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In praise of … Tokyo In praise of … Tokyo
(10 days later)
The Olympics is a sporting event, but one of the biggest benefits of Tokyo being picked to host the 2020 Games is that it will introduce millions to what is one of the world's greatest cities. Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation sealed the popular image of Japan's capital as a place of hyper-modernity: all neon and skyscrapers, luxury retail and an aversion to bodily functions. But the world's biggest metropolis is far more intriguing than that. Even at its densest, the city can suddenly shrink from tower blocks to tiny temples and tofu-makers. Not far from Shibuya's shops are little streets, and behind them even smaller lanes: with old wooden houses, schoolchildren togged up like Prussian officials, or an unmarked door behind which a man sells memorabilia of British 80s indie bands. An intensely detailed cityscape, speedy Tokyo offers its greatest rewards to the leisurely, observant walker. And then there's the food …The Olympics is a sporting event, but one of the biggest benefits of Tokyo being picked to host the 2020 Games is that it will introduce millions to what is one of the world's greatest cities. Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation sealed the popular image of Japan's capital as a place of hyper-modernity: all neon and skyscrapers, luxury retail and an aversion to bodily functions. But the world's biggest metropolis is far more intriguing than that. Even at its densest, the city can suddenly shrink from tower blocks to tiny temples and tofu-makers. Not far from Shibuya's shops are little streets, and behind them even smaller lanes: with old wooden houses, schoolchildren togged up like Prussian officials, or an unmarked door behind which a man sells memorabilia of British 80s indie bands. An intensely detailed cityscape, speedy Tokyo offers its greatest rewards to the leisurely, observant walker. And then there's the food …
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