Just like this one blog post won't be enough to come close to fully encapsulating Tokyo, one week can't do it justice either, but it's a good start. Tokyo is massive. Nearly 40 million people live in metropolitan Tokyo, making it the most populous metropolis in the world. The city has so much to offer it's tough to know where to even start.
There are innumerable food options, types of places to stay, but one thing that doesn't have many options is transportation. Well, that's not to say there aren't taxis, rental cars, buses, etc., but it's nearly impossible to fully take in the city without learning how to navigate the subway system. The subway maps can be a little intimidating, so I'd recommend using Google Maps and one of the official Tokyo subway phone apps to help you navigate which stops to take. If you're travelling to cities beyond Tokyo, you likely already have a Japan Rail Pass, which you can use on the JR lines in Tokyo.
During my week in Tokyo I did lots of shopping and sightseeing, spent time in various themed cafes, went to a baseball game, ate tons of food, and routinely escaped to beautiful Japanese gardens to decompress from the chaos of the city. I say chaos, but that's probably the wrong word. There are a ton of people in Tokyo and things can seem chaotic, but I noticed that there seems to be an order to everything. The subway station is actually a great place to see what I'm talking about. You'll see a huge crowd of people waiting to jump on the train, but when it arrives there's no pushing and shoving; everyone finds their way on the train without incident.
There's so much to do in Tokyo that it can be overwhelming trying to plan everything. Typically I prefer non-itinerary travel, so on some days I just got on the subway without a plan and hopped off at a random station for some unplanned exploring. I happened to end up in Matsugaya and found a street with shops catering to restaurant owners. There's were lots of shops with industrial kitchen supplies, windows full of plastic food for restaurants to display, and a store specializing in ramen bowls.
One of the unexpected highlights of my Tokyo trip was catching a Yomiuri Giants baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. If you're a baseball fan, catching a Nippon Professional Baseball game is a must.
I think the best way to describe a Japanese baseball game experience is to think of it as an American Major League Baseball game but with a soccer crowd, complete with a band in the stands and chants specific to each players.
The eating and drinking experience at the Tokyo Dome was fun too. For food I enjoyed some fresh sushi in a bento box that I brought to my seat. And while in my seat I had draft beer poured for me from a woman wearing a backpack keg.
Tokyo is a place that requires multiple visits. It's so expansive and offers so many experiences. I look forward to returning many more times.
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