The Tokyo metropolitan area is an absolute gigantic stretch of urban sprawl that is a lot to take in. I’m really loving my time here, though after one year of living in the area, I’ve noticed something: No matter what region of Tokyo I go to, many of the specific districts don’t offer anything special in particular that the other parts of Tokyo don’t. There are some very specific exceptions: Yokohama and Odaiba are very distinct places that have their own identity, as well as a few other districts like Shibuya. (But honestly, Shibuya isn’t that different once you get outside of the areas by the station – though I love the Izakayas there) Ikebukuro is interesting too, with its focus on anime and games (being Akihabara-lite) while still not being overtaken by hobby shops like Akiba is.
But yeah, the kinds of restaurants around metro Tokyo are not very distinct. It feels like the same kind of cafes, the same Italian restaurants with the same five pasta dishes, sushi restaurants, gyudon chains, typical western fast food options, etc. Sometimes you’ll get a specialty shop that focuses on something particular like American-style burgers, but even that is not particularly unique. I will say, though, Shin-Okubo’s Korean influence is quite unique and is an exception to this.
Even major tourist spots can blend together. For example, are the experiences the Sky Tree and Shibuya Sky offer really all that distinct from one another? Not really! (I loved both BTW)
Maybe I’m misremembering how distinct certain Americans cities are, but Tokyo feels particularly copy and pasted. Given its size, it feels like it should be a lot to explore, but it feels like I’m just running into the same kind of places over and over again. Still love it and am having a blast though, so honestly this is a small complaint compared to how enjoyable it is
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Setting aside the fact that you’re comparing one of the most ethnically and culturally homogeneous first-world countries to one that prides itself in being a melting pot,
> Maybe I’m misremembering how distinct certain Americans cities are
Yes. McMansions, strip malls, fast food, and Wal-Mart Supercenters are all quintessentially American. Conversely, some of the variety in American cities is a product of wealth disparities that aren’t as staggering in Japan, though it’s more prominent in places like Osaka.
I also don’t think you’re that well traveled in Tokyo or attuned to the neighborhoods to be making generalizations. Ikebukuro isn’t an anime and games town for everyone. It, like Ootsuka and Uguisudani, are towns for seedier pursuits and the more marginalized.
Other than the few specific touristy districts, you must remember that Tokyo is first and foremost a place where lots of people live. They don`t really owe it to anyone to be that different from one another.
I live by minato Mirai and loving the water here! It’s like living in edgewater NJ but 1/3 of the cost and safe! I only go to Tokyo to meet friends and drink after work. I don’t think I can live in Tokyo
Within Tokyo, I mostly agree. For restaurants, sure we can find exceptions, especially ones that are international or foreign owned.
I figured it was because Japanese like consistency and don’t want to stand out. I see that in my place of work too, Japanese are reluctant to do things differently or stand out from their peers.
In another thread, I was asked to recommend Sushi restaurants in Tokyo. I’m having a hard time recommending a sushi shop that stands out from the rest and is worth traveling across Tokyo for.
There’s plenty of different places
Shinokubo is worlds apart from Ebisu which is worlds apart from Shimokitazawa which is worlds apart from Ginza.
There’s blends bits and familiarity in between and scattered around for sure but that’s with anywhere.
In many ways it is, largely because it’s a metropolis so it’s a ton people and the city needs to cater to a lot of people. However, I wouldn’t say the repetition is that much different from US cities. I think it might feel that way just because there’s such a huge amount of cultural diversity so you can see lots of different stuff more easily.
That being said, I think Tokyo has a lot of pockets of uniqueness, you just have to find them. Unfortunately, a lot of places are becoming very gentrified and when Covid started and the borders were closed SO many places shut down in so many neighborhoods lost/are losing those places that make it distinct and being replaced by the same stuff. I moved to Tokyo the first time in 2017 and it’s not the same now as it was back then. Tokyo pre-covid borders was much different. Tokyo is still a nice place of course, but I so feel bad for people that didn’t get to experience it before covid.
