In the heart of Tokyo’s vibrant chaos, we were stunned to discover an unexpected haven of serenity. It is not what we had imagined. We have experienced large cities in many countries, including cities in S.E. Asia, and our expectations were one of noise, frenzy, and murky streets. Tokyo is the largest city in the world, so we were stunned to discover our expectations had been very wrong.
Despite its immense population, it was shockingly quiet. Almost meditative. Even the traffic was quiet. There are relatively few vehicles on the roads, and many are electric. Honking, truck noise or sirens are eerily absent. The public spaces were teeming with people yet seemed organized, making navigation through the city easy and peaceful.
On the trains, there was a collective awareness of personal space and an atmosphere of calmness with hushed voices and no speaking on phones. Every train and train station was spotless, indicating to us the respect the Tokyoites have for their city. We stopped at the largest station in the world, which led us to Shibuya Crossing, the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world with as many as 3000 people crossing per green light. Road jams or accidents rarely occur here, and once more we found organized quiet chaos.
Amidst the towering skyscrapers and neon lights, traditional gardens and temples offer an oasis of calm and the chance to view wildlife. We visited gardens in our area and were stunned by the beauty and vastness; I had a lovely nap on a park bench in one of them. We also explored a temple in the middle of the city that provided a spiritual quietness as though we were high up in the mountains of Tibet.
Even the evenings, with the harsh glare of neon lights, were strangely quiet and calm. The weekend did bring out the crowds, but it was not intimidating, just more energetic. We never felt unsafe during our stay, Tokyo is one of the safest cities in the world, and now we know why.
We truly loved our stay in Tokyo and hope to return to Japan one day to experience more of what we know will be the same.
**Photos can now be viewed from the Gallery Page accessed via the Menu. I will also provide a link at the end of the posts**
Thames for this Jana- I had no idea. I always envisioned it differently.
Me either! I had heard good things about it but not to the level we experienced.
Interesting- I never would have expected tranquility in Tokyo. Even your gorgeous photos are devoid of people which one would have thought impossible. Loved the purple bike against the red door among others. Amazing experience!
Thanks Diane❤️ I have a photo of a 4-6 lane road on the Sunday with zero traffic!!
Glad you could find some tranquility in such a big city! Are people wearing masks?
Not as many as we had thought!
Fascinating! It’s so interesting how powerful and explanatory culture can be. Thanks for another great update 🙏