Tokyo feels like a more mature, perfected, and upgraded version of Shanghai. Having visited all the major hubs, I can confidently say that Tokyo stands as the most modern, connected, and meticulously managed metropolis on the planet.
What sets Tokyo apart is how well it’s developed and managed from the bottom to the top. While I can’t claim to have seen every layer of this vast system, my experience and observations reveal a city engineered to perfection.
Tokyo’s public transportation system is a marvel. At first glance, it looks overwhelming, like a sprawling web of subway lines, train schedules, and transfers. But once you step into its maze with the assistance of Google Maps, it just works. The directions are precise, the estimated travel times startlingly accurate—down to the very minute. Even the smallest details feel deliberate: clean and comfortable restrooms in stations, clear markings on platforms indicating the best car for a smooth transfer, and well-placed signage to guide you seamlessly through its complexity.
It’s super interconnected. Around one place (e.g. Ginza) there can be more than 6 (or more?) lines intersect.
I’d call it the pinnacle of human engineering and optimization. It’s hard to fathom the scale of engineering and coordination required to make such a system function with this level of intricacy and precision.
And yet, for all its brilliance, I couldn’t help but think about the toll it takes. The systems are perfect, but the people running them are human. No wonder Tokyo’s working class is famously stressed—the weight of maintaining such perfection must be immense…
Plus one more thing, Ginza really is really a premium place for shopping. Expert speaking: judging a shopping area’s level is not by how large its Hermes store is, but how niche the product it offers ranges. You can spend millions everywhere, but at Ginza’s Yamaha the golden flutes is available for pickup upon walk-in.
And you can try it for free!