…Tokyo restaurants are the best in the world, by far. There is always a new unexpected surprise which will lead tourists think over and over “did I really just see that?”
I have been to my fare share of big cities around the world and in my mind Tokyo is #1. It is a city of fascinating contradictions. Ancient and Modern. Asian and Western. Conservative and Wacky. Centuries of isolation from the rest of the world have left Japan with a unique culture and social cohesion that remains intact. Tokyo is extremely safe, even if one wanders off the beaten path, and there is always something new to do or see. Tokyo restaurants are the best in the world, by far. There is always a new unexpected surprise which will lead tourists think over and over “did I really just see that?”
Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area on the planet at 38 million people and there is something for everyone. Tokyo has great beaches nearby (Kamakura, Onjuku, Shimoda) and Olympic level skiing only 70 minutes from Tokyo station on the Shinkansen bullet train. Tsukiji Fish Market (now called Toyosu Market) is the largest fish market in the world where one can eat the highest level sashimi at reasonable prices. An hour away in Kamakura one can see the first Zen temple in Japan, the great DaiButsu Buddha and location where the Shoguns ruled Japan from 1100 to 1300. There are modern museums such as the Digital Art Museum and ancient Japanese gardens such as Koishikawa Koen when features miniaturized landscapes from famous areas in Kyoto and China. There is Disneyland, and next door is Disney Sea, which is the only one in the world. Many inbound tourists flock to the Robot Restaurant which according to Voyagin features “dazzling lasers, crazy decor, robots, dancers, and only-in-Japan madness”.
30 years ago Tokyo was comparatively very expensive. Over the years prices in Japan haven’t risen much but the rest of the world has caught up. Tokyo is actually super cheap in some areas, such as eating out. The average price for a very tasty and hearty lunch in Tokyo is around 800 to 1,000 yen ($7 – $9) with no tipping. At the high end, Tokyo has 217 Michelin star restaurants which is significantly more than any other city. It is not just Japanese food that is superb in Tokyo, there are great restaurants from a variety of cuisines (Thai, French, Italian, Indian, etc). The restaurant business in Tokyo is ultra competitive, which means that almost any restaurant one goes to is going to have great food.
The Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Tokyo number one for overall safest city in the world. In most cities one must always be on guard for some sort of danger from petty theft or violence. Tourists can walk around Tokyo and not worry about getting lost and ending up in a dangerous neighborhood. If one loses their wallet there is a very high probability that it will be returned it to a nearby police station where it can be given back to the owner. When I visit the Starbucks in Omotesando, and I will often reserve a spot by placing my backpack on an outdoor table while I go inside for a few minutes to order. There is a great freedom when one can wander aimlessly around a new city with no fear.
Tourism is becoming a key growth industry and inbound tourism to Japan is booming. In 2003, there were 5 Million inbound tourists to Japan. In 2013 the number doubled to 10 million and in 2018 the number was 30 million. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese government predicts there will be 40 million tourists in 2020, an eightfold increase in less than 20 years.
With the boom in tourism and the Olympics just around the corner, the Japanese government has been making Tokyo much more foreigner friendly. There are many more signs in English in the subways. Restaurants often have English menus and free wifi. Japanese people are ultra polite and helpful to tourists. Several years ago many travelers fantasized about visiting Tokyo but it was “too far”, “too foreign”, and “too expensive”. That is no longer the case. If you fancy yourself a traveler who likes adventure and you have not yet been to Tokyo, then you need to add this to your list and we will welcome you here soon.
