Where Tokyo Begins
When you arrive in Japan—especially Tokyo—there’s this immediate, overwhelming question: Where do I even start?
It’s dense. It’s beautiful. It’s layered in a way that makes you realize pretty quickly that no amount of planning will ever feel like enough.
Knowing that, I tried to be intentional. I pre-planned a few anchors for the trip: hit at least three cities, take a high-speed train, wander a few markets, check off some of the “must-see” spots. The usual stuff. But when it was all said and done, the only real feeling I had was wishing I could stay longer.
My first trip was two weeks. Honestly, I wish it had been a month. Or ninety days.
Because at first, you do want to get the touristy things out of the way—the big sights, the temples, the landmarks. Mount Fuji, of course. And then there’s the food. Always the food.
But Japan reveals itself slowly. For such a relatively small country, it feels vast. Every city has its own rhythm. Every neighborhood feels like a different world. And the more time you spend there, the more you realize how much you’re still missing.
From immersive digital spaces like teamLab, to dense downtown streets glowing at night, to quiet, traditional areas that feel untouched by time—it’s all there. And then, somehow, the food still manages to be the highlight.
Street photography, especially, is incredible in Japan. If you like heading out with a small camera and simply observing—architecture, signage, people, texture, light—it’s hard to beat. At first, I thought the rain might get in the way. Too wet. Too messy. But then I realized it was perfect. The reflections. The color. The way everything comes alive.
Tokyo alone could take a lifetime. One of the largest cities in the world, made up of countless distinct pockets, each with its own personality. You can wander endlessly and never feel like you’ve seen the same thing twice.
If you have any real freedom in your schedule, trust me—whatever time you plan won’t be enough. You’ll already be thinking about the next trip before the first one ends.
And that’s probably a good place to leave this one.
More to come.
Tokyo, Japan
Words and photograph by Tony Frantz
