Travel
This Spectacular City Was Just Named the Most Walkable in Asia
Being able to get around in your vacation destination is key. Sure, you can rely on tour buses or taxis, but the best way to explore is by simply walking around. Not only will this help you get to where you need to be for free, but it also allows you to see as many sites as possible along the way. However, not every city is well-suited for pedestrians. So, if you’re looking to take a walk, you may want to book a trip to Tokyo for your next getaway.
In April, Compare the Market released its list of the world’s most walkable cities. It analyzed 53 global locations to determine “how good they are for being car-free” using several factors: the length of bike trail distances, the number of walking trails, each city’s safety score, the cost of public transit and public transit density, average monthly rainfall, the number of car-free places, and the percentage of residents who live within a kilometer of healthcare and education.
After examining all that data, the research team named Tokyo one of the most walkable cities in the world and the No. 1 most walkable city in Asia.
“The only non-European city in our top 10 list is Tokyo, which makes it into sixth place,” the team noted in its findings.
Indeed, if you’ve ever visited Japan’s capital, you know just how walkable its streets can be. From walking and shopping in Ginza to popping into restaurant after restaurant in Shibuya to exploring its fantastic parks and historic temples and sites, travelers to Tokyo really can get to wherever they want to go by walking. (To be fair, the city also has a seriously fantastic public transportation system that is both widely available and wildly easy to use, even for first-time visitors.)
As for which city was named the No. 1 most walkable on Earth, that honor went to Munich, which took the title thanks to its massive system of bike and walking trails, and the fact that 86 percent of the local population lives within one kilometer of a car-free space. It was joined at the top of the list by Milan in second, followed by Warsaw; Helsinki, Finland; and Paris rounding out the top five.
See more about the most walkable places to inspire your next getaway at comparethemarket.com.