Travel guide
Tokyo

The 12 keywords Tokyo

1. #Shinto

The "way of the gods" is a set of ancient beliefs according to which the elements of nature are inhabited by kami, deities who are not always benevolent, in the image of nature. Shinto has long existed in symbiosis with Buddhism, but in the 19th century the two religions were separated and Shinto became the state religion

2. #Mangas

Essential in Japanese culture, manga are comic books first published in magazines, which deal with all subjects and are aimed at all audiences. They are at the heart of an important industry, which is also supported by the sale of derivative products. The extent of the phenomenon goes far beyond the borders of Japan

3. #Omotenashi

Developed with the tea ceremony, Japanese-style service raises the art of welcoming guests to an art form. Everything revolves around the guest who is served with care. From the saleswoman who wraps your groceries in tissue paper to the hotelier who carefully prepares the futons for the night, omotenashi can be seen throughout society.

4. #Matsuri

Festivals are the rhythm of the Japanese year. Traditionally linked to the agricultural seasons, they are nowadays organized by temples or sanctuaries. There is a whole range of them, but those where an o-mikoshi is carried are very common. The richly decorated palanquin houses the local deity for the time of a tour in the neighborhood.

5. #Kawaii

The Japanese cultivate the art of "kawaii", the cute, the harmless. In Hello Kitty's native country, it is as much a form of artistic expression as a lucrative industry. People, animals or objects take on round and childish features, and everything is tinted with fluorescent or pastel colors. Even the police has a kawaii mascot.

6. #Wabi-sabi

An essential concept of Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi is composed of 2 terms: wabi or the fullness of simplicity and sabi: the feeling of facing the marks of passing time, of wear and tear. It is the art of perceiving the beauty of imperfect things, exemplary in the kintsugi technique: gluing together with gold the pieces of a broken object

7. #Robot

Japan is the world leader in the robotics industry. The use of robots is all the more crucial as there is a need to overcome the shortage of manpower due to population decline. Autonomous trucks are expected to be on Japanese roads very soon. Robotisation also affects other sectors such as care and recreation

8. #Mount Fuji

Mythical Japanese mountain and symbol of the country, Mount Fuji culminates at 3776 meters and is one of the 3 sacred mountains of Japan. A place of pilgrimage sung by poets and sublimated by artists, the volcano and its almost perfect conical shape continue to fascinate. Located 100 km southwest of Tokyo from where it can be seen in good weather

9. #Tokaido

The Tokaido Road is the main road connecting Tokyo and Kyoto. In the Edo period, it was used by daimyos and their retinue to travel to Tokyo on foot. If you take the Shinkansen to Kyoto, you will surely take the same route as the Edo travelers... or you will follow their steps on foot near Hakone or Shizuoka.

10. #Toilets

Access to clean toilets is easy in Japan. They're in konbini's, train stations, shopping malls. Most are equipped with a real dashboard with water jet, music or seat heating options. In shopping malls, they are almost like beauty salons where women put on make-up or change their clothes.

11. #Minimalism

The tidy fairy Marie Kondo may have been a bombshell abroad, but here she is an epiphenomenon, as the clean and tidy sector is saturated with stars who publish their advice. In a society of hyper-consumption, minimalism drawing on values of simplicity inspired by Zen Buddhism is becoming more and more appealing

12. #Konbini

The 24/7 convenience stores are literally on every corner in Tokyo. They are a great place to grab a quick bite to eat, get cash, go to the bathroom or even buy last minute souvenirs. In the evening, they shine like lighthouses in the night, around which revelers gather.