7 days in Tokyo

Tokyo has always been at the very top of my travel boards. During high school I developed an obsession with manga, then anime, and, subsequently, modern Japanese culture. To me, Japan was a city from the future.

Sure enough, when I eventually made the trip in 2019, I was blown away by how true that was! I had, of course, already seen loads of pictures and travel vlogs on Japan but it couldn’t compare to the real thing. It was clean, organized, and the people were the most polite and considerate I’ve ever come across in all my 23 years. To this day, my most treasured experiences lie in that city.

I visited in late September, so the weather was pretty warm and occasionally wet, but that didn’t deter me from venturing into the outdoors. In terms of sightseeing, traditional palaces, gardens, shrines and temples should always be on the list. Apart from that, however, it really depends on you and what you like.

I will, however, recommend the Mori building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo’s Odaiba district - regardless of your age or whether you're travelling solo or as a family. The interactive art displays are magical to all who behold it!

It’s since caused me to rediscover my passion for visual art. I’ve even begun to teach myself animation using one of the drawing tablets that was recommended on a creative website. I feel inspired to have my own works up on display someday.

Since I myself was travelling solo, I stayed at a backpacker’s in Kuramae for most of my time there (4 nights to be exact) before spoiling myself with a hotel booking on my last 2 nights.

Honestly, both were great experiences in their own way. The backpacker’s hostel was easy on the pocket but still provided excellent service with friendly staff. I also managed to befriend a few other guests as well (including a family from my hometown!). The hotel gave me a chance to soak up the high life that Tokyo had to offer and recover in peace and solitude from my adventures from the days prior.

It didn’t matter too much where I stayed though - I spent most of my time exploring the city anyway.

From the food to the street fashion and everything in between, Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most culturally stimulating and aesthetically pleasing cities in the world. In my amateur opinion anyway. If sushi isn’t your thing (as was the case with me, don’t hate) you could take a stroll through Harajuku and grab a hot meal from one of the many street vendors. My personal favourite is takoyaki, also known as octopus dumplings, and the famous fish-shaped dessert called taiyaki, filled with custard or red bean paste.

Japan is famous for their first-class convenience stores too, so if you’re in a bit of a hurry you could head to one of those and opt for a classic strawberry cream sandwich or warm cup ramen instead.

Ultimately, I found that Tokyo perfectly encapsulates the idea of a futuristic mega-city built on strong cultural foundations. I look forward to visiting again once more.