Just going into the city, working a full day, and going home is far more exhausting than anything I’ve experienced before. I’ve lived, worked, and commuted in cities back in the states, and although they’re tiring in their own ways, I feel like Tokyo is particularly tiring in a different way. I can’t put my finger on it… It’s like it’s overstimulating in a completely different and more intense way. I personally feel like it’s the amount of noise and lights that are way more intense and ever-present than in an American city like NYC, plus the weather which is far more sweltering and uncomfortable. Not to mention the insane population density.
I’ve just felt particularly like it’s a more abrasive city than any other city I’ve experienced. Although it certainly has its great qualities too. I just can’t help but feel like I’m far more tired here than anywhere else I’ve been in my life, like just run down and tired most of the time. Have been here for about 8 months now.
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I’ve lived in San Francisco, NY, Toronto, Paris, and Berlin. I find Tokyo to be the most relaxing city I’ve ever lived in.
I cycle everywhere and live in a central neighborhood that gets very quiet after last train. I can hear the birds in the morning, and my morning jog is not overly crowded.
Maybe you need to change your lifestyle.
I found it the other way around, at least when the weather is agreeable. But I’m very lucky to live very close to where I go to university and also pretty close to the station. Transportation is so much more predictable and reliable here that it leaves me with a lot of spare time. Back home (not from the US tho) all my energy was drained from just commuting because every day there is always constant traffic jam and buses don’t have fixed schedules so wait times are unpredictable.
Sometimes I do find Tokyo tiring because of the sheer amount of walking that I have to do just to go places. Back home I can afford riding a taxi, and there are services such as motorcycle taxi and package deliveries (like uber but for sending items or buying things for you at the store). Here it’s not an option. It especially sucks during the rain – walking in the rain is just the worst.
Population density is something else though. The sheer amount of people existing in some places (big stations, Shibuya crossing, literally any restaurant or coffee shop on weekends in big shopping areas) never cease to amaze and suffocate me. I’d probably feel the same with you if I had to go through rush hour every day, but I’m not at that point (yet?) so it still feels like Tokyo is better.
That feeling disappeared for me as soon as I was no longer required to commute on a crowded train daily.
For me the issue is always just the commute. Even when I lived 60-90 minutes out in the states it didnt bother me too much to drive to work. But here idk why the train just drains me.
Short answer: no.
Lomg answer: nooooooooooooooooo.
The difference to your quality of life that living <10 minutes’ walk from your place of work makes can never be underestimated.
I grew up in San Francisco, now I get to walk through akiba everyday. I’d rather see a line maids than a homeless dude taking a hot steamy poo while getting my coffee every morning on market st.
I feel entirely differently, likely *because of* the commuting, not despite it. When I worked in the US, I used to have to drive to work. The tedium of driving and the repetitiveness of the lawns, lines of trees, or similarly styled building that lined the route made moving to and from work something to resent and dread. In Tokyo, I walk and take a train, which allows me to let my mind wander, pay full attention to the book I’m reading or the music I’m listening to, drop in to one of the myriad shops I pass or cut through a park.
Also, I’m not worried about people shooting and don’t have to constantly move being aware of every last other person on the street.
Honestly literally the opposite. It’s nice and clean and easy to travel in and lots to do and plenty of small parks and more nature just a train ride away, etc.
With the timing you mention I’m guessing that you’re just hitting one of the early low points of acclimation when the excitement and novelty has worn off but you haven’t hit your groove yet or found all the places and things you most want on your downtime.
Australian here. Tokyo is actually super convenient compared to where I lived in Australia since where I used to live it was hard to get around anywhere without a car. My commute back in Australia was either a 40 min drive to work if I was lucky with the traffic or 1 hour train ride that I can’t afford to miss cos that train only arrives every 30 min compared to the 5-10 min here in Tokyo.