5 world cities in 8 days. City 4: Tokyo
In this blog you can read the 4th instalment of my series: 5 world cities in 8 days. Haven't read the other blogs yet? Read these first:
- Inspection trip: 5 global cities in 8 days
- 8 days, 5 world cities. City 1: Singapore
- 5 global cities in 8 days. City 2: Taipei
- 5 world cities in 8 days. City 3: Shanghai
Twenty years into the future: Tokyo!
Being about 20 years ahead of the Western world is not something we are used to, but in Tokyo it is! Infrastructure, order, quality of food and drink, as well as social interactions and respect for nature, are all elements that are much better developed and organised than back home in Europe. I think Tokyo is the most beautiful city in the world!
Tokyo in Japan. Some Facts & Figures
From Shanghai it is about a two-hour flight to Tokyo. From the airport, there is a direct connection to the Central Station right in the middle of the city centre. Tokyo has a population of around 8 million people in the city itself (36 million in the metropolitan area!) and the population density is a staggering 4,000 inhabitants per km2. This is roughly comparable to Amsterdam, only Tokyo is just a bit bigger.
It is a country with many mountains and earthquakes (around 30 a day, which we regularly felt, by the way), and therefore the habitable area is limited. People use space sparingly, and that also stems from a deep respect for nature.
How is the best way to discover Tokyo?
The infrastructure is arranged perfectly and so we are choosing a hotel around Central Station as the ideal base. We are looking at Tokyo not only for the retail, but particularly for the infrastructure, architecture, culture, and food and drink.
Tokyo is a city you have to experience, and that means a lot of walking and travelling to see as much as possible in a few days. The number of highlights is so great that I can only pick a few in this blog:
- The famous Shinjuku Fish Market
- Eating via an iPad
- The Love Hotels
- Celebrating Life!
Read more about it below! If you would like more information and background details regarding retail and/or study tours, please feel free to email me at hello@gomice.nl.
Shinjuku Fish Market
Japanese people eat out three times as much as Dutch people. One of the reasons for this is simply that there is no space for a supermarket and a car park. Moreover, the food is of such good quality and price that you cannot possibly cook for yourself for that amount.
Another cause is that, due to the busyness in the city, getting home in time for dinner is often not possible. Therefore, people also choose more often to eat out after work.
And many Japanese people eat outdoors at the Shinjuku Fish Market. It is the largest fish market in the world. Here, the entire distribution channel from fish to restaurant comes together in an area the size of a few football pitches (right in the middle of the city!).
We were there at 05:00 in the morning to see the tuna auction (every day there are around 500 tunas measuring 2 metres being traded).
We had organised it well and were allowed to walk through between the market stalls. You do get in everyone's way, though, and that isn't really appreciated, so you have to watch your step. It is quite an intense sight seeing how all that fresh, live fish is prepared for sale.
After looking around for an hour, it was time for breakfast. And that was sushi, of course, which is traditionally accompanied by a glass of beer. And all that at 06:00 in the morning!
Dining via an iPad at UOBEI
Here you eat ‘Fast-food Sushi’, but of high quality. In this restaurant, UOBEI, you sit next to each other and you can order your food via an iPad. Really super cool and the video says it all:
Sometimes it feels just like a casino. Every now and then a game pops up on your iPad (like a Wheel of Fortune) and when you win, you get a free dessert or an extra dish, for example! Real fun and a laugh!
The Love Hotels in Tokyo
The Love Hotels in Tokyo are also a true phenomenon and it has nothing to do with prostitution! I will explain. Japanese houses are so small that when you are young and have a boyfriend/girlfriend you want to be together without your parents being able to “hear” anything. So all over the city, but especially in the Shibuya district, there are hotels where it is completely normal for a young couple to stay for a few hours and be together. Cheap, tidy and very discreet. I felt uncomfortable walking into a hotel briefly just to take a look, but there is nothing to be ashamed of, it is genuinely very normal there!
Celebrating Life
As it happened, on the day we were there, a street party was being celebrated (it Sanno FestivalThe festival lasts for 11 days. From early June, celebrations take place in honour of Japan's history, during which people from almost every region of Japan travel to the capital in traditional clothing.
This was how togetherness and life were celebrated on the street. The short video speaks volumes about people, both young and old, taking part in this tradition. It isn't actually busy, by the way.
TIP: Are you planning to go to Tokyo? Then fly to Osaka, take the bus there to Kyoto (45 minutes) and stay there for at least 1 night. Afterwards, travel on with the Shinkansen (the High Speed Train) to Tokyo (1 stop and a journey time of 2 hours). Lovely to see the nature along the way and arrive in this metropolis at Central Station!
Next Stop – Seoul!
It is always a shame to have to leave Tokyo, but we still have to visit the last city on the itinerary: Seoul in South Korea. A city where everyone on the street is offered free 5G Wi-Fi, it is not for nothing the home of the giant SAMSUNG!