We at Time Out Tokyo are the cheerleaders of our city. We believe that Tokyo is one of the world’s greatest cities, and it’s validating to know that the world concurs. Time Out’s annual Best Cities survey has just ranked Tokyo as the No 8 city in the world for 2024.
For this worldwide survey, we asked city dwellers what it’s like to live, work and play in their cities right now. Our roster of writers, editors and city experts from all over the world then weighed in to create this 2024 list of the world’s best cities.
Thousands of Time Out readers assessed the quality and affordability of the food as well as the culture and nightlife scenes in their cities. But, we were not just interested in the lifestyle aspects of city living, we also wanted to know how a city makes people feel. Are they happy there? Do they think their city is scenic and appealing? What is the social scene like over there, especially when it comes to making friends and establishing relationships? These responses gave us unique insights into what life is really like in the world’s greatest cities.
Plus, as travel has rebounded to its pre-pandemic levels, we also asked our readers which other city they would like to live in most, so that we could gauge the global appeal of a city.
Our beloved Tokyo is ranked No 8 on Time Out's Best Cities in the World list for 2024. The two main factors that give Tokyo its edge are the city’s efficiency and dynamism. We all know Tokyo’s wide-reaching and punctual public transport system is the envy of the world. But what truly makes Tokyo shine is how the city is constantly changing, improving and evolving.
There’s always something new to discover in Tokyo. The city recently welcomed the new Azabudai Hills district, which is home to a myriad of exciting shops, restaurants and galleries. Some of the world’s greatest restaurants have also set up offshots in our city, namely Massimo Bottura’s Gucci Osteria, Antwerp’s Michelin-starred Le Pristine, and Maz, sister to Central in Peru, the 2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurant winner, just to name a few.
And of course, if you’re visiting Tokyo this year, you’re coming at the right time as the all-new teamLab Borderless is finally opening on February 9. This fantastical digital art museum is arguably the most anticipated new opening of 2024, and tickets are now on sale.
All this excitement is bound to make Tokyo residents a jolly bunch, and the survey proved that. An overwhelming 94 percent of locals said that the city made them truly happy.
Joining Tokyo in the top 10 of Time Out’s 50 Best Cities of 2024 are:
- New York
- Cape Town
- Berlin
- London
- Madrid
- Mexico City
- Liverpool
- Tokyo
- Rome
- Porto
Find the full list of the world’s 50 Best Cities here.
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