A man took to social media platform Reddit and shared a post comparing Bengaluru’s infrastructure with that of Tokyo, which has sparked widespread discussions online. The user, currently visiting Japan, expressed deep frustration over the state of urban infrastructure and civic amenities in Bengaluru, calling it “broken” and “unsafe” in contrast to Japanese cities.
The user, who claims to have been living in Bengaluru for the past two years, wrote that a short stay in Tokyo highlighted the vast gap in public infrastructure between the two countries.
The post highlighted several areas where Tokyo’s urban environment differs from Bengaluru. The user praised Tokyo’s clean and well-maintained footpaths, accessible to people with disabilities, and noted the absence of waste, open drains, and encroachments. In contrast, the user stated that Bengaluru’s footpaths are either missing or unsafe, making it difficult for pedestrians, especially families with children, to walk safely.
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{{/usCountry}}Another major point of comparison was traffic behaviour. “No one honked at me. Not once,” the user wrote, contrasting this with experiences in Bengaluru, where crossing a road reportedly required waiting for several minutes without a single vehicle stopping. The post also criticised the poor road conditions, frequent potholes, and lack of basic traffic discipline in the city.
Cleanliness and civic infrastructure also featured prominently in the rant. The user remarked that despite the rain in Tokyo, the streets remained clean and walkable, whereas Bengaluru’s streets often turn muddy and unsafe during monsoons.
The user also praised Tokyo’s public transport, especially its high-speed trains, pointing out that a 450-kilometre journey between Tokyo and Kyoto takes just two hours — comparable, the user claimed, to the time it sometimes takes to travel between two neighbourhoods in Bengaluru during peak hours.
Beyond infrastructure, the post mentioned differences in public behaviour. According to the user, people in Tokyo are more orderly, do not cut queues, and display basic civic courtesy, aspects the poster felt were lacking in Bengaluru.
Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.