Tokyo, a city that stands as one of the central hubs of Japan. When traveling to Japan from abroad, many people land at one of Tokyo’s airports. Besides Tokyo, there are several other major cities in Japan, such as Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Hokkaido, but Tokyo is arguably the most globally recognized.
Without intending to overly praise my own country, it’s when you go abroad that you truly understand the greatness of Tokyo. The definition of “greatness” varies from person to person and is somewhat ambiguous, but in this article, it encompasses various aspects. These include the convenience of transportation, the abundance of department stores, the number of buildings, the population, the number of restaurants, the spaciousness, cleanliness, and the fusion with history.
In this article, I would like to write about “accommodation.” This is because, when traveling abroad, the first challenge I often face is choosing a place to stay. The difficulty lies not in the grade of the hotel but in its “location.” The points of difficulty include:
- How far is it from the city center?
- If it is far, what transportation options are available?
- Are there restaurants and other amenities nearby?
- How far is it from the nearest station?
Lacking local knowledge, I spend a lot of time researching, reading reviews, watching YouTube videos about the area, and checking the frequency of trains if it’s a train ride. This process can be quite time-consuming. While it’s part of the fun of travel, it can sometimes be a hassle. I’ve had past experiences where moving just one station away from the city center led to a completely different townscape, so I make sure to do this research, despite it being tedious.
In the case of Tokyo, I can confidently say that if you are within a 30-minute train ride from Shibuya or Shinjuku, any station is fine. This realization is quite significant. Many Japanese people may not be aware of this greatness.
There are restaurants, supermarkets, and trains run every ten minutes. Even if the walk from the station is as long as 15 minutes, the streets are well-lit and safe. A mere 30-minute train ride from the city center can significantly reduce hotel costs.
To foreign tourists visiting Japan for the first time, I want to convey this: Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku are famous, but areas outside of these are also Tokyo! If the hotels in these areas are fully booked, there’s no problem staying in other areas! As long as it’s within a 30-minute train ride from Shinjuku or Shibuya on Google Maps, there’s no issue!
Although Japan is a small country in terms of land area, most of Tokyo feels like downtown. If you’re struggling to find a hotel, consider looking at other areas!
You’ll likely get to see a different side of Tokyo! It will surely add a fresh memory to your travel experiences!