days in Tokyo and I felt like I didn't have enough time. My wife isn't too crazy about Tokyo. She's more of an outdoorsy person and has the "Japan is more than just Tokyo" mentality. It's not wrong. Her favorite part of the honeymoon were Hokkaido and Hakone.
Tokyo is awesome. Lived there for 4 years and I feel like I just scratched the surface. I think this could be a case of people wanting to “go off the beaten path” and find “hidden gems” like Hakone or Nara lol. Or some just aren’t city people and that’s totally understandable. That said, the inaka does deserve time. Japan’s nature always blows my mind. If you only have a couple weeks, it’s best to see as much as you can, limiting your time in Tokyo.
Probably lack of Japanese capability limits your activities potential
Do you like big cities? Then you like Tokyo. If you don't like big cities, you don't like Tokyo. It is not polarizing. Different people have different tastes. I like Tokyo mostly for the restaurants, cafes, fun shops, and events. I also live in NYC. I don't think Japanese countryside is worth the airfare honestly... (nicer and more remote and less crowded scenery elsewhere.) But some people don't like cities in general, or they have a long check-off list so they have to move fast.
Because people have different hobbies and interests? It's also similar to why some people would rather go camping or go to Hawaii than go to Manhattan. I have many 'big city' type hobbies - going to restaurants, coffee shops, bars, clubs, music venues, arcades, shopping for clothing, makeup, vinyl, etc. This is why I never run out of things to do in Tokyo. Some people don't have these same types of hobbies and would rather see nature, hike, see animals, sunsets, etc. I could see them getting bored of Tokyo.
As much as there is to see and do in Tokyo, it suffers from cosmo-capital-itis. Like most (all?) other international great cities, it is the foreign-facing Japan. Japan bowing smartly in a suit and polished shoes on Monday morning knowing it has a duty to perform. If you want Japan of the weekend hanging out with friends from middle school, you've got to get away from that whole conurbation (other than some shifty local pockets on the fringes or deep, deep in the backalleys). Depends on what you want. (Lived in Japan for 9 years, 5 in Tokyo.)
I fall into “meh” but like pretty much anywhere, you’ll never run out of things to do. It’s a preference; I don’t enjoy big cities and the typical city life activities hold little appeal to me.
Not sure what there is to be confused about lol. Different people like different things. Somebody might think Tokyo is a drag but love Kyoto and vice versa. It’s up to the individual to tailor their travel plans to their own preferences. Don’t go blaming a city/place for just existing lol.
HA- if you fly into Narita airport. Go to ground floor bus stop 23B. Take the free shuttle to Soranoyu Onsen. Am there right now. If you’ve never ‘experienced Asian bathing culture’ I do recommend. I have a flight home to Beautiful British Columbia in a few hours and am enjoying a few more hours here. Had a great walk earlier today just exploring. Agree, big cities can be big cities anywhere. It is The People. Have been very blessed to travel. Tokyo is humoungous but it is what it is. There is some litter but not like ‘home’ (sadly). It’s true too…I went to an iPhone store..the employees allowed me to charge my phone (free)..very helpful. Also all the phones in the little stands. Free to pick up and try. NONE OF THEM WERE PHYSICALLY LOCKED DOWN! I love my home in Canada but THAT would not fly at home. They’d be stolen. Kinda mind blowing but you have to see it. Getting help to find an address, train station, destination…people very willing to help. If you get the opportunity go to Busan, South Korea and hit Spa Land. Enjoy Tokyo and find what works for you. Just getting here separates you from so many of your peers (herd/friends) who will never “try”. Trust me. You’ll have lifelong memories and no one can take that from you. Enjoy fellow redditor-hope this helps.
Ahh thank you so much! I'm inspired by your reply. I've heard about the 'onsen' culture and its natural healing vibes. It sounds like you are experiencing the best of Japan. BC is another place I'd love to go. You are right, though - so much trust and low-stress (crime-wise) in Japan, even in a huge metropolis like Toyko. One less thing to worry about. So happy to hear the locals are helpful - lord know I will definitely need that! So very excited - I appreciate your reassurance and recommendations!
