Ro's Recz

Introduction: While other cities may change in my rankings in the future, I cannot imagine ever having a city other than Tokyo #1. I have already been there 10 or so times in my life, but I do not think I will ever get tired of it. It is as close to a perfect city as exists in my opinion. Apart from the language barrier (which I am in the process of trying to change), I cannot find any personal dislikes. Tokyo has the best food in the world (most Michelin stars of any city, as well as plenty of cheap places), is one of the most efficient cities in the world, is ultra clean and modern, and has so many places to visit.

Local Cuisine (how good the cities local cuisine/food was): 10/10

There are just so many incredible choices in Tokyo that I cannot even list 1/5 of the my favorite restaurants I have been to. As you can see in my previous blog posts, some of my favorite restaurants are Hachibei, Tempura Shimomura, and Toritsune Shizendo. Still, these are just a select few, and I will post more Tokyo restaurants in the future. Some of my favorite Japanese food items include tempura, katsu, curry, sushi, sukiyaki, shabu shabu, and yakitori. The variety and quality of Japanese food in Tokyo just cannot be beaten.

Scenery/Beauty (how pretty/cool the sites and nature were to look at): 10/10

Tokyo has a great diversity in scenery. With beautiful places such as Ueno Park, great buildings in the Ginza, and fun places such as Odaiba and Tokyo Skytree, there is plenty of stuff to see and do. Once again, I could go on and on forever about how amazing Tokyo is, and its scenery is no different. I do not think you can cover all the spots in one trip though (unless you are there for a week plus), but try to see as much as you can.

Price (how expensive it was to visit the city, not including airfare (lower score means more expensive, higher score means good value)): 7/10

Affordability is probably the one weak link of Tokyo. While it definitely is possible to see on a budget, some of the best restaurants and hotels are definitely pricey. There are plenty of cheap ramen places and other restaurants, but if you want high quality sushi or something like that, it will set you back quite a bit. Be prepared to spend to experience the best of Tokyo.

History Monuments (how the city’s historical monuments are): 10/10

Tokyo has a lot of history. The most historical place is probably the Imperial Palace, but there are also plenty of temples and other sites. Senso Ji and Meiji Shrine are two of the most famous temple/shrines to visit. It depends on what you are interested in, but Tokyo has plenty for history buffs.

Non-Local Food (how good food from other places was): 10/10

If for some reason you are even considering eating non-Japanese food in Tokyo, you can definitely find it. However, unless you live there or are there for an extended period of time, I would not recommend even trying a non-Japanese restaurant (even though there are some great ones).

Public Transportation (whether they had trains, subways, buses, etc. and how accessible they were): 10/10

Tokyo public transportation is great. It is super efficient and modern, and the only possible drawback is that there are a lot of subway lines (which can make it hard to find your intended destination). Still, as long as you can find your stop, you can get anywhere within the city. I would not recommend taking taxis though, as they are extremely expensive in Tokyo!

Safety (how safe I feel the city is): 10/10

Like many of the cities on my list, Tokyo is super safe. There has never been a time I have been in Tokyo where I went to a place that worried me. Regardless of the time of day, I feel safe anywhere in Tokyo.

Cleanliness (how clean the city was in general): 10/10

I don’t think there is much needed to be said on Tokyo’s cleanliness. It is super clean and well maintained. No need to worry about cleanliness here!

Tourist Friendly (how accessible and accommodating the city is for tourists (mainly English speakers)): 9/10

Tokyo people have been getting better recently at speaking English. Many people speak at least some English, even if they are not fluent. Also, people are incredibly nice and polite, regardless of whether you can speak Japanese or not. However, I can’t give it a 10 in this category because it is still a significantly better experience if you are able to speak Japanese.

Walkability (how easy it is to walk around the city): 9/10

Tokyo is very walkable. Whether you are walking around the Ginza, Asakusa, or another part of Tokyo, there are walking paths everywhere. The only problem is that streets are extremely crowded, and you have to know where you are going.

Conclusion: This post could have been 10x longer if I had put all of the best places and things to do in Tokyo. However, I tried to keep it as short as possible, while also highlighting how much I enjoy the city. I cannot say this enough, if you are looking for somewhere to go on vacation, there is no place other than Tokyo that I could recommend. Especially if you have never been before, you HAVE to experience it at some point in your life.

Total Score (Combined Score of all the categories): 95/100