We flew from LA to Tokyo (Narita Airport) about 1.5 days days ago. The flight took just about 11 hours 30 minutes. The drive from Narita to Tokyo proper is about 2 hours. Tokyo is one of our favorite cities in the world. It's clean, safe, orderly, charming, modern, historical and just plain wonderful. It is not the 24-hour seizure inducing laser light-show experience the media exports to NA, although there are parts if you seek them out, they are fun but not representative of the Japan/Tokyo experience in any way.
Some facts about the Greater Tokyo Area (and Japan):
Largest city in the world by population, 35 Million people
One of the lowest murder rates in the world
Petty crime appears to be very low, people barely lock up their bicycles!
Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world
You don't tip in Japan, they expect to give you good service and would wonder why you would reward them for doing what is expected (I presume their base pay is better relative to NA)
This is our third time here and we have yet to come across a panhandler (I think that is the largest form of employment in Vancouver ;)
People don't blab on their cell phones on the trains, buses, etc and they don't talk much at all. Sometimes you can be on a train with over 100 people in your train car and it's silent save for the hum of the train.
It's almost impossible to find a public garbage can, the Japanese don't eat and drink while walking, it's considered rude. If they buy a drink from a vending machine they will drink it there and dispose of it at the vending machine in a bottle return receptacle. In spite of this "lack" of garbage cans the city is stunningly clean and tidy throughout!
We have yet to find a single pot-hole in a road, the roads are smooth and the lines very crisp!
Other than the hum of traffic it's a strangely quite city (of 35M people), you don't hear the horns honking and yelling like you do in NY.
(Video) LA to Tokyo and Skytree! (in 3 minutes):
-Jason
Twitter: http://twitter.com/QatuQatsi @QatuQatsi
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