Seoul or Tokyo?

Neither city is a place to plan a beach vacation around, but Tokyo gives you a far better swim on the side. An hour south by train, the Shonan coast at Kamakura, Zushi and Enoshima has long stretches of dark volcanic sand and proper bathing water in July and August.

Seoul's nearest shore is on the Yellow Sea beyond Incheon, where big tides draw the water back over mudflats and it is rarely clear. In summer, locals in Seoul usually swim in the outdoor pools in the Han River parks instead.

Seoul's eating is communal and loud: meat grilled at the table, stews in stone pots, a spread of side dishes with every meal and mung bean pancakes at Gwangjang Market. Outside its own cuisine, though, the choice narrows.

Tokyo has a deeper and wider table. Counters that have made one dish for decades sit beside kaiseki rooms, the depachika food halls and the yakitori alleys of Yurakucho. Its French, Italian and Chinese cooking would hold its own in the home countries of those cuisines.

Seoul's heritage is more concentrated. The Joseon palaces north of the river, with Gyeongbokgung under the mountains and Changdeokgung's secret garden, form a royal quarter alongside the hanok lanes of Bukchon. Tokyo lost most of its older buildings in 1923 and 1945, so Senso-ji, Meiji Jingu and Yanaka's lanes are scattered across the city.

Tokyo pulls ahead through its museums. Ueno Park alone holds three national collections, and the Nezu and the Mori add more. The modern architecture of Omotesando and Tange's Olympic gymnasium is a sight in its own right.

Both cities stay out until dawn, but the night has a different shape. Seoul moves in rounds, from barbecue and soju to fried chicken and beer, then on to a small pub and often a private karaoke room. Hongdae's indie clubs and Gangnam's dressed-up lounges are the main poles, though many bars cater mostly to Korean speakers.

Tokyo's signature is the tiny themed bar, stacked floor upon floor or packed into Golden Gai's alleys, with the clubs of Shibuya and Roppongi for dancing. Because the last train leaves around midnight, you either head home or commit to the whole night.

Seoul wins here because its mountains are part of the city. Bukhansan's granite ridges are a subway and bus ride away, and Inwangsan and Bugaksan offer short climbs with views over the palaces. The Han River cycle paths run for kilometres in both directions.

Tokyo's green space within the city is mostly parks and gardens, such as Shinjuku Gyoen and Yoyogi. Its real hiking starts at Mount Takao, about an hour out, and the views of Fuji from Hakone and the Fuji Five Lakes take around two hours to reach.

Tokyo is the better base. Kamakura's Great Buddha and Zen temples, Nikko's Toshogu shrine in its cedar forest, Hakone's hot-spring inns and Yokohama's harbour front all make easy, varied days out.

Seoul has fewer classic outings, but it has one nothing near Tokyo can match: an organised tour to the Demilitarized Zone. Suwon's walled fortress and Jeonju's hanok quarter, about two hours away by KTX, round out a good list.

Both cities are safe and warm towards children, but Tokyo makes it easier. Disneyland and DisneySea lie across the bay, the Ghibli Museum and Miraikan add days that can't be had anywhere else, and stations have baby rooms and spotless toilets everywhere.

Seoul answers with Lotte World in the city and Everland's safari about an hour south, plus playgrounds in the Han River parks. However, the long trips across the city and its sticky summers take more out of young children.

Both have superb metros with English signs and one tap-on card, and neither needs a car. In Seoul, size is the problem: crossing from the palaces to south of the river can take 40 minutes with changes, wide roads break up walks, and local map apps are a must.

Tokyo's denser network puts nearly every sight a short walk from a station. Between stations, quiet backstreets make walking from Shibuya to Harajuku a pleasure. The trade-offs are confusing mega-stations and no trains after midnight.

Seoul's shopping is quick and trend-led, and some of it is distinctly Korean. Myeongdong is wall-to-wall skincare, Dongdaemun's wholesale fashion malls trade through the night, and the best value is in mid-range fashion and beauty.

Tokyo goes much deeper. You'll find vintage clothing in Shimokitazawa and Harajuku, knives along Kappabashi, books in Jimbocho and electronics in Akihabara. Its lacquer, ceramics and indigo crafts are of real quality, and even a small purchase is wrapped with great care.

The two cost about the same overall, and in both the room is the big expense while cheap trains and casual meals keep the rest down. In Seoul, savings come from noodle soups, market stalls and modest palace entry. Smart cafés, cocktails and imported fruit cost more than visitors might expect.

Tokyo's great bargain is food. Fine restaurants offer lunch menus at a fraction of their dinner prices, and many shrines and gardens are free. Its central rooms are small, though, and prices rise sharply during cherry-blossom season and Golden Week.

Tokyo's stage life is far easier for a visitor to enjoy. The Kabuki-za in Ginza sells single-act tickets as a perfect introduction, and there are orchestras such as the NHK Symphony, opera at the New National Theatre and the Takarazuka Revue. Hundreds of live houses and jazz listening bars run every night.

Seoul has plenty on, but a visitor reaches less of it. The National Gugak Center's court music and the non-verbal percussion shows are the easy choices, and Hongdae has indie gigs. Daehangno's theatres and the big musicals are mostly in Korean.

Both cities have bathing woven into daily life, but in different forms. Seoul's jjimjilbang is a round-the-clock social space, with a body scrub by an attendant, heated clay and salt rooms, and whole families sleeping over. Skincare spas and temple stays fill out what Seoul offers.

Tokyo's neighbourhood sento, often with a painted Mount Fuji, are smaller and quieter, and some draw natural hot-spring water. A true mountain onsen at Hakone is about ninety minutes away. Many baths still turn away guests with tattoos.