Tokyo has regained its spot as the world’s best big city in the lifestyle magazine Condé Nast Traveler‘s Readers’ Choice Awards 2024. Japan’s capital finished second behind Singapore last year, but the two cities traded places for the latest edition. Sydney, Cape Town and Vienna made up the top five. Condé Nast Traveler‘s Readers’ Choice Awards is now in its 37th year. More than 575, 000 votes were cast this time around. The last time Tokyo finished on top was in 2021. Governor Yuriko Koike expressed her appreciation to all the readers who voted and spoke about why she thinks it placed number one.
“Tokyo is a city where visitors can experience a distinctive culture, with traditional shrines and temples coexisting alongside innovative anime and the latest pop culture in a rare charm that entices the world,” she said. “The downtown area is lined with functional high-rise buildings, while there are also spaces of natural beauty, surrounded by lush greenery and water. Along with traditional Japanese food, visitors can enjoy a variety of cuisines from around the world. This result reaffirms for me how the appeal of Tokyo is well recognized by people around the world.”
Japan Named Best Country Again By Condé Nast Traveler Readers
Tokyo also ranked sixth in the world’s friendliest cities category with a score of 90.87. Singapore topped the list, scoring 94.84. Costa Rica was named the world’s friendliest nation, with a score of 96.15. Japan placed sixth (93.25). As for the best country for travelers, Japan finished ahead of the rest again, scoring 95.32. Other nations in the top five were Switzerland (94.62), Thailand (92.29), France (91.03) and New Zealand (90.49). According to the survey, Park Hyatt Kyoto is Japan’s best hotel, ahead of Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi and The Okura Tokyo. The Sukhothai Shanghai was voted the best hotel in Asia.
