Ten Days in Tokyo!
We had high expectations. Did the city measure up?
Brent and I have different travel styles, which were very evident on our recent visit to Tokyo.
I had a long list of things I wanted to do. Indeed, I meticulously planned out an itinerary for each day.
Brent, on the other hand, had a few places he really wanted to see, but mostly, he wanted to be open to on-the-ground possibilities. He also wanted a more leisurely pace — he didn’t want to end up exhausted.
And, sure enough, after a couple of encounters with the madness of the Tokyo subway system at rush hour, he declared himself done with anything requiring a subway trip that time of day.
We did a lot of things together, but I also ended up doing a number of things on my own.
And we were both very happy with our choices.
What did we both think of Tokyo itself? Read on to find out!
But here’s a clue to that final answer: we both had the same opinion.
Why Tokyo?
Well, duh. Tokyo is one of the World’s Great Cities, renowned for its neon, skyline, amazing fashion and food, and vibrant pop culture, which includes manga, anime, and video games.
Then there are those famous cherry blossoms, and nearby Mount Fuji, and the crazy-big metro system with some 880+ stations, including the single busiest train station in the world, Shinjuku, which sees more than 3.6 million passengers a day.
And did we mention the city’s love of technology? There are robot cafes and hotels, and there are innumerable vending machines, most right out on the street — reportedly, one machine for every 23 people.
Plus, if you think Americans spend too much time on their smartphones, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Here’s an interesting fact: the city is home to Kongō Gumi Co., the world’s oldest continually operating company — a construction business operating since AD 578.
Oh, and even the men really care about their hair. (But honestly? We thought a lot of the styles looked, er, ridiculous.)
And the high-tech toilets — all over Japan, of course — really are next level. In fact, many restrooms include slippers you can use in the bathroom (which kinda makes sense, since you generally take your shoes off when you go inside).
Is Tokyo the largest city in the world? For a long time, it held that title. But last year, the U.N., which ranks cities by size, downgraded it to third.
But whether it’s home to 14 million (in the city proper), 33 million (according to the U.N.), or 41 million (in the greater metropolitan area), a lot of people live here.
Where Did We Stay?
Tokyo is notorious for lodging that is both expensive and small. And the closer you stay to popular neighborhoods like Shibuya and Shinjuku, the more expensive it is.
But even farther out, prices can be high, which was why we were thrilled to find GIVE Meidaimae, an aparthotel in the Meidaimae neighborhood.
This modern studio had a small kitchen, full bathroom, and a small living room.
Even better, the neighborhood is served by two lines with express service to Shinjuku and Shibuya, which made getting into the city surprisingly quick and easy. It also had a cute commercial center with shops, restaurants, and coffee shops.
We paid:
