Tokyo

By: Andrei Costenco
One page does not have enough space to enumerate things that are necessary to look at in the Japan's capital Tokyo. Perhaps, to see, to understand and to absorb this city for one time is simply impossible - it is too many-sided, complex, delicate and unpredictable. Its mad rhythm of life, combination of the most progressive tendencies and respect for traditions you can hardly meet in our quickly changing world... Therefore this is only the brief introduction in a long narration about this city-megapolis. This megapolis constantly beats its own records, constantly changes sometimes from frivolous behavior of elements, sometimes from own tendency somewhere into the distance, in the future. Earthquakes and fires have led to the fact that there is nothing in the Japanese megapolis that could be named historically old city. There is also no trace of dwellings of the first notable settlers of XII centuries. There are also no big shops of XVIII century of the Edo epoch, when the population of the city was already one million citizens. Everything has been burned down, collapsed, taken down and built up anew very long time ago. The city each time, after the next catastrophe, builds up, becoming more modern and big constantly like a mushroom after the rain.? From two observation points of Tokyo it is possible to see completely populated landscape (from the tower of about 333 meters); it looks divided into dozens of separate cities entangled among themselves, with their own centers, skyscrapers, in a frame of rural quarters with millions low wooden small houses.

But it is possible to see also the green oasis limited with ditches and walls, in the middle of these roofs. This is the house of emperor and his family. Constructions in the old-Japanese style, staying on the remains of samurai fortress, the unique stone structure in the neighborhood in the old days, are consistent beautiful.As before the most popular shopping-zone is the well-known Ginza with its refined boutiques, shops-palaces, theatres, restaurants.? In one of the districts you can find a tremendous choice of electronics and computers in shops and markets, in the other - incredibly wide range of books capable to satisfy even the most refined needs and desires. Noisy trading places, din, illumination advertisement in their unreal large quantity first impress, amaze, suck in whirlpool, and then make you tired. It is possible to run away from this neon light, to escape from this stone jungle to a small court yard with small shops, snack bars and gardens of bonsai. You can also relax in ryokans - traditional hotels with straw floor-mats and screens for division of premises. On entering, the visitor changes clothes for an easy kimono and house slippers. The best time for a trip to Japan, to Tokyo - is the end of March - May or October - November. Besides usually moderate weather (it is dry enough and clear, the temperature is within the limits of 15-20 degrees above zero, but a warm sweater with an umbrella can be useful), it is possible to catch the flowering of the Oriental cherry. The white-pink cloud of this flowering floats from the south to the north across all Japan within some weeks in the spring and covers Tokyo in the beginning of April. After September the weather conditions are about the same, only instead of its Oriental cherry Japan will offer you infinite variety of autumn colors with prevalence of maple purple. Tokyo is the scientific and cultural center with the oldest private and state universities of the country, more than 400 picture galleries, several dozens of state, municipal and other museums, and its unique features, which are worth to be more carefully presented in our further narration about the largest "village" in the world!

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