Rues of Roo

Sunset with view of the Rainbow Bridge from Odaiba, Tokyo (with random kid)

Most of us would think of neon lights, never ceasing rising buildings, imposing shrines and temples sitting amidst the beautiful sakura. Most of us would think of delicate sashimi and decadent unagi and crispy tempura. Most would not be wrong.

Yet one would be wrong in assuming that that all the wonders were consistent through the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo and the mountainous regions that surround it. That there would constantly be an incredulous amount of modern technology and beauty is, to say the least, merely misleading, and fairly disappointing.

There are taller buildings in New York, equally wonderful food in Paris, more original character in London, and shopping, well, just take any aforementioned city.

There are higher mountains in Switzerland, more beautiful (and visible) near Interlaken. There are more beautiful women in Sweden, cuter men in Italy, and generally, less rules in Singapore.

Yet of course, I am being unfair. Undoubtedly, there is always somewhere with something better. However, whether my point is unfair or not is irrelevant, the point is really, that Tokyo, Kyoto, while undoubtedly special in their own unique way, are really just two more cities in this ever smaller world. But don’t get me wrong, cities in this world are pretty astounding, and lining up Tokyo against London, Paris, New York is like comparing Andy Murray to Roger Federer. It can meet the standards, sometimes, but ultimately it falls short of its domineering counterpart. Yet the comparison is flattering in itself.

What Japan and Tokyo have, that other places in the world don’t, are the obvious. (I categorise Japan and Tokyo separately purely because they sometimes feel like separate entities). More Japanese people, better Japanese food, more porn (of course of the Asian variety), more anime, prettier Asian women (shorter skirts), cuter Asian men, less space, more neon lights, more vending machines, more temples, shrines and torii gates and stupidly (and admirably) more polite service staff. And yes, they are the obvious ones, because really, preconceptions, generally, are correct.

Yet, preconceptions can sometimes turn you, and in a way Japan and Tokyo did just that. The main surprise for myself, at least, was that the politeness of Japan really seemed all the less weird after a while, almost natural. The odd thing about politeness in Japan is that it is almost, or is, extremely submissive. You almost scorn at it when you hear about it, or when you first see it. It spurs a giggle or a raised eyebrow. You shrug your shoulders and think ‘weird Japs’. But after two weeks, the key moment that I realised my infection was seeing rowdy Italian tourists board the Shinkansen in their noise and boisterousness (that is really so typically Italian) with complete disregard for their neighbours, the locals, the Japanese, their service staff, that it incurred my disdain and shaking of head.

It’s no wonder the Meiji era invoked such mixed response, with the opening up of Japan and gradual Westernisation (aka ‘modernisation’). The culture of the West is really so different. It was so easy for the West to scorn the Japanese culture, and to want to take advantage of it. To view it as alien and strange, uncivilized and spineless. In the same way the Arab nations must scorn the use of a female foreign secretary in the States, so the States must have mocked the manner of politeness and ‘submissiveness’ in Japan. But another story that is, and unqualified in Edo/Meiji history am I.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy Japan, captured in individual, distinct moments. Waking up in a Ryokan in an autumn park in Miyajima with the sun streaming through the maple leaves. Walking through the hundreds of torii gates at the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. Things that really, you will never experience anywhere else in the world, regardless of the many, many, other similarities.

Tokyo Tower at night, view from Roppongi Hills, Tokyo City View