>Maybe I’m misremembering how distinct certain Americans cities are, but Tokyo feels particularly copy and pasted. Given its size, it feels like it should be a lot to explore, but it feels like I’m just running into the same kind of places over and over again.
I’m kind of confused. You’re saying American cities are distinct from another yet comparing 1 singular city to itself?
Tokyo is different than Okasa, Sapporo, Yokohama, Nagoya etc.
Each city has it’s own little flavor when you compare them to other cities. And yes different wards within Tokyo will have similar offerings as others but it’s realistically easier to do that in Tokyo and not have competition problems unlike in the U.S. due to the shear amount of population and density.
But I feel like each area in Tokyo is distinct regardless. You’ve named many different neighborhoods that all have flavor. Some cities in the U.S. just have like one stretch of tourist stuff and the rest is nothing or “the bad part of town” idk. I don’t go driving all over chicago or Miami for a scenic tour. Honestly most cities I’ve been to in the U.S. have been widely limited to one part of town because that’s where the stuff is.
Are you single? Could be why.
I am planning to leave because I feel repetitive and willing to move to the country where my GF lives🤣
Tokyo for 5y was enough. It’s still a good city tho, don’t get me wrong. Just repetitive.
Same old Shinokubo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, 皇居, Tokyo Station, Ueno, Asakusa, Odaiba, Shinagawa, Disney Land, Cafes, Ramen shops, etc. Obviously within Tokyo there are places I haven’t visited yet, but it’s going to be the same shit anyway. I can just tell.
Neighbouring cities/prefecture like Musashi-shi, Tachikawa, Kawasaki, Yokohama, Kawaguchi, Chiba, Enoshima meh they look the same to me now. You expect the same shit, same infrastructure, same architecture, same food, same people, and so on. I assume that it could be slightly different if I move to Shizuoka, Nagoya, Osaka or Hokkaido, or some really Inaka areas. That would be quite different.
It’s may not be just about Tokyo, it could be living in the same country for a long time is the problem.
Never lived this long(5y) in my entire life at one location after 7yo.
Coming from my past experience, you need to have a really good friend group to fully enjoy the whole Tokyo Metropolitan ecosystem.
Travel to different prefectures.
A lot of Downtowns in Japanese cities have a very similar feel and look. Especially the business districts. The same phenomenon happens in American cities too. Walk around Downtown LA and Downtown Houston and they will look very similar
It’s hard to imagine something further from my experience: Tokyo’s ambiences seem to change every few hundred meters. I’ve lived in the same 4-km circle for more than 30 years and still find new and interesting people, places, or things virtually every time I take a walk.
That consumer junk like restaurants and shops are often alike is true all over the rich world these days, but I’ve never experienced the deadening monotony I feel in, say, US cities or most built-up districts in large cities living here in Japan.
Tokyo alone has something like 100,000 restaurants or more, so if dining out is feeling repetitive it might be more indicative of your lifestyle than anything. Since restaurants tend to specialize in one type of food, you might want to try branching out and going to different genres of restaurant (e.g. tofu restaurants, kaiseki, chinese etc.)
I’m also feeling this sometime – but I’ve always chalked it up to the fact that even after multiple years in Japan, I still seem to have somewhat of a tourist mindset sometimes and am being too superficial. I don’t think something like you’re describing is unique to Tokyo. If you’re living in any city for an extended period of time, it will eventually feel like you’re visiting the same places over and over again. The solution, I feel (in addition to traveling outside of the city) is to acquire more specific interests and get more particular about what kind of experiences you’re looking for.
I’ve found that if I leave the house thinking that I just want to see something – anything – I haven’t seen before, I tend to be kind of disappointed in the end. Because yes – even a city as big as Tokyo has only so many superficially unique places/spots. But when I have a specific focus for the day, ex. I want to go to this café/exhibition/restaurant/nature spot/whatever, the experiences are often better and more fulfilling.
Wanna see a different Tokyo? Try Okutama or Hachijojima