World's Smartest City: TOKYO?

[Samurai_Jerk]

tokyo-japan-at-night.jpg

The 20 Best Cities On The Planet

With globalization, climate change, and social and economical challenges, today’s world cities need to adapt like never before.
The IESE Business School in Spain is out with its annual Cities in Motion Index (ICIM), which ranks the world’s best ("smartest") cities — those that have the highest levels of innovation, sustainability, and quality of life. This year, Tokyo came in first with its impressive public management, technology, economy, and the ability to attract talent from all over the world.

[yanpa]

Erratum: the last sentence in the above paragraph should read "... the ability to attract tarento from all over the Japan".

[Coligny]

Tokyo and sustainability...

I think I puked a little in my mouth...

[matsuki]

innovation, sustainability, and quality of life

ehhh....what?

[Samurai_Jerk]

Looks like I live in the bestest shitty in the world! Yaaay!

Tokyo Voted ‘Best Experience’ for Tourists

Tokyo has triumphed over the Big Apple and the city of Gaudi as the best destination for travelers across the world in an online poll.

According to a survey of over 54,000 travelers conducted by Internet travel site TripAdvisor, Tokyo beat out New York and Barcelona as the city with “the best overall experience.”

Tokyo ranked among the top 10 in 13 out of the 16 sections in the survey, and topped five of them, including the categories “helpful locals,” “best taxi services,” and “cleanest streets.” ....

Tokyo’s triumph also comes less than a month after Food and Wine magazine picked the city over Paris as a better city for U.S. tourists to visit. In the latest survey, Tokyo beat Paris in the “best for restaurants” category, coming third behind Cape Town and New York.

Cape Town!? WTF!?!

[wagyl]

Looks like I live in the bestest shitty in the world! Yaaay!

... city for U.S. tourists to visit...

Cape Town!? WTF!?!

Well, they do speak a version of English there. You can read the menus, unlike Paris or Tokyo. And imagine the bragging rights! Gladys down the hair salon hasn't been there yet.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Looks like I live in the bestest shitty in the world! Yaaay!

... city for U.S. tourists to visit...

Cape Town!? WTF!?!

Well, they do speak a version of English there. You can read the menus, unlike Paris or Tokyo. And imagine the bragging rights! Gladys down the hair salon hasn't been there yet.

The WSJ summary is poorly written so I understand your confusion. They were referring back to the TripAdvisor survery.

[Hijinx]

It's like they completely exclude the most important factor in determining Tokyo's livability or tourist destination ranking: money--without it, Tokyo sucks.

[Samurai_Jerk]

It's like they completely exclude the most important factor in determining Tokyo's livability or tourist destination ranking: money--without it, Tokyo sucks.

As apposed to all those other magical cities where having no money isn't a problem?

[Hijinx]

It's like they completely exclude the most important factor in determining Tokyo's livability or tourist destination ranking: money--without it, Tokyo sucks.

As apposed to all those other magical cities where having no money isn't a problem?

You've not been to the Free Cities? Or how 'bout those cities that offer a lot for less? They should come up with a ranking based on fun per buck.

[Samurai_Jerk]

It's like they completely exclude the most important factor in determining Tokyo's livability or tourist destination ranking: money--without it, Tokyo sucks.

As apposed to all those other magical cities where having no money isn't a problem?

You've not been to the Free Cities? Or how 'bout those cities that offer a lot for less? They should come up with a ranking based on fun per buck.

Compared to other major cities in the developed world, Tokyo isn't expensive. Compared to SE Asian cities for example it is. However, places like Bangkok, Saigon, and Manila aren't as cheap as people think. Especially if you aren't traveling like a backpacker.

[Hijinx]

Compared to the other nine most expensive cities in the world, it's number nine. That makes it expensive--not inexpensive. And it's only dropped of late because of the weaker yen. This is a little better for tourists, but meaningless for people who earn money in yen.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Tokyo, but culturally, it's a wasteland. As a tourist, Tokyo would be way, way down on my list of places to visit.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Compared to the other nine most expensive cities in the world, it's number nine. That makes it expensive--not inexpensive. And it's only dropped of late because of the weaker yen. This is a little better for tourists, but meaningless for people who earn money in yen.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Tokyo, but culturally, it's a wasteland. As a tourist, Tokyo would be way, way down on my list of places to visit.

Are you talking about those cost of living indexes? Those are notoriously bad and are different from the cost of travelling as a tourist. It wouldn't be tops on my list of interesting places to visit as a tourist either because I've lived here for nearly 12 years so it's no longer interesting to me (Neither would NYC because I grew up there). However, everyone I know who comes as a tourist loves it. Sometimes it's good to go around town with a visitor to help remind you why the city is interesting.

[Hijinx]

Compared to the other nine most expensive cities in the world, it's number nine. That makes it expensive--not inexpensive. And it's only dropped of late because of the weaker yen. This is a little better for tourists, but meaningless for people who earn money in yen.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Tokyo, but culturally, it's a wasteland. As a tourist, Tokyo would be way, way down on my list of places to visit.

Are you talking about those cost of living indexes? Those are notoriously bad and are different from the cost of travelling as a tourist. It wouldn't be tops on my list of interesting places to visit as a tourist either because I've lived here for nearly 12 years so it's no longer interesting to me (Neither would NYC because I grew up there). However, everyone I know who comes as a tourist loves it. Sometimes it's good to go around town with a visitor to help remind you why the city is interesting.

True--I guess my perspective is a bit warped. My main complaints are architecture and cultural activities--there are no world-class museums in Tokyo, for example. The buildings of J-cities are just so utilitarian sterile--and all the overhead electrical wire. I've been to some cities in Japan where they've buried a lot of the lines, and it makes a big difference.

[Samurai_Jerk]

BTW, if you click on the second link I gave, you'll see one of the categories was best value for money. The top three were:

1. Budapest
2. Lisbon
3. Hanoi

[Samurai_Jerk]

Tokyo World's 5th Least Welcoming City

TOP FIVE LEAST WELCOMING CITIES
1. Paris, France – 13 per cent
2. London, UK – 9 per cent
3. Barcelona, Spain – 8 per cent
4. Rome, Italy – 5 per cent
5. Tokyo, Japan – 3 per cent

[Coligny]

Study forgot a detail...

Paris is unwelcoming for Parisians too. The turd sandwich is not just for tourists...

And don't even think of owning a car... Or a bicycle... Or having a bus or subway not shock full or on time...
There's taxis... As long as you don't have any visible luggage near you when you flag them...

[Russell]

What I didn't get about Paris (or France in general): why is everything so fucking small?

Look at the size of the seats and leg room in the TGV and compare it to the Shinkansen.

And if you think hotel rooms are small in Japan, just wait until you try them in France.

[Coligny]

Maybe because of the dwelling tax ? Have to pay according to the registered livable surface of the house/flat.
There this everywhere no ? Japan ?

[Wage Slave]

Maybe because of the dwelling tax ? Have to pay according to the registered livable surface of the house/flat.
There this everywhere no ? Japan ?

They have it in Japan that's for sure. However, the UK uses market value of the property rather than area for dwellings. For businesses I think they use market rental value.