My First Trip To Tokyo: The City That Will Ignite Your Imagination By: LaVerda Clark

Tokyo is unlike any place I’ve ever visited. 
I expected a city full of innovation and wonder, but what I encountered was so
much more! 

I decided to book a trip to Tokyo because I was need of fresh & exciting
inspiration from a new environment. I had always dreamt of visiting Tokyo in the
Spring during its famous Cherry Blossom Season, so I fervently began planning
a trip for the beginning of April, when the Cherry Blossoms are expected to be in full bloom. 

During our stay we visit two public parks: Yoyogi Park and Shinjuku Gyoen
National Garden.
In each park, Cherry Blossoms adorned every tree while fallen petals made for
the softest, prettiest runway throughout the lush grounds-it was something out of a fairytale. I walked around the parks in awe of nature’s beauty-I was fulfilled, but this was only the beginning of my trip. 

While googling the cliche “Things to Do In [Tokyo],” I discovered Tokyo had cat/
hedgehog cafes. Yup, you read that correctly-pet cafes. Prior to researching
Tokyo, I had never heard of anything like this. These are not your typical cafes
where you simply purchase a latte while working on your laptop. No, at these
cafes, the main focus are the animals whom you can pet/ spend time with. As someone who grew up on Seaga Genesis’ Sonic, The Hedgehog, seeing and petting a hedgehog in person was a very unique experience to say the least.

When visiting Tokyo, it became quickly  apparent that it’s a city with high
reverence for its ancient, spiritual roots. There were many sacred temples
throughout the city-one of the temples I visited was the Sensōji Buddhist Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. 

This temple stands out because it’s mostly draped in a deep red color, which is
absolutely breathtaking. I visited this temple early in the morning right at dawn on a weekday, so there weren’t many people there. I was able to fully admire /
respectfully explore the grandiose of this temple without any crowds.

One cannot visit Tokyo and not speak on the technological advancements of the city. From the bullet trains to the vending machines, you get the perception the people of Tokyo enjoy creativity and thinking outside the box. Even the glide/design of the escalators in the train stations and the Metropolis-esque (another Saega reference, if you know, you know) design of of the highway makes you feel like you stepped into a computer scientist’s mind.

The technology pushes the boundaries of your imagination, which brings me to my next experience, visiting the TeamLab Borderless museum. TeamLab Borderless is an interactive museum with simulations of other-worldly settings. This museum’s innovative use of mirror reflection, sound, bright lights, projectors, and touchable art, causes you feel like you’re visiting other dimensions! It was such a dope experience! 

Tokyo is a manifestation of if you can think it, then you can create the physical
representation of it. The cultural sacredness & technological advancement of Tokyo mesh so well. As much as things are future driven, their historical treasures offer a harmonious balance to the city’s greatness. 
If New York city is the city that never sleeps, then Tokyo is the city that never
stops inspiring. Tokyo wears each season beautifully, so I plan for my next trip to Tokyo to be in the Fall. Do you plan to visit Tokyo in the future? If so, what are you most excited about experiencing? Let us know in the comments below.

By: LaVerda Clark

Instagram: @iam_ellev