It's not really a beautiful city, since most of the rebuilding after the war, and even much of the building that goes on today, is aimed at functionality more than architectural excellence. What sets off Tokyo from other big cities, and Japan from other cultures, more than anything, is enryo . This word means, holding back. Not demanding too much, and not expressing yourself too strongly. It can be seen as both a good and bad thing, but it characterizes daily life in Japan.
People hold back.
They don't show their displeasure or their anger, unless pushed beyond normal human limits. This enryo is what makes Tokyo so livable. People put up with the daily discomforts of life in a big city. On the surface, all is peaceful. Since the surface is what most of us see as we pass through routine tasks like traveling to work on a crowded train or going shopping, it really works.