East Asia: China, Japan, Korea (Part 1)
Welcome Back to my City Journal, "Touring the World"!
All Cities shown are inspired by reality, but may have subtle differences with their real-life counterparts.
These differences may be due to game constraints... or... just because.
We're now off to East Asia!
Tokyo is the largest city and capital of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, it is located on the main Japanese island of Honshu. It's metropolitan area is home to over 37 million people. During the 1980's it was an economic powerhouse. Today, it is one of the most frequently touristed cities in the world. Shinjuku is one of the most famous districts of Tokyo. It is home to the world's busiest train station, office towers, hotels, department stores, Godzilla, countless restaurants, cafes, bars and Pachinko parlors.
Now let's take a trip on Japan Air Lines (JAL)'s Airbus A350 from Tokyo to Osaka. No trip to Japan is complete without a look at Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.2 meters (12,389 feet) and perhaps the most recognized cultural icon of the country.
And now Osaka, Japan's second largest metropolitan area, with a population of over 20 million. It is located south of Tokyo in the Kansai region.
Hong Kong is one of the most recognized cities in the world, a favorite tourist destination known for its many sights, shopping opportunities and delicious food. Its skyline contrasts against a background of lush green, subtropical mountains and deep blue ocean seas. With a population of over 7 million people at 17,550 persons/square mile, it is one of the densest cities in the world. Due to the lack of build-able land, it is also one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in, with 350 square foot condos being easily valued at over USD $3 million per unit (!!!).
With such density, its no surprise that Hong Kong is home to one of the most successful public transportation systems in the world. Hong Kong is also one of the world's primary financial hubs with almost every major international bank having some level of operations in the City.
And now a historical picture of Hong Kong's Kai Tak International Airport, circa 1980. No longer in operation, this airport was located in the heart of a dense urban area. Due to twist and turns, no visibility of the runway until the very last second, and the low altitude approach above apartment towers a mere couple hundred feet below, landing at Kai Tak was enough to make even the most seasoned airline passenger nervous! Here is a shot of the old Kai Tak terminal building, including various Cathay Pacific Lockheed L-1011s (Cathay Pacific is based in Hong Kong), a Pan-Am Boeing 747 bound for San Francisco, and a Thai Airbus A310 bound for Bangkok!
Shanghai is the largest city in China, home to 35 million people. In the 1930's, it was known as the "Paris of the East" harking back to scenes of a romantic and historical waterfront area known as the Bund. Today, however, it is a modern skyscraper-filled financial center. The area known as Pudong, which as recently as the mid 1990s was nothing more than rice fields, is today home to multinational corporations, investment banks and some of the tallest buildings and hotels in the world.
Taipei is located on the northern section of the island of Taiwan. It is home to over 2 million people and the economic center of the island. It's suburbs are home to Taiwan's well known semiconductor industry, but when you're in the City, you can't miss the 1,671 ft Taipei 101, located in the upscale Xinyi District, home to world-class shopping malls, high end retailers, five-star hotels and super expensive condos mainly reserved for wealthy businessmen or celebrities.
Kaohsiung is Taiwan's second largest city. In contrast to Taipei, Kaohsiung is decidedly industrial and blue collar. It is home to the 85 Sky Tower, an architectural marvel rising to 347.5 meters (1,140 ft). While Kaohsiung doesn't garner the same level of attention as its big sister to the north, it is still well worth the visit, especially considering that the trip from Taipei only takes about 2.5 hours on Taiwan's High Speed Rail.
Seoul is South Korea's largest city and capital. A highly successful business center, it is home to the chaebols, South Korea's conglomerate, mega-corporations. These corporations are best known for their consumer products, such as smart phones, appliances and cars. These high quality products aren't the only thing that the City exports. Seoul is home to South Korea's well known entertainment industry, churning out Korean drama shows and of course, "K-pop" music. While not as popular tourist-wise as some of the other cities in East Asia, those who have visited Seoul have had nothing but good things to say and always want to come back. Though if you're inclined to warmer climates, you may want to avoid winters here, which can be downright chilly.
Thanks for visiting!
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