Take Me to Tokyo!

As we settled into our seats in the Friendly Airport Limousine, I realized that I had stressed for no reason.

Before boarding my flight to Tokyo, I had made a mental list of the things that I would have to do upon clearing customs at the airport — withdraw yen from an ATM, buy an IC card with the yen, and use the IC card to pay for an airport transfer to the Cerulean Tower Hotel near the Shibuya Crossing. With the language barrier and all, I had expected to spend about an hour to figure it all out.

I was done in ten minutes. Tokyo is a city that keeps things simple.

After all, Japan is where the whole concept of Lean Management took roots. The Japanese apply the principles of Lean effectively. No redundant questions. No unnecessary forms. Intuitive self-service kiosks. Minimum human intervention.

A line from an old Bee Gees song comes to mind: “Take me to Tokyo!”

I get it now.

It is hard to cover Tokyo in a single blog post. There is a lot going on.

On the one hand, you see a culture that is deep-rooted in traditions, on the other, it leaves you scratching your head.

If you are planning to visit Tokyo, you should fly into the Haneda International Airport which is closer to the city than Narita. Tokyo is renowned for its public transportation system which will get you from Haneda to the city for less than ten dollars. However, if you opt for the convenience of not lugging your bags and switching trains, the airport limousine will do the trick for an additional five dollars. A taxi ride from the airport to the city will set you back around nine thousand Japanese yen which is approximately ninety US dollars.

For a developed country, the Japanese still insist on cash for small transactions. Make sure that you withdraw enough yen from the ATM at the airport. A rechargeable tap-and-go IC card ensures that you breeze through subway stations. The IC card also provides the benefit of not having to handle change at convenience stores and vending machines.

Having said all that, you may want to avoid the Tokyo Metro during the rush hour. The concept of personal space does not apply to subway riders. While I did not encounter a professional pusher, the prospect of being pushed into a subway car by an oshiya did not appeal to me.

The people of Tokyo are culturally conservative and socially liberal. The Japanese, as a society, adhere to deep cultural norms while displaying a profound predilection for all things edgy.

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Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples scattered around the country represent the two major religions of Japan. The Buddhist temples in Japan are serene and distinctly less ornate than the ones you see in cities like Bangkok. Shinto shrines are dedicated to the worship of nature and are easily identifiable by the sacred torii gates in front of them. Whether you are motivated by their spiritual significance or their architectural splendor, a temple or two should be part of your Tokyo agenda. 

There is a subdued elegance to Tokyo.

Perhaps it has to do with wabi-sabi, the concept of seeing the beauty in simple and imperfect things. In its simplest form, it is the “wisdom in natural simplicity,” like seeing the beauty in fallen autumn leaves or a worn leather bag. In general, you don’t get the go-big-or-go-home feel in Tokyo.

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The Japanese are polite, patient, precise, and punctual.

Visitors to every establishment are greeted on their way in and thanked on their way out. Bowing is part of the culture and more prevalent than handshakes. Figuring out when to bow and how much to bow can be tricky. There is no need to stress about this, a smile and arigato gozaimasu (thank you) will go a long way.

The Japanese take pride in being punctual. With an average annual delay of 54 seconds per train, the Shinkansen bullet trains stand testament to Japanese punctuality. Precision goes beyond Japan’s vast manufacturing and electronics industry. The painstaking details that go into the making of fine sushi, a samurai sword, or ikebana — the art of flower arrangement — are perfect examples of Japanese precision.

In Tokyo, English is not as prevalent as you would think.

Most people that we interacted with on the streets spoke very little English. However, everyone that we turned to for assistance went out of their way to help us. Often this meant using Google Translate or a Google Maps-like application on their own phones to steer us in the right direction.

Cultural conservatism can have downsides. There is a level of conformity — or subservience — that you see in the work culture of Japan. An overworked loyal white-collar worker who never ruffles any feathers in his company is called a salaryman. The life of the salaryman who is expected to socialize with bosses and colleagues at izakayas and karaoke bars after work has become a bit of a cliché in Japan. And like any other society, Japan has its share of issues — overwork, depression, and youth suicide are just a few.

Tokyo has another face, a socially liberal one. Or should I say, a socially tolerant one?

If you stroll around the Akihabara and the Shinjuku areas you will see the edgier side of Tokyo. The red-light district of Kabukicho and the tiny dive bars that discourage foreigners are tame when you compare them with some decidedly bizarre establishments in the Akihabara neighborhood.

Akihabara, referred to as the Electronic District, is awash with neon signs of stores that peddle all things electronic, manga (Japanese comics) and anime (animated cartoons). Pachinko (gambling) arcades rub shoulders with adult department stores as Tokyonians go by their business unphased by the activity around them. Akihabara is not for the prudish. The weird theme cafes in the area — maid cafes, robot cafes, cuddle cafes, cat cafes, owl cafes — leave you wondering if you should be amused or disturbed.

In a way, Tokyo represents the changing times.

Recently, Japan picked a VTuber as the country’s Ambassador. Animated Virtual YouTubers such as Kizuna AI, who has 2.6 million followers, provide entertainment and advice on life, video games, and other topics of interest to her fans. Coming on the heels of human Idols being displaced by virtual Idols like Hatsune Miku, real YouTube celebrities and influencers may need to start thinking plan-B.

Go figure!

Despite all the weirdness, there is very little police presence in Tokyo suggesting that it is a relatively safe city. Sure, Japan has its own version of the mob — The Yakuza. If you ever do need to find a policeman, look for police outposts near metro stations that sport the sign Kōban.

No blog post about Tokyo can be complete without mentioning its food scene.

Believe it or not, there are 230 Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo!

Take me to Tokyo!

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While there are high-end options such as the famous Sukiyabashi Jiro where a sitting can cost you upwards of $400 per person, there are bars, izakayas, and various other categories of restaurants that offer you a variety of food options that suit your budget. And, if you do get tired of eating congee for breakfast, you can always find a McDonald’s or Wendy’s and pick up bacon and eggs for the equivalent of seven dollars.

In summary, it is hard to write a single post about Tokyo that does the city justice. It is one of the cleanest and safest cities that I have ever visited. Tokyo is considered an expensive city, but I would argue that it is no more expensive than New York, London, or Paris.

All things considered, it is a great city to visit.

I would go back. Take me to Tokyo!