Tokyo State of Mind...

Coming back from Europe, I always touch back in Japan with some type of cultural observation.

Remember my eventful departure? After about 20 hours, I finally made it to Munich airport. As I was waiting for my thankfully-delayed-connection to Athens, I stood at a corner watching people who passed by. There were many tall blonde Germans who passed by swiftly, straight-faced, speaking with their matter-of-fact tone, clean cut, overall looking efficient.
Then I moved my eyes to a group of not-so-tall Spanish people. They were all talking very joyfully and quickly in Spanish. Many were gesturing very lively with their hands. I even felt that some of them are about to burst out singing.
And then I turned my eyes to another group of not-so-tall men, most of them were quite plum, speaking very quickly in a language I don't know, olive skinned, with deep-dark-eyes. I was puzzled, what could that language be? Ah! But of course, this is a flight connection to Athens, I concluded that they must be a group of Greek businessmen.

I couldn't help chuckling, "How fascinating..." I thought - only in Europe you can witness such rich cultural diversity.

Returning to Tokyo, I couldn't help but wondered how life feels so different in the land of the rising sun. In their harmonious way, the people are vastly diverse in their own unique little way, too.

Taking Tokyo for example. I live in Yoyogi. Well at least that's what is stated on my address, but it is also located at the borderline to Shinjuku. Buildings in Yoyogi are not tall. The suburb area are restricted to building height regulation. They are only allowed to have maximum 5 stories high-apartments. People who live in Yoyogi normally have lived here all their lives. They were born there, raised there and lived there. They normally know almost everyone in the neighborhood and when they meet someone like me who's obviously not from the area - but now live in the area, they want to know all the basics about this person and they make it their business to make that person feel accepted.

Only 30 seconds walk away, you walked into a jungle of skyscrapers district of Shinjuku. The buildings are high, at least 20 stories, the apartments are tiny and the rent is a crime to your bankbook. You walk right into Shinjuku station, the home of 15 train lines, 100,000 people passed that station every minute. People are moving from point A to point B in unison, they don't look right nor left. It's almost impossible to break the flow of people, simply because you're dealing with too many all at once.
People seem to switch to a completely different personality the second they step into the Shinjuku area, It feels almost they are trying to get in and get out of there quickly, as if something is haunting this area.

Working in Nishi-Azabu area is a completely different story in itself. It is not exactly a business area, at least 7 minutes walk away from the closest station. It is closed to Hiroo, Minami Azabu and Omotesando area where the Tokyo rich lives. There is a large eclectic selection of restaurants in the neighborhood. With their predominantly rich background, people in the area are more exposed to international culture. The composition of locals: expats resident would be roughly 70:30. Most restaurants are bilingual, or if they're not, they would at least have an English menu.
People are more receptive when you start up a conversation with a complete stranger.

I go to the eastern most part of Tokyo almost every week for my taiko drumming class. It is an area called Ryogoku. This area at large (including Nihonbashi, Ginza, Asakusa) was where the old Tokyo (Edo era) is located at. It is now a busy trading area, where it is also the home of the sumo wrestlers. In the vicinity there is also Asakusa area where a lot of the shoe makers and merchants are based at.
People from this area are mostly working class. They are very open and everyone seem to never be in any rush. In this area you kind of feel that everything has its own time and place.

I can go on and on stating my opinion on many different pockets in Tokyo, but at least there are 23 pockets, so that's a lot to write.

OK it's 4:50 PM on a Saturday, I'm molding in the rat-hole observing yet another interview for the big M. My day is finally nearing the end. I am going to go home tonight muling on this cultural observation, maybe next time would be Indonesia. Ah... Indonesia... I wish I'm there right now. The Eid day is coming soon! Well, that's another story.

p.s. Happy Breast Cancer Awareness day! Hope the event was a success today at Run For The Cure 2006 Tokyo. I had wanted to walk the mile, but work prevented me to. Maybe next year!!