Tokyo just could be the biggest town in the world, made up of 23 individual wards, all with their own unique characteristics. Foreigners are simply intimidated by the sheer expanse of Japan’s leading city and its 17,000,000 inhabitants ( 5 million are commuters ) ; {however ,} due to this volume alone Tokyo has developed an unmatched public transportation system and a complex network of visitor friendly info resources. The simplest way to go Tokyo’s frenzied bustle is to allow the subway to steer the way. A loose itinerary will draw you into true jap life through surprising encounters and more intimate experiences.
Tokyo : A consumer Capital
It may be ironic that one of the most expensive towns in the world also has one of the most rampant and flamboyant consumer cultures. Visitor attractions in Tokyo consist of many gargantuan shopping complexes in addition to the cultural tops. The Ginza retail zone reigns ultimate for ostentatious spending habits, with thousands of mega-stores, shops and a unjustifiable array of non-functional novelty stores for the easily entertained inside us all. For a dose of Manhattan in Tokyo, visit Shibuya, which is rife with top-end shops, shrines, King-Kong-sized plasma TV screens and the most hectic pedestrian street crossing in the world.
A Culture of Retrospect and Reflection
There’s an inclination to become inundated and desensitized by the lights that line the town streets like masts in Japan’s sea of technology. While these electric churches work to extol a hyper-modern age, Tokyo also has some of the most idyllic and serene shrines and pagodas in the country. Meiji-jingu is the most electrifying of Tokyo’s Shinto shrines, built with Eastern cypress and copper plates for the roof. Even though the shrine was annihilated during World War Two, the reconstruction has not lost any of the grandeur. Just north of the town, Bonsai Park treats visitors to the zen-like art of cultivating these meticulously placed miniature trees and experiencing the calming of the mind. An essential experience for anyone going to Tokyo is the view of Mount Fuji in the early hours of dawn. This is possible from inside the city, on top of one of the giant skyscrapers like the Government Building in Shinjuku. Without delay in the middle of Tokyo, the Imperial Palace ( Kokyo ) is an inner-city refuge that is home to the Imperial Family. The public can visit the surrounding East Gardens and walk along the double bridge over the tranquil moats of the palace grounds, but the palace buildings and inner yard are closed to visitors.
Travel to Tokyo with a willingness to get lost among the hustle and perhaps find yourself again in the silence of a shrine. The expansive town and system of trains make it virtually impossible to make a wrong turn.
If you find this article useful, you may also visit famouswonders.com to read more about some of the best places to visit and have a look at Horyuji Temple Japan.
