Tokyo: City of Perfection

Poor Shanghai. I used to think you were the new Star of the East, but a visit to Tokyo made me rethink, big time. Skyscrapers fill the futuristic city, with enormous billboards clambering on top of them, so desperate to be in the center of the stage. Blinding neon lights rebound off the building windows, flashing into the sky. Cars, buses, and motorbikes zoom past crowds of people who are hurrying to reach their destinations— laughing, chatting, and having fun. I’m sorry, Shanghai, but Tokyo is truly the most beautiful city in Asia. But, what makes it so unique?

It is the people, focusing on details to beautify their already flawless city in every aspect; perfectionism is the key.

Beautiful surroundings are the fundamental necessity for an ideal city. Imagine the look on my face as I stepped out of the airport doors. My eyes were wide with disbelief, and my mouth made a shape into an O. Saying that the streets were clean is an understatement. No kidding. Maybe I was just used to seeing dirt-covered pavements with crumbling bricks and mysterious puddles back in Shanghai, but honestly, Tokyo is the cleanest city I have ever been to. The sidewalks were clear of scraps of paper and pools of spit, and the bushes lining them were fastidiously trimmed. There were no plastic bags drifting through the busy traffic. And it’s not just the environment they want to perfect, the Japanese also bring their obsession with perfectionism to their daily fashion.

Tokyo, no doubt, is a city of true fashion. Not only does it have major influence on international fashion trends, it also holds important events such as fashion week. Everybody living there had their own style of dressing, and every one of them were different. No matter where I went in Tokyo, there were always large crowds of people — some with exotic pink hair or short wacky dresses, and others with dramatic makeup on their faces. They looked like they were from the Capitol in the Hunger Games. Now, let me describe a typical middle-aged woman from Shanghai. She twists her mousy hair into a droopy bun, holding it loosely with just a tiny hair clip. Her face is heavily powdered with a thick coat of foundation (which is way too white for her skin tone), and fills her lips with an awful shade of dark red lipstick. The woman wears a glittery shirt that is two sizes too small, matching it with a tight neon yellow skirt and Hello Kitty leggings. They totally have great fashion sense, right?

The Japanese not only perfect their physical appearance, they also try to beautify their manners. One of the most convenient transportation in Tokyo is the Shinkansen. I remember being surprised whilst boarding the high-speed train. Not being as rude as the people in Shanghai, the Japanese passengers who were boarding the train waited patiently for the people getting off before stepping through the doors. When I got on, it was quiet. Like really quiet. People chatted in whispers, and didn’t consume any food or drink at all. My eyes and ears were so used to the high-pitched screaming back in Shanghai, this sudden change made me uncomfortable, until I realized how much more enjoyable was my journey.  

This woman, wearing designer brands from top to bottom, with her sunglasses coolly perched on her nose, demands the spotlight. She turns heads when she strides by, enjoying the amount of attention given to her. She speaks confidently, as if her words were sweet melodies that came out of her mouth. What a beautiful lady she is, Tokyo!

Candy