The picture above was taken from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which offers 2 free observatories. The view is impressive, with the city stretching as far as the eye can see in every direction. This is the view from the opposite side of the same observatory:
Despite the massive scale of the city, with a metro population exceeding 37 million and an estimated 100+ million tourist visits per (non-COVID) year, some of the streets can nevertheless be absolutely packed.
Sure, you can find some areas within parks or down isolated alleyways with few people; however if you’re looking to visit any major neighborhoods or tourist destinations be prepared for a crowd. Below is just a sampling of some crowded Tokyo streetscapes:
During Sakura (Cherry Blossom) season, you can expect even more crowds. When we arrived the very first cherry blossom trees were beginning to bloom, drawing a lot of people for selfie-taking. Check out this gathering near a grove of just 5 trees:
Tokyo is also home to the “worlds busiest intersection” at Shibuya Crossing, a “scramble” intersection (meaning you can cross in any direction) which can see up to 3,000 pedestrians crossing the road at once. This is what it’s like to cross on a normal day:
There is never a shortage of things to do in Tokyo – never a shortage of people either!
