Tokyo as a First Look at Japan
As I planned my first visit to Japan, I reflected on just how much Japan was in my life. I drive a Toyota, shoot with a Fujifilm, write from a Mitsubishi, and cook using a Panasonic. It is about time that I finally experience Japan at the gemba (現場, actual place).
Armed with a Suica card in my Apple Wallet, I bypassed the long queues of tourists and walked directly to the platform at Narita Airport Station. The first video I took of Japan was a train conductor performing shisa kanko (pointing and calling).
I ate a granola bar at the platform not realizing that people don’t eat on transit (but apparently on a long-distance train it is okay to eat?). I made the same granola bar mistake at a Singapore MRT Station back in 2014 too. Maybe I have a pattern…
On the first night, I walked around Shibuya and experienced the famous crossing numerous times. Things are just … different here. There are a lot of light, sounds, and people. It was all very overwhelming, but weirdly not in an irritating way.
I enjoyed my first bowl of ramen in Nakano. This is the Rich Chicken White Soup from Mensho Yosuke (麺匠ようすけ 中野本店). I was very unsure how to behave, which made the experience somewhat stressful. It seemed I left the ramen shop without offending anyone, so that was a great success.
After a decade of practising on PC with Densha de Go! Final, I finally got to play the proper arcade version. Managing all the pointing on the touch screen was something I was not prepared for. At some point, the game told me I was a “Bright Driver” (光の運転士), and I got a S-tier Ranking… I was happy with that!
Tokyo is a city of contrasts and conformity.
You can find modernity balancing with tradition. You’ll also find enough familiarity as a tourist. But to truly be swimming in their society takes a deep understanding of the culture and nuances.
This unique set of societal assumptions enables things like panoramic windows into the conductor’s cabin.
It also means there are no benches on the streets (even at bus stops), and eating or drinking on-the-go is not encouraged. You are expected to finish your drinks at the vending machine before moving on.
Taking it all in, even though I can read Kanji and have background from my Chinese culture, those skills were of limited effectiveness.
The principles of economics, however, have little regard for cultural divergence. Tokyo is dealing with its own homeless problem amid rising costs and a stagnating economy.
As the Toyota Production System suggests, nothing beats a visit to the gemba. Tokyo was an immersive and captivating experience. While Tokyo was my gateway to Japan, it represents only part of the country. The only way to learn more is to go see it for yourself.
Cover Image: Sensō-ji at night