My friend Matt was recently here for a week in Tokyo and wrote up his experience and observations. “I don’t think humans were ever meant to experience that many eyes and faces at once, so it was a unique experience.”
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What a wonderful write-up on Tokyo after the end of summer. Tokyo is also one of my favorite cities, though I often find it difficult to put into words what makes it so special to me. Also, beautiful photography: (1) the subway car with burgundy seats, amazing in full-screen, (2) the vibrant green foliage at the temple in Chofu, and (3) the imposing view of the pirate ship at Disney Sea. First time visit, but seasoned and observant traveler. Six thousand words was just right! Thank you!
Really nice! Also HBD! 🎂
I’m so pleased that Matt and you and Andy and Leonard all got to hang out. What a wonderful piece of timing that was.
ironically, years ago I helped a guy from New York City out with his move to rural Japan, and he told me about his struggles dealing with the fact that, in New York, he was used to the anonymity of the crowds, so he constantly felt exposed in the much smaller and sparser countryside community he now found himself in
Oh yeah, this is 100% how I felt when I moved from NYC to rural VT. I felt surveilled almost. I was uncomfortable for years. When I first got to Tokyo last month, I found myself drawn towards the crazy crowded parts of the city: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, etc. I could not get enough of the crowds...it felt so good to be anonymous again.
1. I would kill for a $1k business upgrade... yes the bus is a good route if you're not flying through relatively-nicer and much-closer Haneda
2. not judging, but you may agree 800 Degrees is kindof like the chipotle of pizza (in various ways)
3. Caring about Google reviews SCREAMS American (years ago I would have said Yelp and that's stayed non-existent) - you can see Tabelog reviews (the service Japanese people actually use) on Apple Maps. (On that note, it's a potentially urban legend-y thing that a sizable contingent of the Google Maps team is in Tokyo. But don't check business hours there, everyone's on Instagram for that, especially around national holidays.)
4. The 'everyone wears black and white' thing is certainly an easier conclusion to draw about TOKYO - in Osaka people use clothing for expression, not for yet another marker of conformance/fitting in
5. Being into woodworking/tools and only going to high-end shops instead of a home center like DCM or Kohnan or Shimachu or Viva is a real bummer - there's so many utilitarian fun brands like Lobster for wrenches and a whole world of cool quirkiness you'll never see otherwise
From Matt's post, a photo of four old school web dorks eating pudding on a curb in Shinjuku.
I wish I remembered what was so funny. 🤷♂️ (Photo by Amy Baio of Pink Tiger Games.)
Mostly posting to check out new comment functionality. I went to Tokyo / Kyoto with family 6 years ago (in spring). Hands down the most interesting (in a good way) vacation. To me as an American, traveling in Western Europe seems vaguely familiar because most things work similarly to the US. Traveling in Japan feels very different. Simple things like lining up at a precise spot to get on a train, for example, or placing your ramen order via a vending machine instead of at the counter.
If at the imperial palace in Tokyo... rent a paddle boat, especially if it is cherry blossom season.
By the way it would be kind of fun to see how far and wide (geographically) your readership has spread
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