As a growing boy raised on a diet of Dragon Ball Z, Nintendo, and Pokémon, Japan is a place that has fascinated me for years.
Even now, as a man hurtling towards middle age, I remain captivated by the Land of the Rising Sun.
Still, as I’ve aged, my interest in that faraway island has expanded – as has my waistline.
Now, I’m not just obsessed with Japan’s pop culture offerings. I’ve come to appreciate its history and culture.
So when I was invited to travel 9,000km to Tokyo, I didn’t think twice. But I must confess to feeling a certain anxiety in the days before the trip.
As someone who finds something to worry about in an empty room, I was anxious about the language barrier, the cost, and the fear that my dream destination might not live up to the vision I had in my head.
Ultimately, I was afraid that Tokyo, in all its sprawling glory, would overwhelm me.
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I worried that the Japanese capital, named by Time Out as the most anxiety-inducing city in the world, would be London on steroids – and I feared its pimply face.
It turns out, I had nothing to worry about.
While Tokyo is a very, very busy city, I never felt even a pang of anxiety once I was there.
So what did I get wrong? Let’s start with the language barrier.
While not everyone in Tokyo spoke fluent English, they quite often had enough of a grasp of the language (and I had some very rudimentary Japanese) that we could muddle through.
It helped that most signs and menus have English translations (even on the behemoth that is the Tokyo Metro), allowing you to fall back on the old point, nod and smile strategy – it never fails.
I will admit that while exploring some of the back streets and dive bars, I did occasionally encounter people where the communication wall was a little harder to scale, but I always managed to order a beer in the end.
It helps that the people of Tokyo were unfailingly polite, always making me feel welcome even when I wandered off the beaten path.
That said, they are sticklers for the rules.
While out one night, one of the journalists I was travelling with was reprimanded for smoking in the street, even though you can smoke in bars.
Smoking on the street is considered bad manners in Japan, and in some places, it is illegal. There are designated outdoor smoking spots; be respectful and don’t light up until you find one.
As for my fears about the cost? They were mostly unfounded.
Japan travel inspiration from Metro
Japan welcomed a record 42.7 million international tourists in 2025, and many were drawn by a weak yen.
Favourable exchange rates mean that in recent years, the pound has been stronger than the local currency. For tourists, money goes further.
Hotel chain Yotel, where I stayed, charge around £175 a night for a small but comfortable room – complete with a musical toilet and a reclining bed – which seemed reasonable considering we were a stone’s throw from Ginza, Tokyo’s main shopping district.
Ginza has everything you could hope for. There are big brands, quirky shops (including a market under the Kabuki theatre) and the biggest Uniqlo in the world.
Food and drink, though, is where I thought Tokyo really shone.
There were convenience stores everywhere offering cheap snacks and drinks, but it wasn’t just in 7/11 and Lawsons (I’d recommend the fried chicken) that you could snag a bargain.
We visited plenty of bars and restaurants. Most were reasonably priced – beer will set you back about ¥500-¥800 (£2-£4) and your average meal around (¥2,000-¥4,000) – although if you spot a bar selling snake sake, ask for the price first. The one we tried cost £15 a glass.
Taxis didn’t break the bank, either.
A 20-minute trip from Tokyo Tower (well worth a visit) back to my hotel was about ¥1000 Yen (£5), but if you want your money to stretch further, take the underground.
You can get a ticket valid for 72 hours for ¥1,600 (£7.50) and travel the length and breadth of the city.
Oh, and the best thing? There’s no tipping culture. Remember to carry cash, though, because not everywhere takes cards.
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As for how the real Tokyo lived up to the imaginary version in my head? They were pretty similar.
It probably helped that we did some quintessentially Japanese things, like attending a tea ceremony in Asakusa (complete with kimonos), chopstick making, and even a sushi-making workshop.
From the buzzing streets of Harajuku to the narrow alleys of Golden Gai and the tranquillity of Hamarikyu Gardens, everywhere was exactly how I imagined. Well, almost everywhere.
Because there was one place in Japan that I was convinced I’d hate: Shibuya Crossing – the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.
I expected a loud and hectic tourist trap, filled with people and influencers trying to take an unoriginal selfie on an unremarkable stretch of road.
I was wrong.
Such is the magic of Tokyo that I found myself dashing out into the road with hundreds of other tourists just to get a cheesy photo.
I was in arguably the most stressful place in the city that is allegedly the most stressful in the world, and I couldn’t have felt more relaxed – not bad for a man whose default setting is panic.
I will return.