Tokyo is one of the world’s most international cities, home to international professionals, expats and travelers from around the world. Being so international, feeling comfortable isn’t a major challenge. Getting around Tokyo, for one, is easy for foreigners, as signs are in English. Also, the fact that a lot of the city’s inhabitants also speak English makes it easy to communicate with locals.
Back in 2013, Tokyo was designated the world’s most satisfying tourist city in a TripAdvisor poll. Being such a beloved and open tourist city also means it’s not so difficult for interns abroad to make themselves comfortable and sink their teeth into Japanese culture. The city is clean, safe, full of the world’s best restaurants, has amazing transportation and a fascinating culture. What’s not to love?
Interns abroad won’t go hungry in Tokyo, that’s for sure. The city has garnered worldwide recognition for its unrivaled food scene. Japan’s complex and healthy gastronomy culture can be experienced in many ways. Authentic and inexpensive street food and noodle shops are a great way to start. However, the city also offers the most Michelin stars of any city in the world. Beyond Japanese food, there’s also an incredible array of international cuisine offered in Tokyo.
Tokyo makes it easy for its residents to get about town. The city’s trains and buses are famous for being highly efficient. Not only do the schedules run on time, but the public transportation infrastructure is extremely clean. Win!
If you can save a little money to do some proper shopping in Japan, you won’t regret it. From fashion to technology, there are many great places to buy in Tokyo. Plus, some shops just make for interesting experiences, like the biggest fish market in the world; Tsukiji fish market. Fashionistas can check out fabulous Tokyo stores like Tomorrowland, Beams and United Arrows. There are also huge shopping centers dedicated to technology, which can also make for a great shopping experience.
The downside of living in most large cities is the cleanliness factor. Not in Tokyo! Recycling culture is huge in the city. There’s ample recycling infrastructure in place and you hardly ever see anyone littering. Plus, the city has invested in effective trash collectors.
Tokyo makes for a great city to live in, in part because it is incredibly safe. The city boasts a very low crime rate. So much so, that if you lose a phone, or something, there’s a good chance it will be returned back to you. That’s definitely not something you see everywhere.
There’s never a dull moment in the fast-paced city of Tokyo. For sports fans, the city is home to two baseball stadiums. Meanwhile, there are many unique cafés to check out, like a manga-kissa, or “comics café”, or cat cafés, where there are cats chilling with you as you sip your coffee. In the city, you can also do cool things like see the Kanda River bats (don’t worry they don’t bite) and check out the bronze Godzilla. During the summertime there’s also a slew of incredible festivals, like Kanda Matsuri that can’t be missed.
Sources: http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tokyo-worlds-greatest-city-reasons/index.html, https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/The-Best-Things-About-Living-In-Tokyo-Japan
Photos
1. based on Blue Hour over Tokyo, by Balint Földesi, CC-by-2.0
2. based on TOKYO SKYTREE_東京スカイツリー_5, by hans-johnson, CC-by-2.0