We started at Ikebukuro Station, the anime district, and went through Shibuya, the district of young people; Shinjuku, the district that never sleeps; Shimbashi, the district of office workers; Tokyo, home to the Imperial Palace; Kanda, the district of used books and curry; Akihabara, the original otaku district; Ueno, known for its old black market; Nippori, the gateway to the airport; Sugamo, the district of older people; and finally back to Ikebukuro.

Everything was great up to Ebisu. It was around 1 a.m., and as people rushed to catch their last trains, my friend and I ran through the night.

The exhaustion really hit us around Tamachi and Hamamatsucho, a business district. Still, you rarely get to experience streets lined with office buildings with almost nobody around. There was something mysterious about it, especially since I moved to Tokyo from a little rural town in Fukuoka.

When we reached Shimbashi, we were on streets I knew well. We ran between Ginza and Yurakucho toward Tokyo Station, right in the heart of Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace. We got there around 3 a.m. You might not believe it, but there wasn’t a single person around. Inside Tokyo Station, there’s a marker on the floor where a Japanese prime minister named Takashi Hara was assassinated. Usually, it’s so crowded that nobody even notices it. We stood right on that historic spot.

From there, we went through Kanda to Akihabara. Usually, there are tourists around, but in the early morning, it’s a lovely riverside neighborhood. We got to take our time looking at Megane Bridge.

Things got rough after that. By the time we passed through Ameyoko at 6 a.m., my feet were swollen and I had blisters...

My friend and I took a break for McDonald’s breakfast.

Somehow, we got going again, passed through Tabata, and made it back to Ikebukuro. The crowds were already starting to build.

I felt such a sense of accomplishment.

We started at 10 p.m. and finished at 8 a.m. Ten hours. With ten hours, you can make your way all around Tokyo, the heart of Japan.

It’s 45 km, close to a full marathon. It’s seriously painful and exhausting, but if you want to get to know Tokyo inside out, it’s worth a try.

The Yamanote Line Challenge.

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DemQkrFSnez/

I was exiting the train station when a few people, one of whom was carrying their small child, dashed past me. At first I thought it was just a family in a rush, but as I got out of the station (the North Exit), I realised that EVERYONE was running away. A hoard of people were running away from the station and across the road, and the police (there’s a koban right there) made some kind of announcement but I couldn’t catch it. I was so scared that there had been an attack or that there was an emergency so I also ran down the road a little to get away from that area.

I’ve been searching online throughout the day to see if there was an incident or an event, but nothing is coming up. Apparently there was a small fire about 10 mins away from the station, but it can’t have been that. No one was screaming, so maybe they could have been running to get somewhere instead? But again, I can’t find any events that I think would have made crowds of people run as fast as possible to get there!

I’m just wondering if anyone knows because I’m so puzzled about it!

BANGKOK (Kyodo) -- The International Monetary Fund projects that Japan's nominal gross domestic product, measured in U.S. dollars, will be overtaken by India and Britain in 2027, falling from fourth to sixth place globally.

Since 2023, Japan has ranked fourth behind the United States, China and Germany. The IMF's GDP projections were released earlier this month, amid the yen's continuing weakness against the U.S. dollar and sluggish Japanese economic growth.

According to the IMF's World Economic Outlook, Japan's nominal GDP is projected at $4.3419 trillion in 2026 and $4.4676 trillion in 2027. For both years, the calculations appear to have been based on an exchange rate in the range of 158 yen to the dollar.

Meanwhile, India's GDP is expected to reach $4.5211 trillion in 2027, jumping from sixth to fourth place globally.

In the key quarterly report released in April, the IMF had projected that Britain would overtake Japan in 2029. However, it is now forecasting British GDP at $4.4889 trillion in 2027.

While Japan's real economic growth is projected at 0.7 percent in both 2026 and 2027, India's economy is expected to expand 7 percent on a fiscal year basis in both years. The report said that "India remains among the fastest-growing major economies," driven by "resilient domestic demand and robust services activity."

The report said Britain's economy is likely to grow 1.3 percent in 2026 and 1.2 percent in 2027.

Japan had long held the No. 2 spot globally, but following China's rapid growth, it fell to third place in 2010 and was overtaken by Germany in 2023, slipping to fourth place.

I’ll be in town briefly, and I would like to find shops that sell old car memorabilia or parts like steering wheels etc. Is there a neighborhood where I’m more likely to encounter this sort of thing, like you can find old video games and electonrics in Akihabara for example?

I’m a skater here in Tokyo and I get kicked out of places within 10 minutes. Can anyone recommend me spots within the Shinjuku and Shibuya area where I won’t get kicked out so fast!?

Brewer fan from Milwaukee hoping to catch some of the World Series while I am in Japan. Any recommendations?

