10 things I love about Tokyo

In Shinjuku, a bustling area of Tokyo, there’s a series of small alleyways called the Golden Gai. In them, you’ll find many tiny venues that might only be big enough for five patrons and the barman. They’re all packed together; every one is different, and workers, students and visitors all pass through the noren (the cloth that hangs on the front door to welcome guests). This is a microcosm of Tokyo where everyone is a foodie, and food is for everyone.

1 Hanami

Japan is famous for the cherry blossoms that bloom for a few weeks in May, and our appreciation of the blossom is called ‘hanami’. This is an event where people picnic and enjoy the blossom’s beauty. Hanami is a very big occasion – TV is dominated by the weather forecast for weeks, so as to determine the ‘cherry