Tokyo is the perfect hybrid

What is your image of Tokyo?
Ultra-modern and high-tech with robots, computerized bath-tubs and toilet seats, skyscrapers, and neon?
Or ancient with centuries-old temples and shrines in quiet old-fashioned neighborhoods with small restaurants and food booths selling very traditional Japanese food and snacks?

Either way, you’d be correct. Tokyo is a perfect hybrid of both the modern and the traditional, sometimes side-by-side.

I love both aspects of this city. The skyline with the skyscrapers and neon lights looks beautiful…and so are the ancient 下町 (traditional, downtown areas).

Last Sunday my wife and I went to a 下町 (traditional, downtown area).
Here are some photos I took:

A parrot outside of a pet store.

This pagoda is about 400 years old.

 

Have you ever visited Tokyo? How do you think it compares with other cities? I think it’s the most beautiful city.

Shinjuku

Today is ひな祭 (Doll Festival…used to be called “Girls Day“).
I wrote an FAQ about it (Click here)…and mentioned it in a post last week (Click here).

Yesterday, we went to 新宿 (Shinjuku, Tokyo).

While we were there, I took many photos of some of the skyscrapers and other interesting things there.

I love the 下町 (traditional, downtown areas) of Tokyo…but I also love the modern areas, like 新宿 (Shinjuku), with all the stores, skyscrapers, and neon!

We were there in the daytime only this time, so I didn’t get any photos of the neon-lit night in 新宿 (Shinjuku)…but I think 新宿 (Shinjuku) is beautiful in both day and night!

Some of the photos I took in this post were from the view from the Southern observatory on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
Last May we went to the Northern observatory and I posted photos from the 新宿 (Shinjuku) skyline on that day, too. (Click here to see that post).

Here are the photos that I took yesterday:

The Tokyo Dome can be seen.

「明治神宮」 (Meiji Shrine) grounds are visible

Do you live in a big city with many skyscrapers? Have you ever been to a city like that?

Which do you prefer? A big city or a small town?