Noticing

We have been in Tokyo for a few days, and I already feel mentally stuffed. Here are some observations. First, Tokyo is big. Really big. Fourteen million people live in Tokyo proper, with 41 million in the greater Tokyo area. That’s some packed subway cars! Tokyo is the second largest metropolitan economy in the world, after New York, and is also home to the world’s busiest train station. Also the location of an 18 floor stationary store that spans two buildings, guaranteeing you’ll never run out of ink. Tokyo is nearly three times the size of New York City. Vast.

The next thing you notice about Tokyo is how clean it is. The streets are neat, the sidewalks are spotless, the cars are spic and span, even the garbage trucks are sparkly. This in spite of there being very few trash cans. You are expected to hold on to your refuse until you find a good place to throw it out, like your home or hotel or a convenience store. And folks really do this; they do not cheat.

There is a lot of attention to comfort and detail. When you buy something in a store on a rainy day they cover your shopping bag with plastic to keep it dry.

You can go anywhere you want on a train or subway. There are over 30,00 kilometers of track in Japan. (That’s over 18,000 miles for you Americans!) Fares to travel on the Tokyo Metro run from 170 to 800 yen, around a little over a dollar to slightly more than five dollars. There are bajillions of people in every station, but everything runs smoothly. When you are waiting for a train there is a marker on the platform where you should stand, cuz that’s where the door will open. People queue up to board. The trains are quiet on the outside and super quiet on the inside. Japanese people are careful not to disturb each other with loud conversation. You will never hear some dude on the phone in a Tokyo train sharing details of his latest root canal.

In addition to train travel, you see people walking everywhere, and biking as well. Young, old, spandex or jeans, bike riders are ubiquitous. My favorite bicyclists are the women who carry two children at a time, one in front, one behind. The moms are wearing dresses and, maybe or maybe not, sensible shoes. I think they have electric assist for the hills, but still, those are some heavy duty quads. Almost nobody wears a helmet.

There also are bike parking lots all over the place. It’s pretty cool to see that so many people pedal that they need all that space for their wheels.

Japan’s culture is one of respect. There is a lot of “arigato gozaimasu,” which is a formal way of saying “thank you.” Also a lot of bowing. When we were about to board the Shinkensen we watched a woman on the platform bow in its direction. Then a group of people got on the train and cleaned it, vacuuming the floor and wiping down the seats with disinfectant. When they came out they bowed to us passengers waiting to board.

All this bowing and cleanliness feels very humbling. It makes me want to be careful not to make a mess and not to be a bother.

Further observations: