Hello from Japan

Gundams, Feudalistic Architecture combined with modernism, Onigiri in convenience stores! Just a sample of the myriad of mini wonders in Japan that makes you wonder, “why not us!?” My name is Dalton Poopathi and I’m an architectural designer with a deep interest in how culture shapes the spaces we live in. Travel is one of the ways I connect with that, and on my recent trip to Japan I went to see firsthand how tradition and modernity collide in the built environment.

My trip began in Tokyo where we landed in the Narita airport where we caught a train all the way to Shibuya. The short adventure consisted of standing most of the two hours as millions of people utilize their train system daily. Before we knew it we were transported from the tropical, rural area of Japan into the huge metropolis of Tokyo (and it is HUGE!). Tokyo is the largest city in the world by population and the third largest by square area; which is saying a lot because there are literally more buildings than the eye can see past the horizon!

We stayed in the heart of Shibuya, one block away from the famous Shibuya crossing. Shibuya Crossing isn’t just a traffic junction, it’s an urban landmark. The intersection is framed by screens, glass façades, and towers, making the pedestrian movement itself the centerpiece. In a way, the architecture hands the stage over to the people, turning the act of crossing the street into one of Tokyo’s most iconic experiences.  There was so much to do in Tokyo I don’t think we even scratched the surface, but some notable experiences were the underground bars and restaurants we stumbled into, Team Labs Interactive Museums, Ginza, and of course the Imperial Palace.

For the latter half of the trip we stayed in Kyoto. In Kyoto, tradition isn’t something preserved in a museum, it’s alive in the streets. During the Bon Odori festival, lanterns flicker against wooden façades as entire neighborhoods gather to dance in circles to steady drums and folk songs. The architecture frames the celebration. The temple grounds become open-air stages, narrow streets funnel sound and movement, and tiled rooftops catch the glow of the lights. What struck me most was how seamlessly culture and space came together. The built environment wasn’t just a backdrop, it was part of the rhythm, holding centuries of memory while the community created something immediate and alive. Notable highlights of our trip to Kyoto consist of the shinkansen which we took to and from Kyoto, a day trip to Osaka where we went on a go-kart tour, Nishiki Market, and the Gion District.

Traveling from Tokyo’s futuristic skyline to Kyoto’s wooden temples and Osaka’s neon energy made me realize that Japan’s identity isn’t just in its culture, but in the spaces that culture lives in. Each city told its own story through architecture, ambition, tradition, expression. Together they showed me how buildings can be more than structures; they can be vessels of memory and meaning.