Travel Matters June 2017

GREAT IDEAS | 15 www.travelctm.co.uk Tokyo is a wonderful mix of new and old, tradition and novelty, convention and cutting-edge, arguably found nowhere else on the planet says Gillian Upton Tokyo seamlessly combines old traditions with spanking new ones, so towering office and shopping complexes and the elevated highways in the financial centre of Nihombashi, for example, sit cheek by jowl with ancient buildings, kabuki theatre, sumo wrestling and old shops selling brushes and paper. In the middle of Nihombashi, near Tokyo station for example, you’ll stumble upon the Fukutoku Shrine. Visitors flock here to pray for a winning ticket in the lottery in the shadow of cutting-edge architecture. Some 13 million people call Tokyo home. As Japan’s capital city, it is the political, cultural and economic beating heart of the country. Japan’s economy is the third largest in the world by nominal GDP but it has stagnated for the last few years. Government and central bank efforts aimed squarely at stimulating growth and inflation are beginning to bear fruit this year, with exports and industrial production gains at long last. It is now waiting for domestic private consumption to catch up too. Tokyo is located in the southwestern part of the Kanto region, the Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands and, like most sprawling cities, neatly divides into disparate areas. Ginza is the famous downtown area known best for famous shops; Shinjuku the new city centre; Asakusa is reminiscent of the traditional Edo (the former name of Tokyo) and site of the city’s oldest temple; Akihabara is best known for its futuristic electronic shops which draws gadget hunters; Tsukiji is an open-air wholesale food market and Shibuya is where the cool youth hang out. JAPAN’S POWERHOUSE Experience the perfect space for work, play and relaxation with the New Business Class on Singapore Airlines. An all-in-one business panel with in-seat power supply keeps you plugged in, while convenient stowage areas keep your belongings within easy reach. The 28-inch wide seat features new reclining positions for maximum comfort and transforms into a fully flat bed for a good night’s rest. Every feature is thoughtfully designed with you in mind. New Business Class I NTU I T I VE LY DE S IGN ED AROUND YOU