Since when did Waymo’s start expanding overseas and is it actually a Waymo or something else?

Adequately placed next to the literal 💩 toy though.

was there even a quake?

Hi everyone! I’m a language school student in Tokyo and need some help finding a part time job.

I’m struggling because I have a large samurai tattoo on my forearm.

A little about me:
● Currently studying at a Japanese language school in Tokyo
● Japanese level: Around N4, conversational
● Comfortable speaking English
● Open to different types of part time work

What I’m looking for:
● Restaurants, bars, cafes, warehouses or other tattoo friendly workplaces
● Employers who accept visible tattoos
● Recommendations or referrals to places currently hiring

I’m willing to cover my tattoo with sleeves if required.

If you know any places in Tokyo where tattoos aren’t an issue, please let me know. I’d really appreciate any recommendations or referrals. Thank you!

I've been a long-term tenant in Tokyo on a standard lease, which was renewed last year (after a compromise increase) for 2 more years, and have a 100% on-time payment record.

Out of nowhere, the landlord has sent a formal registered letter directly to me, which normally this would be sent via the managing agent. This is the first time I have received direct communication from him. The letter, demands a large rent and maintenance fee increase, effective immediately, with the reason stated as the rent hasn't been reviewed for "xx" years, and that the current maintenance fee doesn't cover his costs. There's no supporting evidence and no offer to discuss it, and is just asking me to add the increase difference to the next payment.

As I understand it, a he can request an increase mid-lease, but it has to be justified, and if both sides can't agree, he has to take it to court mediation.

For anyone who's been through this:

1. How did it play out?
2. Do I need to send a registered letter back to him declining his request.
3. Should I contact the managing agent to ask them if they know about the letter?

Appreciate any insight on this and would like to know what I should and more importantly, should not do.

Thank you

Hello friends! I’d like to join an improv class. I think it would be a great place to practice Japanese and make new friends. Does anyone have any recommendations near the Tsukiji area?

So, my co-worker and I both applied and each got two tickets, not realizing the other was getting tickets. Oops.
If anyone is interested in going, send me a PM!

Or if you already have tickets for the show, we can all meet up!

Top places on Tabelog always have ridiculous lines or reservations into next century. High ratings on Google mean nothing; usually just foreigners happy there's an English menu and no idea what good ramen tastes like.

Felt like a few years ago, when I was visiting, any ramen place I went to was at least halfway decent. Now I've been living here for a few months, it's just disappointment after disappointment.

Maybe I'm just unlucky. Can't wait to get downvoted to hell.

I've been running a business in tokyo since 2008 at the same location was on a 5 year contract until corona when they suddenly shortened it to 3 years,

But this time, 2 weeks before my renewal date, my landlord contacted the estate agent and told them he's insisting on a 100,000 yen PCM price rise from the current 290,000 to 390,000 PCM!! seriously, wtf!

I know this is not on and there are some protections for tennants. next week I will get advice from the city hall because it's absolutely impossible for me to move out within 2 weeks and I can't afford the new rent.

Anyone faced anything similar... note this is not a residence.

hi everyone! I’m a Pilates instructor who recently relocated to Tokyo after teaching in NYC. I’m considering opening a small private Pilates studio in Kiyosumi Shirakawa, about an 8-minute walk from the station.
I’m curious how accessible this location feels to people living in different parts of Tokyo, particularly those who prefer English-speaking instructors.
Would you consider traveling there regularly for private sessions, or would the location be a deterrent?
Sessions would likely be around ¥12,000–13,000.

Hi all! I've been an art student in Tokyo for the past 4 years, but I'm moving back home to the US soon. I have a whole apartment full of furniture, decor, plants, and appliances that I don't want to go to waste. I'm moving out by November 5th, so I need to get rid of everything by then (but also hopefully not before the end of October, as I still need to sleep and eat here lol). I hope to throw out as little as possible, so I'm looking for someone to take everything. I've spent the past few years curating my apartment, and I think everything goes together super well. Everything is still in good condition. I'm open to giving everything away for free, although I wouldn't mind getting some money back for all these pieces. I have no way of delivering these items, so it'd be on the new owners to arrange pickup. I'm located near Yoga Station in Setagaya. Please let me know if you're interested. I also posted a Craigslist ad, but as I've never posted there before, I'm not super confident in it. Here's the link anyways: https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/urgent-free-furniture-and-apartment/e49pYo3DfuAYUyrqsczg2P. I'll also upload pictures here!

It finally happened. RocketNow has started adding small order delivery fees if you don’t meet a minimum order requirement.

I'll be the ugly wide guy wearing ugly wide pants.

Lost a dark blue denim cap in harajuku yesterday on Oct 16 around the cat street area. I’m also asking Japan’s lost and found service. Please let me know if you’ve seen it. Thanks !