Having survived devastating earthquake and extensive fire bombing during World War II, the 1964 Games marked a turning point for Tokyo, displaying its post-war reconstruction to the world on a grand scale. At the time, there were still building height regulations, so despite a massive development effort to create Olympic venues and western style hotels, nothing exceeded 100 feet in height. In the lead up to the games, the airport was remodeled and expanded, streets were widened and several thousand residents were relocated to make way for venue construction. The city began to sprawl to accommodate a huge population explosion and the suburbs were born. Traditional Geisha hostesses would have been likely to serve drinks in bars frequented only by men and American-style fast food was yet to be introduced, although you could still grab a burger at The Hamburger Inn, just up the road form the iconic Tokyo Tower, the city's tallest structure. The Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train started service between Tokyo and Osaka and fast-paced became the Tokyo way of life.
Tokyo Now
Tokyo is a city of contrasts. On one hand it is an ancient capital with imperial monuments, religious temples, and traditional low-rise houses. On the other it is the world's most populated mega city with space-age style architecture, skyscrapers and a sea of neon. Famed historic areas like Ginza and Yanaka are juxtaposed with the bustling nightclubs of Roppongi and the chaotic shopping zones of Shinjuku and Harajuku. You are more likely to see a teenager with pink hair than a Geisha. The extensive subway system moves ten million people a day. Board the subway and watch the local businessmen consumed by Manga comic books rather than newspapers or women riding in a "female only" car. The elegance of Omotesando's high-end boutiques seem a world away from the seedy red light district of Kabukicho. Pachinko gaming parlors and amusement arcades are overflowing with Japanese unwinding at the end of the day and Tokyo Disneyland entertains families on weekends. Experience the Japanese love of competitive sports at a Sumo tournament or join the massive crowds at the Tokyo Dome for a baseball match. Stay in five-star luxury, sleep on tatami mat floors at a traditional ryokan or climb into a tiny single bed slot in a capsule hotel.
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