Jimmy's Tokyo Recs

Despite the travel tip TikToks and IGs, newsletter recs, Google Maps lists from friends, etc etc it's a fool's errand to go to Tokyo and think you can do it all, see it all, eat it buy it flick it experience it all. Obviously those are huge components for any trip to Japan, and hopefully this brief list I put together  can help inform anyone who's headed there. Most of the places listed I've been to and love, some I haven't gotten to yet. Next time!

But besides some incredible consumption, Tokyo is a place that, if you're paying attention and not just there to capture content, can make you ask a lot of what ifs. What if people collectively cared about being part of a larger entity than the self? What if producing the highest quality thing/interaction/building block/experience took precedence over maximizing profit and efficiency?

And seeing the ways that mindset can manifest itself are pretty sick. For me, the best way to experience Tokyo—and really any place you're visiting—is to take your headphones out, keep your phone in your pocket and just try to immerse yourself into the banality of everyday people living their everyday lives and how things can be different. And if you're inspired by the way people adamantly stand to one side of the escalator to let people pass, or stuff every available nook on the street with plants, or produce incredibly user-friendly design, take that shit home with you!

So yeah, I hope these recs can out with some travel guidelines, but the most fire thing you could come away with you is a pride in your own output while having the utmost care for the people and environment around you. And tell me where you go and anything you did that you love! 

Ganbatte minna-sama!!

Some random thoughts and tips: