An early departure from London via Zurich brought us into Tokyo shortly after 9 am the next morning. By the time we cleared immigration and reached Shinjuku on the Narita Express, the rush hour had given way to a placid mid-morning hum. It is, in this respect, a well-judged hour to arrive in the Japanese capital.

However, it presents a practical concern: fall asleep during the day and the entire trip’s sleep pattern is put at risk. 9 pm might be the earliest viable time to turn in on the first day; in our case, that meant 32 sleepless hours. Moments of drift in the cabin do not count. Shifting pressure, the rumble of jet engines, and upright seating leave little chance of anything approaching restorative sleep.

But in Tokyo, acclimatisation to the streets, sounds, and language has an energising effect. However many trips pass, we’ll always falter a little in the crowd, misunderstand strings of keigo at the counter, and get lost between layers of chimes on train platforms. In doing so, we become all eyes and all ears for the city.

With sleeping patterns calibrated, this week’s newsletter brings you some of the moments that kept us alert.