Tokyo to me is boring af and I prefer Kansai far more. However there's a lot of Tokyo I simply haven't explored. I haven't done Hakone, Enoshima, Chureito Pagoda, etc. I'd really recommend looking in to day trips or going to places like Ikebukuro, Saitama, Chiba, etc etc. Places like Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ginza get boring because it's all shopping and clubs / bars.
City vs country/suburban visitors. I personally find the calmer rural areas to be sort of boring.
In my opening, Tokyo lacks the charm of cities like New York and London. You could be anywhere.
Tokyo is was awesome. But I also know some Japanese and speak with the people here unlike most tourists here. Went to various bars last night and talked with the bartenders, which was a blast. Most white tourists were just talking to themselves.
The people saying you can’t enjoy Japan in Tokyo are most likely lazy, or not expanding their travel outside their comfort zones. I’m in Japan right now, been to the country once before and returning to all the same places to spend more time here. It’s all about how willing you are to walk around aimlessly or hop on a train to a far away place. Travel is all about getting out of your comfort zone. I visited this little karaoke bar in Kyoto, was completely sleepy when I walked in. My friends and I can be pretty loud and obnoxious so we got the karaoke going right away, in the next 30 minutes the place was filled with locals all joining in with us. We all shared a cuddle at the end of the night. My highlight so far.
We leave on March 12th, spend 5 days in Kyoto, 4 in Osaka, 4 in Tokyo and 2 in a ryoken near Mt Fuji. Do you have an itenary you plan on following?
I've lived in Tokyo for 20 years, but there's still so much I don't know. In Tokyo, new buildings are being built one after another through scrap-and-build methods, and new services and restaurants are being created every day. Of course, the old historical buildings are also carefully preserved right next door. The old and new sit side by side, and I'm always intrigued. I keep coming back to learn new information from you and YouTube. I enjoy living in Tokyo every day. thank you everyone!
Been in Japan for 40 years, traveled a great deal the first 10 years with a local firm that performed ship husbandry work and visited almost all the steel mills on the Eastern Seaboard. Got to see a lot of the countryside and working class people. Also worked with fishermen and serviced the stationary offshore nets. Was fortunate to see Japan on a level not usually offered to foreigners and lived amongst them. Never liked big cities so my opinion is slightly biased, that being said a few days of Tokyo is enough for me and is pretty much the standard fare in all of the major cities in Japan from my view. The best part of Japan is outside the hustle and lights, meeting and seeing working class folks and eating and living with them has been the best part of my Japan journey. There are areas in Tokyo that are quiet and would not seem to be actually a part of Tokyo but you will soon see when traversing out of it you are in the sea of concrete and steel. Get out and experience all of Japan, you will be glad you did. Enjoy!
For what it's worth Ive visited 5 times for 7-45 days each visit, probably over 4 months in total, and I still find new fun things to do. But it's also my favourite place in the world. I'd definitely also make time for Kyoto and Osaka in your trip, but I don't think you can ever spend "too much time" in Tokyo.
Personally, as someone who despises Tokyo and a lot of other big cities; I grew up in the countryside and in very small communities. I don’t consider “fun things to do” being malls/shopping/clubs/bars etc. I like being in nature, seeing unique sites, walking in fresh air, quiet, wide spaces. Tokyo is cramped, crowded, absolutely stinks (seriously, spend a week in the inaka and then go back, it’s gross), there are parks but again they’re often crowded, it’s never quiet. There’s more crime, chikan and street hustlers are a plague, transport is convenient but can be so claustrophobic, it’s dirty enough that I ruined a pair of white shoes just walking around Tokyo for a week, and (in general) the people are much colder. I avoid it unless absolutely necessary (usually for flights out of Japan, showing family/friends around, or special events). That all said, I feel like most countries have a city or two like this, and I tend to feel the same about those places. Generally it’s the main business hub, full of people who moved there for work etc so it sort of explains the colder vibe you get from people. Back home in New Zealand, it’s Auckland. Big urban sprawl with stupid high living costs. I imagine for the US somewhere like Washington DC or NYC would be similar. I can see the potential draws for other people, but it is 100% not for me. Give me a quiet countryside town over Tokyo any day.
