Tokyo travel feature - Published in One Week To Live, 2007 

Yabai

As the original megalopolis, Tokyo doesn’t disappoint. Whether it’s entertainment, culture or something else you’re after, the city and its incredible amalgamation of old and new, cramped and spacious, has something to offer. Walk anywhere in the many quarters of the city centre and you’ll soon find yourself surrounded by a wealth of attractions all vying for and grabbing your attention as you wonder to yourself ‘what the hell is this?’

Walking around the busier parts of town, like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ikebukuro or Akihabara it’s easy to see why Tokyo has become such a centre of attraction for people worldwide in the last decade. After centuries of isolation, Japan has finally opened itself up in the last decade and there’s enough there to keep you interested for years on end.

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written by Laurent

Tokyo travel feature - Published in Serie B Magazine, 2007

Zen Futurism

I’m looking over fields of carrots and cabbages, quiet streets, temples, small houses packed tightly together and a clear night sky. This might not be the idea of Tokyo most westerners have. And yet that’s the flipside to the town centre that inspired Blade Runner, where no one sleeps and neon signs shine bright. It’s the best of both worlds – zen peacefulness wrapped in unconstrained futurism.

Tokyo, and Japan, is a shock to the system. So adapting is the key. And it’s fun because everything in Japan is an adventure. Around every corner there’s something new and exciting waiting.

The food is out of this world, the latest technology is fighting itself for your attention, assorted ‘geek’ consumer goods are everywhere and the price and choice is unbelievable on all accounts. Tokyo is all about convenience – whatever you want chances are you can get it 24 hours a day, no matter how far from the centre of town you are: food, drinks, video games, DVDs, magazines, cigarettes, alcohol, concert tickets or even pay your bills.
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written by Laurent