The land of vending machines. A concrete jungle blending the modern and the traditional. Tokyo, and Japan in general has long been on the top of my travel list. Something about the culture and how I grew up consuming massive amounts of Japanese media drew me in like a moth to a flame. Now, having finally visited, I am hooked for life.
Tokyo is one of the densest cities on Earth, yet with so many people, it is surprisingly orderly. Streets are almost completely void of trash cans, yet they remain clean. People are expected to carry their trash with them until they get home and I found myself stuffing food wrappers in my pockets on more than one occasion.
Tokyo is full of great restaurants, with ramen being one of the highlights of this trip. On our first day in Tokyo, we ended up knocking out in the afternoon due to jetlag. By the time we woke up, it was already dinner time. Even though we were in a semi-delirious state, we knew we had to make the most of the trip. Hence, we wandered out into the crowded, neon-lit streets and found ourselves at Ichiran, a popular ramen chain. When the ramen arrived and I took my first sip of the broth, the flavor hit me so hard that I actually thought: "wow, so this is what umami tastes like". All I can recall now from the rest of the meal is how happy that bowl of ramen made me feel.
The upscale shopping area of Ginza features many foreign brands, but what drew me there the most were Muji and Itoya, two Japanese stores with great focus on design. You will have fun just browsing peculiar products.
The humble convenience store is anything but in Japan. They are jam-packed with a large selection of food and beverages at a great value. the constant variety, seasonal flavors, and limited edition goods keep life interesting.
This visit to Tokyo really blew me away and any expectations I have set for it. If you are on the fence about going to Japan, just go. Start with Tokyo as it is the gateway city. It definitely will change your perspective and maybe your life as it did mine.