Tokyo: Eight Months Later

During our first tour in Israel, I wrote a follow up to my First Impressions of Tel Aviv blog after six months of getting to know the city.  I was aiming to do that for Tokyo as well, but I was sidetracked by the holidays.  It’s hard to believe I’ve already been here for eight months.  Work has been quite busy, and I’ve settled into a nice rhythm professionally and socially.  The holidays are always more mellow in the diplomatic world, but I filled in for a colleague in the front office, so learning a new job that feeds the Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) briefing notes for all their meetings made for a busier end of the year than usual.

Now that I’ve settled in, I can confidently say most of my first impressions still hold true.  I’ve grown to love konbini’s, particularly the egg sandwiches and fried chicken from Family Mart.  I still don’t love the roads being switched, but I’ve gotten the hang of looking right before crossing a street.  I also love the metro and use it as my primary method of transportation when I can’t walk. 

Eight months has given me time to notice a variety of other things, including a few mistakes I’ve made and hope to learn from.

1. If you’re on time, you’re late.  When they say an event, such as a parade or fireworks show, starts at 7, they mean 7 on the dot.  If you aren’t in position when the clock strikes, you will miss it.  The shows I’ve seen have only lasted a few minutes, so if you’re even two minutes late you could miss the best part.  If it’s a bullet train you need to catch, you may only have 30 seconds to hop on before it’s gone again.
2. This also translates to the regimented work schedule.  Office workers all seem to take lunch at noon, so if you can get to a restaurant even 5 minutes earlier, your chances of getting a table skyrocket.
3. The crowds are intense.  While Japan, like other tourist destinations around the world, are taking steps to curb overcrowding due to tourism, it can really put a damper on your experience.  For that reason, I’d highly recommend starting any tourist activity, particularly in Kyoto, before 9am at the latest.
4. Following up on crowds, you’d think Tokyo, a city with over 40 million people in the greater metro area, would have better options for groups over 6 people.  If you don’t plan well ahead, it can be difficult to get reservations for large groups.  For instance, one of the popular nightlife spots in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood is Golden-Gai, which has a ton of bars and izakayas.  However, the vast majority have less than 10 seats, half of which are typically occupied. 
5. Seasonal changes happen overnight.  When I first arrived in May, it was a bit rainy and in the 60s.  All of a sudden, I walked outside one June morning and it was 93 with the most oppressive humidity I’ve ever felt.  That heat didn’t break until late September, when it was back to being in the 60s and absolutely beautiful.  In early December, temperatures dropped into the high 40s and low 50s, which should be the trend until about March. 

Tokyo is a great city.  I’m extremely lucky to have been assigned here.  I do my best to show I’m worthy of the assignment while in the office, and so far, I think I’ve done a good job.  The next year and a half will surely fly by, but until then I hope to continue exploring the country and visiting as much of Japan as I can. Until next time…