Tokyo

A vast, sprawling city, Tokyo lies at the heart of the world’s largest metropolitan area, home to 38 million people. For all its overlay of modernity, Tokyo is really a collection of distinctive neighborhoods linked by its amazingly extensive and efficient public transportation system. In these neighborhoods, you will find the city’s heart and soul. Venture to the Sensoji temple in Asakusa (the oldest in Tokyo), and you will encounter throngs of people clamoring for good-luck charms at wayside stalls, a scene that, aside from the contemporary clothing, might come from a 19th-century woodblock print. The Roppongi district, home to distinctive contemporary art museums including 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT and the Mori Art Museum, is ideal for an afternoon of art appreciation.