Tokyo which is the capital city of the innovative and technologically savvy country, Japan, is well known as a major attraction centre for its modern technology applications that are applied to the public in the city. Technology is a public amenity in Tokyo it can be said. A visitor to the city who wants to see it with all its modern advancement and diversity, all needs to do is take a ticket, and ride along the Yamanote Line. It is different in every aspect from others be it the one station from other or the east from west or the south from north.
The Yamanote Line is a railway track that is running since 1925 and forms a loop in the heart of the city separating two aspects of the city: the downtown side of Tokyo defined within the railway loop and the residential housing aspect that lies outside the loop. A ride along the iconic Yamanote Line is a well-recommended way to see around Tokyo as suggested by its civilians.
The Line connects 29 stations in all, carries millions of passengers every day and runs between stations within few minutes when the hours of commute are at their peak. There's no doubt in saying that Tokyo's functionality and high profile workability is massively dependent on this line. But as said, Yamanote Line doesn't just serve the functional needs of Tokyo. It also provides a window for tourists travelling within the city to speculate the entirety of the capital by taking you on a journey right from its high rising modern buildings that leave you awestruck for sure, to the street low life or the more covert intimate side of the city. Once a person has travelled across all the 29 stations along the line, the perception of a city the was coherent within itself as a sky scraping fast lane land of organisation and advancement, which changes to a truly amazing city which is composed of a collection of small diverse towns each with a different story of its own to tell. Which is why commuting on the line as a tourist, you'll be suggested to drop by at every single station on the Yamanote Line if you really want to know Tokyo as Tokyo is.
Visit places such as the Meiji shrine at the Yoyogi station, the shopping spot for youth especially the teenagers at Harajuku, the signature Tokyo Tower at Hamamatsucho station, Imperial Palace at the-the Tokyo station, Yebisu garden place at the Ebisu station, the park well known for it's mesmerising cherry blossoms the Ueno park along with Ameyoko shopping street at the Ueno station, the what-is-called 'old Tokyo' Nippori at the Nippori station and a lot more which can be experienced once you hop the Yamanote trains and let the railway tracks guide you while the engines of the train drive you. It is the best way to see the best of Japan.
And while you are at it, travelling around Tokyo spectating a fine city in a train along the loop, do make sure to visit the Imperial Palace and the East Gardens to be a part of the Japanese culture. It is where the Emperor of Japan and his family reside. But the palace buildings and the gardens are open to public only on two dates; Jan 2 and Dec 23. On these two dates, the royal family can be viewed greeting from their balcony
It's certain to say that Yamanote is much more than just a commercial purpose serving facility in Tokyo. It's Tokyo's beating heart without which the city won't be able to survive a day.