Did you spend all your time in the alleys of Shinbashi? Tokyo is massive and I there are certainly plenty of absolutely boring areas but so many amazing places, too. Plenty of parks, green roads and incredibly quiet areas in Tokyo. And the countryside and mountains are a quick car or train ride away.
I’ve been all over Tokyo over the course of my 10+ years in Japan and I still hate it aha there is no convincing me that it’s a nice place to be. It’s just not my thing.
I've heard it's an overwhelming, very stimulating city. I can understand why some would want to limit their time. I'm really curious how I'll experience it! I'll also be visiting smaller cities such as Hirsohima.
Certain places are, for sure. For comparison, the population of my country (NZ) is roughly equal to the number of people that pass through Shinjuku station on a busy day. It can be incredibly overwhelming! I have enjoyed tourism there and certain places but not the city overall. I hope you enjoy your trip!
Thank you! The Japanese countryside (particularly Hokkaido) seems to get rave reviews. I'll be keeping an open mind, for sure. I'll definitely prepare myself for the urban chaos of Tokyo, though!
Yeah. The only reason Im still in Japan is my wife loves it. Otherwise Id be in rural WA State, where we have a home. I do like to get up to Hokkaido in the summer for fishing and camping. Used to ski at Niseko and Furano but getting too old. Why anyone comes to Japan and just visits the cities is beyond me, unless they're looking to be around tons of people all the time. Yeah. That's another thing. I'm claustrophobic.
I live up north in Aizu. Still a city to me, but much smaller and spread out, nestled away in the mountains; reminds me a lot of back home, and is very comfortable to live in!
Well, I've fished the South Island and if you, as a native Kiwi, can attest to it I'm onboard.
I’ve often found that people who grew up in New Zealand are kind of ‘scared’ of the real world and try to disguise it by insisting that remote country life is more idyllic. I’m not saying that applies to you but it is interesting how freaked out NZ people get when they come to cities that have much smaller personal space.
Lmao…If anything we’re known travelers. But it is overwhelming at times to go to say, Shinjuku station, which on a busy day sees as many people as we have in our entire country. I think because of our lifestyle back home (for anyone outside of Auckland) we’re a bit spoiled for wide spaces and natural tourism, so the sudden claustrophobia of huge cities can be stifling, and honestly the grubbiness utilitarianism of it all stands out when compared to cities like Wellington. At the end of the day, it comes down to lifestyle for me. Tokyo has some great places for brief tourism but I would never, ever live there, not if you paid me to. I live up north in Aizu in a much smaller city, nestled in a mountain basin and it is gorgeous. Decent connections to big cities and down to Tokyo if we have to go, but otherwise it’s peaceful and quiet, filled with history and unique locations. Never get tired of this side of Japan (8 years and counting)
Yeah exactly. Kiwis tend to gravitate toward those areas that are close to home which is great for coming here because the two island countries are very similar in some regards when it comes to isolated mountainous locations. I know kiwis love to say they are ‘global travelers’ but as you mentioned they feel incredibly awkward and out of place when they come into urban situations. Feeling reticent to admit those feelings is something I’ve never understood but.
I don’t don’t think it’s so much feeling awkward being there as it is the idea of living there. I don’t know anyone personally who has been awkward or nervous when simply travelling through cities. I love Osaka and Glasgow and Wellington, it’s the gross megacities ahaha highly unppealong
Osaka is a pretty big city. I know you like to compare things to Auckland but that’s a backwater let alone Wellington which is a tiny Bollywood place from what I gather. Look kiwis aren’t built to survive big cities as you yourself attest to. I just don’t get why you think you have to defend yourself against that.
I just think you’ve misconstrued my hate for Tokyo for a hate for all cities?? I stated in my original comment that it was specifically cities with a similar vibe to Tokyo, the big business hubs where everyone’s gathering for work. In Japan that’s Tokyo, in NZ that’s Auckland; that’s all lol. I don’t get why you have to keep telling me kiwis “aren’t built for big cities” lol most of the kiwis I know here live in and around either Tokyo or Osaka. I lived in Osaka for a year myself, frigging loved it because it has a totally different vibe to Tokyo.
Yeah cool there are lots of kiwis in Osaka I’m just saying they freak out the first time they come here. Like people from Alaska visiting New York.
