Posts Tagged ‘Japan’
Tokyo is Japan’s capital and largest city in the country. Visiting Tokyo for the first time can feel like visiting another planet. Tokyo is very different from other Western capitals, but what really sets it apart is its people. With a growing population of more than 12 million square kilometers in 1300, Tokyo is the city most densely populated and larger.
Tokyo is also one of the 47 prefectures of Japan, but is called a metropolis rather than prefecture. The metropolis of Tokyo consists of 23 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small islands in the Pacific south of Japan’s main island Honshu.
Despite its limited space for living, Tokyo remains one of the safest cities in the world, with very little crime or violence. The people are hardworking, honest, and useful for foreign residents of Japan are the most important asset of the country.
For those interested in the performing arts and traditional culture, Tokyo offers many museums, theaters, kabuki, sumo and the largest collection of Japanese art in the world. Traditional kabuki thrives alongside opera, ballet and symphony, while Tokyoites are passionate about sumo, baseball and now football.
Tokyo, consists of several districts, each with their own style and taste, usually around major train and subway stations. The city is defined by its commerce, culture, entertainment centers like Ueno, Asakusa, Ginza, Roppongi, Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku.
Sinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza are large areas of trade, where they were born the latest fashion trends. Shinu station resembles the city of New York, Time Square, with huge video screens and a sea of people and neon lights.
Ginza is the home of the best designers, including Chanel and Gucci boutiques and classic kabuki Kabukiza. During the weekends Ginza Chuo Street is closed to traffic to become a party of buyers and curious.
Tokyo Bay offers some respite from the concrete jungle like Gyoen Garden Shinjuku Asakusa.
The best time to visit Tokyo is in the spring, from March to May when the cherry blossoms are blooming. However, it is best to avoid Golden Week (late April to early May) and New Year (late December and early January), because most of the town was closed.