I visited London for the first time in a year. As with my previous visit, I noticed a large number of foreign tourists, urban redevelopment projects, and the growing use of bicycles. In my personal impression, however, the presence of beggars seemed more conspicuous than ever.
Urban redevelopment has been progressing across London for the past few years. I found many skyscrapers throughout the City. The famous "Gherkin" is now surrounded by many skyscrapers, making it difficult to see. The second photo from the top shows the scene of the City from near the Bank of England.
The area around Tottenham Court Road Underground station looked cleaner and smarter than before. I saw people enjoying the visuals in a public space featuring walls and ceilings covered in video screens. Renovation works were underway along Oxford Street.
Large-scale development was in progress in St. John's Wood, near Abbey Road. New restaurants were serving Chinese, Italian and other cuisines in Brick Lane, an eastern district with many Bangladeshi immigrants.
At the same time, beggars were a common sight in various busy areas. Reports indicate that the UK economy is experiencing high inflation (2.9% as of July 2026) and facing challenges such as widening inequality and lagging infrastructure development. The number of "NEETs" (young people not in education, employment, or training) aged 16–24 has surpassed one million, becoming a significant social issue. The street scenes seemed to reflect some of these challenges.
Use of bicycles has become even more widespread. People delivering food and other goods by bicycle were a common sight across the city.
Demonstrations and protests frequently take place in Parliament Square, Westminster. During visits in previous years, I had encountered rallies supporting Ukraine or Palestine. This year, however, I did not come across such activities. Instead, I saw a group protesting against the current Iranian regime in Trafalgar Square.
I visited several museums. The Imperial War Museum presented information on World War I and World War II in a well-organized manner. It offered valuable insights for considering contemporary warfare and security issues. However, the exhibition on post-World War II covered only events up to the Iraq War in the 2000s. It did not cover the war in Ukraine and a conflict involving Iran, or modern warfare involving AI and drones.
The Magna Carta was on display at the British Library. Sacred texts from religions around the world, such as the Bible and the Quran, were also exhibited.
At the British Museum, the displays of ancient Egyptian, including mummies, were even more understandable than the previous year. I enjoyed many master pieces of painting at the National Gallery.
At the Natural History Museum, I enjoyed the standard dinosaur exhibits and other attractions.
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