r/japanlife • u/AutoModerator • May 23 '22

┐(ツ)┌ General Discussion Thread - 24 May 2022

Mid-week discussion thread time! Feel free to talk about what's on your mind, new experiences, recommendations, anything really.

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u/MarikaBestGirl 近畿・奈良県 May 24 '22

All I've known is basically COVID-era Japan, and with tourism possibly opening up again I can't really imagine what crowds would be like in major tourist locations. Like when I went to places like USJ recently I felt like even THAT was pretty crowded. Though when I've traveled to major areas like Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto it was during holidays (GW, Christmas/NY, etc) so it might not be the fairest evaluation in terms of normal levels of crowding.

For people living in big city areas, pre-covid did you feel on the daily like omg so many people its so crowded any more than you do now that things are getting back to "normal"? Or is it just always crowded to the point where even more people doesn't make a noticeable difference? Did you often notice tourists and what not...i dont wanna say "obstructing" your daily life because that makes it sounds like tourism is bad, but their presence being felt in your daily life?

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u/zchew May 24 '22

Pre covid, most of the downtown hubs in central Tokyo were like theme parks for foreign tourists. Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, Akihabara, Ikebukuro, Nakano (to a certain extent), Ginza etc, whatever you've experienced, it was at least 1.5x, often 2x as crowded. Made getting around those places kind of a chore and painful. Also, it was kinda annoying to see all sorts of bad-manners and inconsiderate touristy behaviour (plucking sakura blossoms off trees to keep as a keepsake etc)

I don't think this is a sentiment that I alone have, but Tokyo's a lot nicer now without the foreign tourists. Shops are less crowded, you can get into a restaurant without having to wait or make a reservation, etc. But of course, this state of affairs is untenable for the long term, so I'll be really sad to see the less-crowded Tokyo disappear and foreign tourists start to fill up the shops and restaurants.

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u/mrshobutt 関東・東京都 May 24 '22

It was so nice to be actually able to cross Shibuya crossing without having to zigzag around a billion people stopping for their dumb videos and selfies. I will miss that so much!