Tokyo: Unfortunate experience
okay so i'm in tokyo. it's this huge sprawl on the head of tokyo bay, stuck in the middle of japan's biggest island, honshu. coordinates are 35°41′N 139°41′E - whatever that means. it's basically in the kanto region, which sounds fancy but just means it's flat and flood-prone in the east (like, 4m above sea level?) and hilly in the west. the city itself spans 2,194 km² - tiny for japan but packed with 14 million people. 14 million! and that's not even counting the suburbs, which add another 27 million to the greater tokyo area. 41 million people total. someone told me it's the most populated urban area on earth, which sounds like a nightmare.
history-wise? it started as a fishing village called edo, then became a castle town for the tokugawa shogunate. edo castle was built on reclaimed wetlands - so basically where water met land. the eastern "low city" was all swampy, while the western "high city" had hills. then in 1868 they renamed it tokyo when the emperor moved in. now it's this mess of 23 special wards, commuter towns, and even islands out in the pacific. the izu and ogasawara islands? volcanic, apparently. not that i've been there.
the climate? mild winters, humid summers, rainy seasons, and typhoons in september-october. great. i just checked and it's... there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. it's 4.6°C but feels like 1.23°C, humidity at 47%. so cold and dry? not sure.
tourist spots? edo castle (now the imperial palace), ueno park, okutama for hiking (if you're into that), and the izu islands. modern hubs are shinjuku station - which is chaotic - and ueno station. someone told me that the imperial palace is at the water-land interface, which just means it's built on old swamps. charming.
if you get bored, chiba, yamanashi, kanagawa, and saitama are just a short drive away. they form this greater tokyo area thing. i tried driving once. never again. the rail system is the only way to survive.
food? search results didn't give specifics, but it's nationally known for sushi, ramen, tempura, and street foods like yakitori. haven't tried much yet though, it's too cold and i'm too tired to stand in line for ramen.
things to be aware of: the size is intimidating. typhoons, humidity, earthquakes (especially in the lowlands), flood risks in the east, high living costs, and crowded suburbs. the layout is compact but confusing - you'll need navigation apps or ic cards for transit. and the population density? insane. 14 million in the city proper alone, plus 41 million in the greater area. it's a blend of urban energy and nature escapes, but mostly just concrete and trains.
so yeah, tokyo. it's japan's economic and governmental center, the emperor lives here, and it's built on reclaimed wetlands that turned into a megacity. the "low city" contrasts with the "high city" - wetlands vs. hills. enabling rapid urbanization from edo-era swamps while hosting the planet's busiest stations. a global innovation hub, apparently. mostly just feels like a wet, crowded mess.
that's all i got. need sleep.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/kyoto-a-messy-love-letter-from-a-tired-wanderer
- https://topiclo.com/post/canagatan-where-the-only-thing-more-unpredictable-than-the-weather-is-the-wifi
- https://topiclo.com/post/wandering-shiraz-with-a-halfdead-phone-battery-and-zero-regrets
- https://topiclo.com/post/ankara-a-tired-cold-and-surprisingly-human-capital
- https://topiclo.com/post/esenyurts-a-weird-one-isnt-it