Japan


The most populous metropolitan area in the world (with about 38 Million inhabitants), Tokyo is one of the most amazing places I have ever seen in my life. The distinct Japanese culture, the city's presentable and stylish people, tons of neon signs, hi-tech infrastructure, unique things to see and do, plenty of places to play, excellent sushi (and Kobe beef!) and some weirdenss at times - all of these make Tokyo feel more like a sci-fi movie than like reality. It's that awesome.

For total craziness (especially at night) head to Shinjuku, Kabukicho, Shibuya and Akihabara. The vibe of these places at night is incredible. For more traditional and relaxing times check out the Meiji Shrine located in Yoyogi Park, the Hama Rikyu Gardens, the Senso Ji temple and the fabulous Imperial Palace East Garden. A cup of matcha tea and some red bean sweets served in a traditional teahouse is a very unique experience.

Some unique things to do in Tokyo include visiting the Tokyo Skytree - at 634m the second tallest structure in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and offering cool views of the huge city below; checking out the 20 metre Giant Gundam Robot or the Tokyo Pokemon Center; relaxing in a cat cafe or visiting a maid cafe; or trying your hand at a game of pachinko - a crazy and unique Japanese game. Everything is accessible by Tokyo's metro network, which was surprinsigly easy to navigate.

You can also visit the Tokyo Stock Exchange, third largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalization, and the Tsukuba Space Center, main center of JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency with cool exhibits of the country's space program (including a full-size replica of JAXA's Kibo module on the ISS).

Sushi in Tokyo is excellent, obviously; you can't beat the experience of a sushi bar in the Tsukiji Fish Market area. I would also recommend a taste of Kobe Beef which is out of this world and a very unique culinary experience (I went to 511 Restaurant which was outstanding).

Additional info:
- country entry on Wikipedia
- country profile on Wikivoyage

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Japan

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