Neon colored nights, hidden bars, Michelin stars, temples and science fiction on the same street. Technically, Tokyo is a city but in reality, it’s a world in itself. Or a galaxy of many, to be more precise.

Full disclosure, I am not from here. In fact, I am from the opposite side of the world, Brazil. And, before Tokyo there was Rio, Boston, New York, São Paulo, Lisbon and Singapore. But nothing prepared me for Tokyo, no Chef’s Table episode, Wikipedia entry, guides, or even the occasional visits as a tourist.

Tokyo has this uncanny ability to surprise you on an hourly basis. You think you know sushi until you don’t; replace “sushi” with your favorite Japanese dish and the same is true. You think Google will be your best friend until you realize the best thing is to get lost. You think that everything will be packed, crowded, rushed, until you see people in motion. Everything works. Everyone respects everyone. Space is sacred, cared for and shared.

The people. There’s something about the people here that just makes this city even more magical. I have had an umbrella gifted to me in the middle of a torrential rain by a stranger. In a restaurant, a businessman offered me and a friend his bottle of wine. “I noticed your glasses are empty and your plates are still full.” One time a woman walked with me for a good 15 minutes until she left me at my destination after I showed her an address on my phone.

I will never really do justice to Tokyo. Words will never do justice to Tokyo. Full disclosure. I am not from here, but there’s no other place I would rather be.

Google by Hakuhodo

If there’s something that has become an adventure for me it is to understand the nuances, context and tone of the communication in Japan. Before moving here, I would always be amazed by the work that I saw in festivals and on the web. But living here and seeing the communication in every single touchpoint from trains to TV is an experience like no other. What’s not to love about this commercial? A robot that asks Google: “Ok, Google. Will we ever fall in love?”

Fujitsu by Hakuhodo

What I like about this campaign is the acting. The buddy cop formula done right. These two actors are probably the most famous actors presently in Japan and as you go from one spot to the next you can see how their chemistry comes across on the screen, even when they weave the strangest features into their banter.

Wella by beacon communications k.k./Publicis One Japan

This comes from our own agency here in Japan, from Wella. I love everything about this. The cultural context, the craft, the sentiment and how the brand becomes the ambassador of these girls, empowering them to be the best and most original version of themselves. In Japan, girls have to follow very strict rules when it comes to what they wear and how they look. And it relates to their hair; girls are expected to have it straight and black and at a certain length. This idea brings color and life to these girls the very day they graduate. On the link you can see the before and after, where they sing the graduation anthem before and after graduation, before and after Wella.