Tokyo

Tokyo is a fantastic place, but if you’re expecting historical sightseeing, think again: earthquakes, wartime bombing and the Japanese passion for the new means that little of the past remains. Tokyo may not have the individual icons to match the must-see sights of some other world cities, but if you’re after the excitement and dynamism of a truly modern metropolis, you can do no better. And Tokyo is so vast a city – or rather a collection of mini cities – that there’s always more to explore.

Don’t be deterred by fears of expense: Tokyo is surprisingly affordable, and prices have changed little in a decade, during which time cities such as London and New York have caught up.

Since it first flung open its doors to the world back in 1868, Tokyo has been a laboratory for the meeting and synthesis of local and western architectural styles. Japanese architecture has traditionally been based on the use of wooden materials, and the city’s shrines and temples are overwhelmingly traditional in form. The Meiji Shrine is an impressive example of the austere style and restrained colours typical of Shinto architecture. Later, Meiji official architecture was often a reflection of western styles; remaining red-brick structures of the period include the Crafts Gallery and the National Film Center, both parts of the National Museum of Modern Art.

Away from the trophy architecture, bright lights and bustling streets, Tokyo offers smaller scale attractions too. Ueno Park is home to the world’s highest concentrations of top-class museums, and dotted throughout the city are scores of smaller independent ones. Galleries, too, are thriving, with new spaces opening regularly.

Towards the Shinbashi area is the brand new mini-centre of Shiodome. It’s a futuristic city with wide-open plazas, criss-crossed by aerial walkways and a monorail, and houses the ADMT Advertising Museum Tokyo, the Old Shinbashi Station (a reconstruction of the original) and a theatre, as well as a shopping complex and scores of restaurants and cafés.

There is one area that is famous the world over, Ginza – Tokyo’s smartest shopping neighbourhood. Our advice? Get there quick, before the rest of the world catches up.

Local history

Edo (the old name of the city) came to life in 1457 as Ota Dokan settled where the Imperial Palace now stands. Once the shogun decided to rule from here too, his castle became the centre of the city. The Marunouchi area was created as he decreed that all daimyo (feudal lords) must live in Edo for half of the year. Eventually the castle grounds shrank as the city took on a life of its own, and the palace became isolated. Even today, the Imperial Palace and Marunouchi remains the centre of Tokyo in many senses.

Local politics

Recent surveys show that young Japanese are becoming more reluctant to have children, forcing lawmakers to create incentive plans for all potential mothers and fathers. The baby bust already has corporations envisioning factories staffed by robots and experts predicting an abandoned capital that slowly returns to nature. For the time being, however, Tokyo remains a city that lives well.