I am sure those cities are great too, although I haven’t been anywhere aside from Osaka (which is basically mini-Tokyo), but they are also nowhere as big as Tokyo, varying from 6 to 10 mil, although obviously that is still a giant city (compared to say Paris, which is just about ~3 mil with suburbs).

I live in Montreal currently, that’s 10 times smaller than Tokyo, but the infrastructure is already crumbling, and it’s not just transportation and housing (which are very problematic, especially the latter), but it’s also hospitals, leisure, goods and services - everything is more expensive and either is unaffordable or unattainable - 5 hospitals in Montreal hit over 200% capacity yesterday, meaning the chance of actually getting medical help in time is close to 0. If it were the size of Tokyo I can’t imagine the mayhem that would be.

I can very much relate to what you’re experiencing, I am in the same boat and it’s tough. What helps me is knowing I am on the finish line and I have a date when I am free. It also helps to have a purpose of why I am doing this to myself, what are my gains. But yes, you don’t have to be in north korea to not enjoy the country, sometimes it’s just a giant cultural mismatch

I completely agree with your sentiment about Tokyo, but I also feel it’s literally the only megapolis on thr planet that’s like that