Tourist attractions aren’t as enticing as they used to be
When people think about Tokyo’s top tourist destinations, hotspots like Shibuya Crossing and Takeshita Dori probably come to mind. These places are definitely fun and worth visiting at some point during your stay in Tokyo, but once the wide-eyed tourist wonder starts to die down, you’ll probably start avoiding these landmarks. Not because they aren’t interesting anymore but mostly because there are far too many people! Chances are, if you’ve lived in Japan for long enough, you’ve experienced what it’s like to packed like a sardine into a train car. With this kind of experience under your belt, you’ll probably find yourself opting for more subdued locations where you can actually hear yourself think.
Nature and the urban landscape can co-exist!
Image: A quiet afternoon in Shinjuku Gyoen
On the flip side of Tokyo’s neon-lighted jungle of sounds and towering buildings and seas of people, you can find quiet gardens and parks that can help slow things down. One of my favorite things about Tokyo is that you can go from a hectic main street in the city to a peaceful patch of nature in a matter of seconds. Often for just a small fee (usually about 200 yen), you can find yourself surrounded by greenery with the noise of the city seemingly far behind you. Meji Jingu and Shinjuku Gyoen are a couple of the most note-worthy nature spots that are nestled right in the middle of the city.
Keep calm and you’ll get to where you need to go (particularly when it comes to moving amongst crowds on public transit)
One of the most common complaints about Tokyo living that I’ve heard from many is that trains and train stations can be hellish in terms of the sheer number of people. This is definitely a valid complaint. Unfortunately, the only thing you can really do is go with the flow and let yourself be taken by the natural rhythm of the crowd. Don’t worry, if you do the right dance and slide and wriggle in the right direction, you’ll get to where you need to go in no time.
Bring your books!
Photo by Mariana Vusiatytska on Unsplash
If you’re like me and love to read the latest and greatest novels, be sure to bring your favorites! Finding foreign books isn’t impossible but it isn’t easy either. Big bookstores like Kinokuniya often have a foreign book section but they may not always have the book that you’re looking for, not to mention that most foreign books and magazines end up being very expensive. So, before deciding to hurt your wallet on the regular (like me), I would recommend considering other ways of getting your fix (ex: E-books, Kindle, etc). Of course, if you can’t resist having the real thing in your hands (also like me), the occasional splurge on books will just have to be a part of your budget.
You can accomplish anything if have the courage to take a risk
Last but not least, one of the biggest things that I’ve learned is that taking risks is definitely worth it. Not just taking the risk of going to a different country but also the risk of trying new things while you’re there. When I first moved to Tokyo, I was proud of myself for taking the leap and taking a stab at independence, but once that goal was achieved, I realized that there were so many more things that I needed to do. From figuring out the train system to applying for jobs, these were all tasks that were stressful for me in the initial stages on my time here, but eventually I learned how to move forward. I suppose the point is, if you have the courage to put yourself out there and make some mistakes along the way, you may find that what you thought was impossible is actually quite doable!
Thanks for reading! :)