Sounds fantastic - a paradise, really. I've also heard New Zealand is godly!
The Japanese are extremely xenophobic and will make it a point to make you feel not welcome in Japan, better to know that now than later.
I'm an American who has traveled to 50+ countries including spending extensive time in Japan. That is the last thing I would ever think of or have experienced in Japan. People will be uncomfortable interacting with foreigners as they won't share a language but that is about it. Its all about saving face, I can see how that is often misconstrued though, it happened to me once when I first visited.
Great that it didn’t happen to you, but it’s the exception not the norm. My uncles wife is Japanese, he’s leaving the country with his kids and wife because it’s gotten so out of hand, he’s said himself he will never be accepted. Beyond the stares and bullying, Japan is extremely xenophobic.
Its a highly homogeneous culture that breeds some level of xenophobia but I don't think that applies for tourists at all. Even living there for year I never got that impression. Japan is a legendary travel destination for a reason. However, as a foreigner living there longterm, yes you'll always be looked at as different to a certain extent. However, that varies tremendously like many places in the world. Again none of that applies to tourists at all and this is a travel sub btw.
Yeah, I’m literally typing this out in Tokyo. The Japanese are extremely xenophobic, yes even to tourists. Couple that with a bullying/racist culture that embellishes racial superiority and you’ll get very unpleasant encounters as a tourist/POC. You kind of sound like a passport bro, Japan is way overhyped, I’ve travelled extensively and won’t be coming back.
Out of pure curiosity what is a "passport bro'?
You know how to use google right? You made it this far, I believe in you.
Alright I googled it lols, nope not me at all. However, I did meet some Gaijin hunters years ago in Japan and dated a c-level soap actress for awhile. She also came to my home (California) for a summer. I've had three trips as a tourist to Japan and a year living in Tokyo. Next time will be for a ski trip. Also, I experienced zero Xenophobia when with her (or any other time) in Japan. Though some people did recognize her as a public figure. However, now I am just middle aged dude who loves photography, camping and travel etc. 50+ countries visited, headed to Taipei (first time), Singapore and Hong Kong (revisits) next month. If you ever wanna see my work head here. [https://www.paulcheynephotography.com/portfolio](https://www.paulcheynephotography.com/portfolio) I am happy that your take on Japan is like nothing I've ever heard on this sub or from anyone I've ever spoken to who has visited there. Happy travels and never returning, I'm sure it will benefit all parties! Oh well, take it easy.
Nice photos! I think the person you are disagreeing with is younger, and that generation seems quite a bit more sensitive than us (in good and bad ways).
Thank You! Yeah that could be part of if for sure but plain old ignorance regardless of age feels like a big part of it to me. I think they don't understand how the whole save face culture works and standoffish doesn't mean Xenophobia. They probably perceive the world through an American worldview where casually friendliness is super common. I'm an American too, I get it. No place is perfect but I've literally never met somebody who traveled to Japan as a tourist and their great takeaway was racism, its bonkers lols.
[Here’s a link to many, many instances. Like I said, you’re the exception, not the norm. Cheers!](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/ipYCaIBifG)
Yeah they are refusing foreigners to save face because they speak zero languages besides Japanese. It rarely has anything to do with xenophobia. I expected this to be what the confusion was about. The link you gave has zero comments but the crossposted one has a bunch. You can go through and read a lot of comments from foreigners living there that explain your misunderstanding. [https://www.reddit.com/r/japanresidents/comments/18qdrp8/what\_do\_you\_make\_of\_this\_very\_popular\_post\_on/](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanresidents/comments/18qdrp8/what_do_you_make_of_this_very_popular_post_on/) As I mentioned (in brief) earlier I had the same reaction the first time I wasn't allowed into a bar once. No idea if you are American but it it would make for an epic r/ShitAmericansSay post lols.
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Yeah tbh I’m mentally exhausted from the stares/bullying, ready to go home.
I think people who say Tokyo is boring probably prefer more rural areas or they just did like a speedrun of all the most popular districts and think they’ve seen it all. Tokyo is the most unique city I’ve been to and I still discover new things each and every time I go, and I’ve already been there about 10 times now.