The last time I redecorated my living room, I chose a wonderfully vibrant image for my feature wall, a glorious golden sunrise over an incredible city landscape. The rising sun is an image which immediately fires the imagination and one that is virtually synonymous with Japan. It is perhaps no wonder then, that I took to calling this new feature my Tokyo wallpaper and, every time I cast my eyes over it, it takes me on a journey straight to the heart of that incredible city.
This would not be a journey that I took alone. Since the mid-sixties, the number of tourists visiting Japan has risen steadily; climbing to an incredible high of nearly 10.5 million by 2013 and almost half of these visitors will find themselves in Tokyo at some point on their journey.
Tokyo is an incredible city of both wonder and contrasts. The old and the new blend together in an architectural style that is unique and visually stunning and this marriage of old and new are carried into virtually everything this city has to offer.
There are museums which fire the imagination, constantly exploring the limits of information presentation and personal interaction. From the National Museum of Emerging Science where you can play football with a robot, to the Studio Ghibli Museum which presents some of the original Japanese Anima, this city is certain to keep your imagination well fed and satisfied.
Explore the cultural heritage of this fascinating city with a visit to the Kabuki Theatre or one of the numerous Sumo wrestling tournaments that take place there. If the excitement proves too much for you then change the pace with a visit to the Hotel Chinzanso gardens, a miracle of beauty and haven of peace within the heart of the city.
Taking my eyes off my own Tokyo wallpaper and pulling my imagination back to the real world I realize that this is a city I need to stop dreaming about, it is a place I need to visit, and so do you.
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