There are a lot of words that could be used to describe this particular ward in Tokyo, but the ones that come in mind the quickest are busy, busier, the busiest. In fact, it's probably the only thing you are thinking about once you're coming out from the Shibuya station (which is one of the busiest in Tokyo) and move over to the world-renowned intersection that's equally hectic. Although Shibuya is more than just this pedestrian crossing, this is often the part that sticks with you- the immense crowd crossing from every direction, all at the same time, in perfect harmony...if not synchronised. It's pretty impressive. And once the light turns red, the intersection is cleared almost instantly. 

When we first got to Japan we were pretty determined to have sushi every day, at the very least once a day. I suppose that's a common thought for people traveling there- or should I say a common mistake? Little did we know that it would be the dish we actually ended up eating the least...out of a simple reason that there are so many other delicious dishes that we had no clue about! Sure we had eaten some Ramen before, but never had we ever 'prepared' our own Sukiyaki or Okonomiyaki! So, we left the sushi splurges to a minimal (picnics/lunch) and focused on the stuff we hadn't had before and dishes that we saw locals ordering. No regrets there, as we left Japan knowing so many other dishes than just the usual off the top of our heads- foods. But at the same time, there are probably still so many things left to try, but that's what the next time's always for...;)

This is as close to a small-town feel as it gets while still inside of the huge metropolitan city- Shitamachi that literally translates to "low city". Not only it represents a rustic, low architectural style but it also represents a certain type of population. In the olden days the Shitamachi was referred to the part of town where people with lower income and - status, in other words, the working class, lived and ran their daily businesses. Until today it's been more or less the case, and a certain division between the upper class areas (also known as Yamanote) and the Shitemachi still remains, but in way less distinct way than before. The changes in the structure of the original population have nowadays more to do with economical- and ideological changes rather than just involuntary and conservative class division. 

Seeing a city from different angles is one of those things that cultivates one's perspective of the city in question. The same goes for Tokyo. I wrote earlier that you haven't really seen or understood the size of Tokyo until you've seen it from above, and while I stand behind this statement, I'd like to address another memorable viewing point that delivers what is often considered the most beautiful nightly skyline of this city- The district of Odaiba. 

When talking about Japanese street fashion scene, we as westerners may not always fully understand the scope of it; there are many subcultures and style influences that we have not even heard about, let alone seen to be worn by anyone. That is, until you you've been to Harajuku- a district famous for its extreme fashion associated with the strong youth culture. Be it a sweet Lolita or a dark Goth, the chances are that you can spot either one of them on a Sunday afternoon around the Harajuku station or on the Jingu Bashi bridge that's just next to it. This is definitely the place to see and to be seen when it comes to the most extraordinary outfits and styles showcased by the local youth. And from a tourist point of view, this is the place and the opportunity to spot some real life freakish fashionistas, guaranteed to stand out from the rest of the 'common' crowd. 

Tokyo took us by surprise would probably be an understatement. As imaginable, a city this size certainly has something for everyone and that's probably one of the reasons people love it so much - well, that plus the fact that you can have 'everything'. The amount of gardens and greeneries being  one of those things that surprised us; in almost any part of the town we could find a sizeable park, where you sort of just forget that you're in the middle of this vast metropolitan city. I guess the only thing that didn't come as a big surprise was that these green areas were all super neat and well taken care of. 

Here it was, the long anticipated finale to our Asian trip. We couldn't have imagined a better way of spending the last week than getting lost in this grand capital city that's so often ranked as one of the top cities in the world. We were stoked, to say the least. And talking about grand, we happened to arrive straight to the busiest part of Tokyo - The Shinjuku Station. An approximate three million people hustle through this station a day, making it the world's busiest train station. But hey, for a city this size and significance it's only fitting to make a grand entry and dive in with both feet, right?