Tokyo City Hall. The observation deck at the top is worth a visit!

I am tired of hearing Tokyo called an ugly city. In guide books, newspapers and travel Web sites I am constantly seeing people badmouth the aesthetics of the people of Tokyo. I first saw Tokyo in 1991 and most recently in 2006 I’ve lived there for periods of time on several occasions. Tokyo is a clean, beautiful, interesting city and does not at all deserve the bad rap it has received internationally.

For me, there are 2 cities in the world that shine as beautiful and interesting places: London and Tokyo. Both of these cities are large, busy places that have not allowed themselves to forget history or beauty. Many parks and historical sites make these cities wonderful places to spend time. They are both very modern places with everything available to the visitor and many things taking place that one wouldn’t want to miss.

The skyscrapers of Shinjuku

So how did Tokyo get such a bad reputation among westerners? I think it’s a combination of things, really.

1) Japan is a foreign place where westerners often feel isolated and overwhelmed. I have traveled to Japan many times with westerners who suffered from culture shock and couldn’t adjust to Japan. Tokyo was the first and last place (sometimes the only place) they saw in Japan so they associate their bad impressions of Japan with Tokyo.

2) Japan is a modern city. Due to the rebuilding after the bombings of World War II and major earthquakes many of Tokyo’s older buildings simply aren’t around any more. This is unfortunate (or not, depending on how those buildings looked) but the new buildings that have been built are very nice. Tokyo has a much higher percentage of new construction than most major cities in the world. Many people react to this negatively but I think it creates a charm all its own. I like the sleek, often futuristic, look that many parts of the city has to offer. Their new buildings certainly aren’t as ugly as many of the new buildings I saw in Europe. What bothers me, however, is how often people fail to mention all the attractive old buildings that still stand.

3) Japan is a bustling city. As the capital of an active, modern nation and its busiest port of commerce Tokyo is a happening place. A lot of people, traffic and money move through this city. One would think this would make the city a madhouse but it really isn’t. The Japanese are polite and efficient (two qualities that repel many westerners I’ve known) and those qualities are reflected all through the city. It isn’t long before a person can figure out how the train stations and traffic work and then the city lies at your feet. However, in my experience, many westerners take a look at all the motion and activity in Tokyo and simply can’t adjust.

4) Japanese architecture differs from what westerners are used to. Not in any dramatic sense but the differences are there to see. One example is local laws prohibit buildings from blocking sunlight to other buildings in certain instances. As a result, some buildings have angled, triangular looking tops rather than squared. I think it adds to the interest of the city but many westerners have remarked on how they look “bizarre.”

5) Above all, Tokyo’s bad reputation continues because once an idea is planted in peoples’ minds it is very difficult to remove it. Many people believe the entries they read in their guide books describing Tokyo as ugly. Many of the guide book writers seem to be copying older accounts of Tokyo that they’ve read. They probably fear being seen as ignorant if they don’t repeat the popular wisdom.

A great solution to this problem would be to visit Tokyo and see for yourself. For those who can’t, I’ve included a few photos on this page to show some of the spots I visited in 2006. Enjoy.

The busy streets of the Ginza district

The busy streets of the Ginza district

Shopping in Akihabara

Near Mitsukoshi in Nihombashi

Near Mitsukoshi in Nihombashi

Harajuku station

A shopping street in Harajuku

The front entrance

In Nihombashi, Tokyo I found the flagship store for Mitsukoshi, a chain of department stores in Japan. Here it is on the map. Mitsukoshi is the oldest still-operating department store company in the world. It was founded in 1673 with the shop name “Echigoya.” Ten years later, Echigoya took a new approach to marketing. Instead of selling by going door-to-door, they set up a store where buyers could purchase goods. They must have known what they were doing because their flagship store is simply amazing.

Mitsukoshi is an upscale department store with high prices so I’ve never shopped there but that didn’t stop me from visiting in May 2006. The store is very elegant with a large number of art pieces on display. The twin lions outside their front door are modeled on the lions of London’s Trafalgar Square. The immense statue inside, if I remember correctly, is Amaterasu the sun goddess of Shinto mythology when she emerged from hiding in a cave. The photos don’t do the statue justice. It has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. The main foyer where the Amaterasu statue is displayed is a work of art itself. Behind the Amaterasu statue visitors can see a vintage pipe organ on display.

The store is quite large and not only features a dizzying array of things for sale but also contains small art galleries on different floors. I really enjoyed the crystal display they had on the day I visited. Many exquisite crystal dishes, vases, etc. were being shown in a gallery near the top floor.

The majority of the patrons of Mitsukoshi are older, well-to-do people. It was a fun experience walking the hallways of the various departments seeing so many well-dressed Japanese people. Visiting Mitukoshi’s flagship store in Nihombashi is a truly upscale experience and I can’t recommend it enough. Who knew a department store could be so much fun?

I first saw this screen in 1991 when I was 17. They were promoting Okamura Takako‘s new single Invincible Career Girl so the music video was playing on the side of the building. I was truly impressed. The day these photos were taken they were running weather reports and dopey commercials although I’ve heard they still play music videos.

Right behind Studio Alta is a series of car-free alleyways with lots of good shopping. Last time I was there I ducked into a hobby shop and bought large, roll-up flags from the UC Gundam universe. Shinjuku is a great place to go exploring and Studio Alta is a great place to start.

A children's group asks for donations

The biggest crowds of fans can be found on Sundays. I was only able to visit on a weekday so not a lot of interesting people were there. Still, the death metal queens were really into their role and were smiling and posing for photographs with passers by. Plenty of girls in maid outfits were on hand. I think spring 2006 was the height of the maid fetish in Japan.

There’s a friendly atmosphere on the bridge that’s difficult not to notice. If you’re ever in Tokyo you should try to stop by the Meiji Shrine Bridge. It’s on the way to the Meiji Shrine which is a worthwhile visit on its own.

Two death metal queens hold court

My brother (left) and I

During my May 2006 trip to Japan I had the rare opportunity to visit the memorial of The Great One. Yes, Godzilla. The king of the monsters and an integral component of Japanese pop culture. Godzilla has been one of my heroes since childhood and, in my opinion, no trip to Japan is complete without paying respects at his statue.

The statue is located in the Ginza district of Tokyo – not too far from the Sony Building. The headquarters of Toho Pictures is nearby. The statue sits in the center of a peaceful plaza surrounded by office buildings and a convenience store. Visitors have trouble locating the statue as many sources claim it’s in Hibiya Park. My Lonely Planet guide book states it is one block away from the park so I didn’t have to search the park fruitlessly. Even with the best information available it took me some time to track it down.

I heard the statue was commissioned as a sort of publicity stunt for the 1995 movie Godzilla vs. Destroyer. Godzilla was killed by his opponent in that movie and the statue was to be a memorial. Four years later Godzilla was back for Godzilla 2000. You can’t keep a good man down!