🇯🇵 Tokyo

Our Take

Best for: Solo foodies and culture-obsessed travelers who want the world's best public transit

Tokyo is the only mega-city where you can eat a world-class bowl of ramen for $5, ride the cleanest subway on Earth, and visit a 7th-century temple — all before lunch. The common myth that Tokyo is prohibitively expensive is outdated: a weak yen and abundant budget options (capsule hotels, konbini meals, 100-yen shops) make it more accessible than most Western European capitals. Shibuya and Shinjuku deliver the neon-lit chaos you came for; Yanaka and Shimokitazawa deliver the neighborhood charm you didn't expect.

“The most rewarding city in Asia for first-timers — endlessly deep, surprisingly affordable, and impossible to get bored in.”