Tokyo

Tokyo is a city of contrasts on a staggering scale. The world's largest metropolitan area — home to over 37 million people — manages to feel both futuristic and deeply traditional. Glass-and-steel towers crowd the skyline of Shinjuku, while just a few train stops away, the forested grounds of Meiji Shrine feel like a world apart.

For first-time visitors, Tokyo is the natural starting point for any Japan trip. It houses the densest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants on earth, the busiest pedestrian crossing on the planet, and transport infrastructure so precise that a train arriving 30 seconds late makes the evening news. Three to four days barely scratches the surface, but that's exactly what keeps travelers coming back.