Toky-no

Debunking 6 myths about Tokyo and some other cool facts.

Rory Silverbeard
Hotfoot
4 min readNov 14, 2017

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Ask five people if they want to visit Japan, watch, listen, and tick off these stock responses as you hear them.

“It’s too expensive.” — “It’s too busy and polluted.” — “I don’t like sushi.” — “I don’t speak Japanese.” — “It looks too crazy.” — The etiquette is too complicated.”

Let’s tackle these one by one then.

1. It’s too expensive

One of the most common phrases you’ll hear uttered about Japanese travel. Try telling someone you are going to Japan and they’ll sanctimoniously retort, “It’s very expensive over there.” I’m sorry, I didn’t realise this was 1992.

Tokyo has metro tickets for $2 or less, a hearty bowl of ramen will only set you back a $4 or $5, and have you every heard of a nomihoudai? Utter this magical word at any izakaya (pub thing)and you’ll get free flowing alcohol for a 2 hour period for anywhere between $10 — $15.

I’ve spent more than that on cocktail in London. I’ve spent more than that on ONE BEER in Norway. And yes, the food equivalent exists under the name tabehoudai. Just great.

The one small concession I’ll make is that hotel and guesthouse prices could be cheaper, but they still undercut the going rate in a lot European cities.

If money isn’t the problem, it must be that…

2. It’s too busy and polluted

Oh, we’ve stepped out of 1992 and back into the 70’s. Driving in japan is purposefully expensive, consequently there is a lack of cars, traffic, and pollution.

Is it busy? Sure. A quick google of the world’s busiest train stations will tell you that, but you can wander slightly off the main streets in relative solitude for hours or you could always go to a less touristy district with just as much to do.

3. I don’t like sushi

I’ll let you in on a little secret: There are other types of food out there. I’m not going to list them all because Japan is famous for so much and it’ll take ages, but Japan has some of the best food in the world. Incidentally, sushi is also awesome, you’ve probably just had rubbish western sushi.

4. I don’t speak Japanese

Nomihoudai, Tabehoudai, Arigatou (thanks). These are the most important words, closely followed by ‘Karaoke wa doko desu ka?’ Roughly meaning, ‘Where’s the karaoke at?’
You also don’t speak Thai but that didn’t stop you getting beers in Koh Samui.

5. It looks too crazy

Yes. Tokyo can be crazy; That’s half the fun. Everyone knows about Japan’s famed cat cafes. But owl cafes? Penguin cafes? ROBOT CAFES!? Things range from the weird and wonderful to just plain weird, but if that’s not you’re thing, you can also grab a normal coffee in a normal coffee shop. With just one or two rabbits running around.

6. The etiquette is too complicated

Just use your head, literally. Bowing at everyone you see isn’t only polite, it’s fun. Engage yourself in fierce bow wars with every businessman you see, you’ll lose every time, as they always have the last bow.

“Bowing at everyone you see isn’t only polite, it’s fun.”

Maybe don’t do that, but it’s really just common sense: Bow when thanking someone, Don’t be loud and obnoxious on public transport or anywhere else (that’s a general life lesson), smile etc. Nobody expects you to address them using in perfect formal Japanese, you’re a tourist.

Side note

As if the food, history and culture isn’t enough.. Probably my main reason for going back to Japan would be the sense of serenity. It took me a fair while of living there to figure it out, even in the centre of Tokyo, you can nip into a cafe and suddenly everything seems tranquil. Months of confusion elapsed before it hit me.

It’s the jazz.

Supermarkets, cafes, bars, and shopping malls all have jazz in the background. No longer do you have to leave a bar, rush your shopping, or take a chance on clothes size in an attempt to escape the speakers blasting the auto-tuned sound of some ‘artist’ accompanied by specifically repetitive melodies. Western pop doesn’t exist here, and it’s bloody great.

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