[storeypj]

I'm planning to go to Asia this summer but am stuck between the two cities. I am planning to stay for two weeks and want cultural as well as modern city life. I also want the food to be quite good. I have heard that Hong Kong is the capital of the world when it comes to food and that goes for Chinese and non-chinese.

The reason i want to go to Tokyo is because i feel it is more "city" like than Hong Kong but then again Tokyo is very expensive. Which do you recommend?

[No Future]

(Original post by storeypj)
I'm planning to go to Asia this summer but am stuck between the two cities. I am planning to stay for two weeks and want cultural as well as modern city life. I also want the food to be quite good. I have heard that Hong Kong is the capital of the world when it comes to food and that goes for Chinese and non-chinese.

The reason i want to go to Tokyo is because i feel it is more "city" like than Hong Kong but then again Tokyo is very expensive. Which do you recommend?

Hong Kong is an excellent city for food and not just Cantonese (the best of all Chinese cuisines), all types of other Chinese, but Japanese, Korean and many other western and Asian cuisines. Japan certainly has excellent Japanese food, but Hong Kong has that and a lot more.

Hong Kong is very much a city, I don't really get your point? Amazing architecture, extremely busy and densely populated etc

I would recommend Hong Kong. Tokyo is worth a visit, but Hong Kong is where I'd go again and again.

[OmeletteAuFromage]

Hong Kong is easier for foreigners because it's english friendly. Tokyo is not as english friendly.
However Tokyo is the more impressive metropolis, although Hong Kong is quite advanced itself and has an unparalleled skyline. Tokyo is also a very short bullet train ride away from places like Kyoto which is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Hong Kong and China have nothing of the like.

[No Future]

(Original post by OmeletteAuFromage)
However Tokyo is the more impressive metropolis.

Strongly disagree.

[OmeletteAuFromage]

(Original post by No Future)
Strongly disagree.

I've been to both and Tokyo is more cultured, and ridiculously well ordered. Everything is neat and perfect. The people there behave much better too, they will always bow to you and when you go around shops they will not shout in your face trying to get your attention. It is also massive and much larger than Hong Kong.

[Tabris]

Hong Kong is probably going to have more varied places to eat, with it having such a large international community, it should generally be a lot cheaper too.

As for a food capital, it depends on what you define by a food capital. If it's by say, 3-michelin starred restaurants, Tokyo has the rest of the world spanked. But if it's down to varied, different cuisine, HK would definitely be up there, in part again, due to the large international community. That probably puts it up there with London when it comes to choice, but the prices by comparison makes it a potentially sweeter deal. That said, there are plenty of Japanese places that do take food from around the world, refine it and give it a Japanese twist though, which can always make for interesting surprises and can often end up better (in some ways) than the original.

Hong Kong is still very much a city, so I'm kinda lost about the "feels more like a city" thing.

[Kolya]

(Original post by Tabris)
HK would definitely be up there, in part again, due to the large international community. That probably puts it up there with London when it comes to choice, but the prices by comparison makes it a potentially sweeter deal.

I'm not sure eating international food in HK is cheaper than eating in London. In 'normal' restaurants - bistro/gastropub food - I paid £20 or £30 for a meal most of the time. The food was delicious - as good as anything I've had in London - but hardly cheap.

Another point of comparison is that Pizza Express in HK is easily over £20 for starter/pizza/drink.

[L3mon]

Go to Tokyo, it will be less sticky, hot and humid than HK during summer.

Be prepared to spend a small fortune wherever you go. Unless you explore outside the touristy destinations, nothing is cheap.

[No Future]

(Original post by OmeletteAuFromage)
I've been to both and Tokyo is more cultured, and ridiculously well ordered. Everything is neat and perfect. The people there behave much better too, they will always bow to you and when you go around shops they will not shout in your face trying to get your attention. It is also massive and much larger than Hong Kong.

I've also been to both. (??)

Hong Kong has a much better skyline. It's iconic.

Tokyo is not 'more cultured', it is simply more Japanese. Hong Kong is cultured aNd full of culture of both East and West. Hong Kong is both modern and old, very Chinese and very Western. Tokyo is nice to visit once but is far less interesting than Hong Kong. The only thing Tokyo has that Hong Kong doesn't is more Japanese people. Hong Kong has shiny, neat and perfect as well as the opposite. It also has beaches, countryside and mountains.

People in Hong Kong don't shout at you in shops (I don't know where you went shopping?), the staff are super helpful compared to the UK.

I'm not sure what you mean by the people behave better in Tokyo? People in HK behave perfectly well, except the mainland tourists.

[Tabris]

(Original post by Kolya)
I'm not sure eating international food in HK is cheaper than eating in London. In 'normal' restaurants - bistro/gastropub food - I paid £20 or £30 for a meal most of the time. The food was delicious - as good as anything I've had in London - but hardly cheap.

Another point of comparison is that Pizza Express in HK is easily over £20 for starter/pizza/drink.

I haven't been to HK in a long time, but I think it's the same with most places in that if you know where to go, you'll always be able to find something decent for the right price. Of course, that's the thing, you need to know. But hopefully you get me.

Like, I've been to small restaurants that were as enjoyable, if not more so than some michelin starred placesI've been to, and far cheaper, simply because I went with people who knew where to go.

[storeypj]

(Original post by Tabris)
Hong Kong is probably going to have more varied places to eat, with it having such a large international community, it should generally be a lot cheaper too.

As for a food capital, it depends on what you define by a food capital. If it's by say, 3-michelin starred restaurants, Tokyo has the rest of the world spanked. But if it's down to varied, different cuisine, HK would definitely be up there, in part again, due to the large international community. That probably puts it up there with London when it comes to choice, but the prices by comparison makes it a potentially sweeter deal. That said, there are plenty of Japanese places that do take food from around the world, refine it and give it a Japanese twist though, which can always make for interesting surprises and can often end up better (in some ways) than the original.

Hong Kong is still very much a city, so I'm kinda lost about the "feels more like a city" thing.

By more of a city, i mean Tokyo has more neon lights, more buildings, shopping centers etc.

[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]

(Original post by OmeletteAuFromage)
Hong Kong is easier for foreigners because it's english friendly. Tokyo is not as english friendly.
However Tokyo is the more impressive metropolis, although Hong Kong is quite advanced itself and has an unparalleled skyline. Tokyo is also a very short bullet train ride away from places like Kyoto which is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Hong Kong and China have nothing of the like.

A simple search on YouTube brings up beauties like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3rc4t6Zg6M

I just toured Asia, never went Hong Kong though. Wish I had not.