Tokyo is known as one the world busiest and most dynamic metropolises, crowded with neon-lit streets, department stores, office towers and hordes of bustling pedestrians. While it attracts millions of visitors each year for its cutting-edges modernity, it is also a city of quiet spaces and tranquility. This calm that coexists with urban intensity helped prompt Monocle Magazine to name Tokyo the world’s most livable city in 2018.
Tokyo never sleeps
Of course, it is the vibrancy of Tokyo that makes the first impression for most visitors. You can find anything you need at any time of day or night at in the ubiquitous konbini (convenience stores), while busy train stations such as Shibuya, Tokyo or Shinagawa are a sea of humanity at rush hours with subways and commuter trains packed almost impossibly tightly.
Shibuya Crossing, near the iconic statue of the faithful dog Hachiko, is one of the most famous places to take in the somehow orderly chaos of a frenetic Tokyo street. It almost seems that just stepping in to the whirlwind of motion will totally sweep away an unwary visitor. The neighborhood also attracts young urbanites thanks to its boutiques, shops and restaurants.
Tokyo is also well known as a romantic destination for honeymoon trips in Japan.