TOKYO — The journey from Washington D.C. to Tokyo feels a bit like time travel; 13 hours, arcing across the top of the globe, zipping across timezones and landing more than a day after you left. And all you can hope is that once you deplane that it was worth the wait….. it is.
Waiting for you on the ground is a bright and bold metropolis full of exciting and delicious surprises to engage you on every level.
You might immediately be caught off guard by the sea of people amongst the tall buildings; maybe you would be drawn in by the parade of neon lights that line the shops up and down the streets.
There are not many places in the world where you could randomly encounter a person sporting couture fashion along with a surgical mask. It’s all too common when you look at the rising youth culture in areas like Shibuya and Harajuku. The developing subcultures embrace a fun and fashionable attitude that even makes Lady Gaga look tame (and she comes here to shop).
But if a feast for the eyes isn’t enough to satisfy, there are surely lots of options to turn on your taste buds. The simplicity of fresh fish right out of the Pacific makes for the best sushi, and many say that Japan’s famous Kobe beef is so tender as a result of the cows drinking beer. It’s rich traditions that help keep the flavors and stories of this nation relevant even after thousands of years
Traditions spread into entertainment as well. Karaoke became popular 30 years ago when many Japanese dwellings were still made of wood. While many loved the social interaction of singing with friends, the noise was too much, and this led to the creation of many “karaoke boxes” around the city: acoustically insulated spots, designed specifically to allow gatherings for singing. As of now, there are more than 100,000 in Japan.
Take a look at Part 2 of our Experience Tokyo series: Food. Fun. Fashion!
