‘Nihon’ translates to ‘origin of the sun’ in reference to Japan’s Eastern position in Asia. This morning’s sunrise over Tokyo was magnificent… emerging from the top of the expanse of buildings, nature meeting man-made.
Our run took in the Olympic stadium and surrounding venues for baseball and gymnastics. The main stadium is elegant and refined, while the gymnasium has a shogun feel to it. The baseball still looks like any baseball venue you’d find in the US, straight out of the 60s.
The final couple of km through city streets gave more cherry blossoms. I happened across a little park tucked away with the path covered in the confetti-like petals. These are the hidden gems uncovered by many km on foot.
We also came across this modern natural twist on the Tokyo streetscape. Given the Japanese connection with nature I’m surprised we didn’t see more of this. Climate maybe?
We leave Tokyo today so I’ve pulled together some of the quirky observations and insights I’ve drawn from our time here…
Convenience stores… they’re everywhere, on every street corner and then a couple in between! 7-Eleven and Family Mart seem to have about 80% of the market wrapped up, with Lawsons making up the rest. We didn’t see any other supermarkets in town, and their range is wider than an Australian 7-Eleven with a lot more prepackaged ‘fresh’ snacks and meals. I’d love to understand the role that they play in the Japanese diet.
Street scapes… There’s no question what’s expected of you on the average street. Zebra crossings go in every direction, designated bike spaces sit comfortably beside pedestrian walkways, and ‘Right of way’ doesn’t seem to be a necessary concept… it all just works.
The streets are immaculate, yet there are NO bins, and no street cleaners. Even more amazing considering that everything comes wrapped in plastic. The clean streets also mean there are no scavenger birds – the average ibis or crow would starve.
The only times we saw any evidence of garbage was temporary recycling statons at the cherry blossom festival in Ueno Park, and then a few piles like this outside commercial buildings on our Tuesday morning run. Again, this was clean and tidy, and separated into ‘combustible’ and ‘non-combustible’. Nope, I have no idea what that means for a coffee cup and lid!
Trains and train stations… apparently Tokyo has the most extensive railway network in the world, with over 880 rail and subway stations. Shinjuku station (beside our hotel) is known as the busiest in the world, with 5 rail companies, 12 lines, 53 platforms and 200 exits servicing over 3 million people a day.
Yet, thanks to some great information design we found our way through. Every carriage is numbered and the signage on the train shows where to go after you get off . Carriages are often jam-packed, but the quiet means you can hear the announcements and the alternate reality/ dystopian/ Nintendo style music that announces arrivals and departures. They’ve really thought about how to move a lot of people by creating a system that just flows in the right directions.
It’s amazing how much more efficient any system can be if people are quiet, considerate and patient. I feel like it’s the other end of the spectrum to Australia, and I don’t know if either is ideal. For ‘managing lots of people in a big city’ Tokyo definitely wins!
The core of all of this is the people and the culture – they’re consistent, respectful, and polite. Clothing and accessories are muted and tailored, they obey directions regardless, and know how to wait their turn. We didn’t see people drinking or eating in the streets, didn’t hear a raised voice, and while a few small groups of young people had wild outfits or hair even they were comparatively restrained. The system suits the people and the people conform to the system… so many learnings for corporate culture.
We departed Tokyo mid-departed Tokyo mid-morning to head for the hills in Hakone. It’s still a tourist centre, just much smaller, greener, and has a more traditional feel.
We’re staying at a ‘Ryokan’ – a traditional Japanese inn. It has a huge Japanese garden, traditional tatami rooms, and an Onsen. It suddenly feels like we’re immersed in a Japanese culture and pushed back in time. Our room is enormous and I’m sure it’s meant for a family of 10. I wish I’d done a lot more stretching before we got here… this is going to test my flexibility in every way!
A quick walk around the town and we found some Inari for lunch… sardine/ plum, Japanese horseradish, and pork-meat/ miso. These authentic versions of familiar Australian dishes have made me realise that a lot of our Japanese food is pretty good quality.
Ryokan are also known for their traditional Japanese multi-course meals. They’re a complete set menu with no accommodation for dietary requirements. Tonight’s was a series of about 9 courses and countless beautiful bowls of different tastes, textures and consistencies.
Thank goodness for Google Translate, it’s a game-changer in Japan!!!
My chopstick skills are getting a workout and we’re going to need a couple of very active days if we’re going to wear this off!
love M and A xx
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