Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo needs no real introduction. There is never a dull moment. Talk about a city that barely sleeps. Anything you need, no matter what time of the day or night it is, you can get it. If not from a 24hr electronics stores, or an all night eatery, you'll be sure to find what you need in a vending machine, located at every turn.
Despite all this, there's no real sense of "excess". It's amazing that so many people, in one place, can move in harmony in such an organised fashion. It seems like it was all of us tourists that seemed to jolt the rhythm. The Japanese also dish out loads of hospitality and respect to their visitors which was much appreciated.
We spent a bit of time in Tokyo some years back so we'd already done the "temples" and a lot of the tourist things. So markets here we come! So many unique items, gifts and designs to find in Japan and all are so cool. Kimonos, woodblock prints, japanese paper, ceramics... the list is endless. We walked the streets and backstreets of Tokyo, randomly getting on and off the punctual rail system.
One of the most memorable parts of our stay was dinner with friends Richard & his wife Tomoko. They took us to a little restaurant that we would have never found on our own and we sampled some amazing traditional Japanese food, including raw horse (we didn't know until Richard told us later)! We enjoyed some amazing food and drink and an Italian speaking waitress to throw a spanner in the works.
Another highlight was our undersized hotel room with a heated toilet seat and bidet in the bathroom. It was a traditional Japanese hotel room so the mattress was on the floor, pillows stuffed with rice. No complaints, as we wanted to experience the Japanese culture, but just a traveller's note: expect small rooms and hard beds if you stay at the traditional hotels.