Musing #4: Tokyo, from Hamamatsucho

As much as I hated Hamamatsucho, it was and is still right there, in the thick of a city whose pulse is racing and never slows. It’s as if Tokyo is constantly running a marathon, for the first time. A chaotic mess of a contestant, it darts every which way, knocking out some runners and spectators, and dragging a bunch more with it. Yet as unpredictable as it may seem to most, Tokyo — for the most part — does the job like a very well-made clock. Tick-tock accuracy. Oh, and it wins the marathon, for the first time, every time.

A view of Tokyo Tower from the World Trade Center at Hamamatsucho - 2010, P. Lydon

Getting Down to Business on Bikes

As uncommon as this photo may seem to most Americans, it is rather typical, not just in Tokyo, but in most major urban centers throughout the world.

Businessmen on Bikes in Minato, Tokyo (2010, P. Lydon)

My friend Raymond Yeung once remarked how California has nearly year-round biking weather. It’s an ideal place for people to embrace zero pollution transportation mechanisms, yet our communities are designed for driving, period. Not just driving to the grocery store either, but driving to the office supply store afterward, because it is on the other side of a ridiculously long 1/2 mile strip mall.

Even so, bikes are getting more and more popular in San Jose, California, where friend Josh Hires recently had an exhibition on bikes (albeit, on bikes in Europe), and where thousands of bike riders gather every month for the San Jose Bike Party. But those are more statements than actual every day use, and in the case of the latter they often make the general public less supportive of bicycles, viewing them as more of a nuisance than a proper alternative mode of transportation.

Typical bicycle parking in San Jose, California (2008, P. Lydon)

Unfortunately even San Jose mayor Chuck Reed — who is an avid cyclist — has a bicycle plan that seems just as hum-ho as any other wanna-be-green city. It’s nice to have new street-side bike lanes and all, but that’s hardly groundbreaking or innovative.

Some of the more mature cities throughout the world think about integrated plans for transportation, so that bicycles work in concert with other parts of  community design. It’s not just the way we build bicycle lanes, trains, and roads, it is a matter of building housing, business, and retail developments that work with those infrastructure developments. I noticed that Barcelona does it nicely, and they make it a statement, and a priority, rather than an afterthought.

Integrated Transportation in Barcelona, Spain (2009, P. Lydon)

So far, Tokyo-proper isn’t spectacular at the bicycle part, but it’s probably at least in part because they hardly need bicycles in the urban core. The mass transit provides such excellent coverage and is so well-planned along with the density, that bicycles are far less frequent in the center of the city — save for the package-delivery-boy-on-a-fixie type.

Most of the lanes that are here, however, run along with the widespread park system, which usually makes for a beautiful and peaceful ride away from traffic.

A Bicyclist in Asakusa's Sumida Park, Tokyo (2010, P. Lydon)

In the areas just outside of Tokyo, where density begins to fall off and transportation is appropriately further spaced, you’ll see about one hundred times more bicycles… possibly an exaggeration, but the following scene is pretty typical of the lower-density urban areas surrounding Tokyo.

Bicycle Parking Lot in Ichikawa, Japan (2010, P. Lydon)

In these areas, bicycle commuting is simply a way of life. Homes, apartments, and restaurants, all have bicycle parking. Even the local shopping mall has an underground bicycle parking lot instead of a car parking lot.

Underground bicycle parking at a shopping mall in Ichikawa, Japan (2010, P. Lydon)

People tend to think that Japanese are more fit, more thin, and more healthy than Americans because of their diet, and yes, the diet definitely has much to do with it. But their entire lifestyle is different, and that includes the way they get around…

A mother carries her baby in a "bicycle baby seat" in Ichikawa, Japan (2010, P. Lydon)

Zōjō-ji Temple

I first came upon Zōjō-ji Temple near dusk on a surprisingly warm and clear night (given the record of my first bitterly freezing week here). The silhouette of the temple structure against a brilliantly lit Tokyo Tower provided an amazing juxtaposition of old vs new. The latter being a bold testament to the ability of man and technology, and the former something that seems to live in the shadow of a crazy and stressful life in this city.

Regardless, both of these spots attract thousands of visitors during the day. My first visit (below) was for a short night walk.

The silhouette of Zōjō-ji Temple at sunset with Tokyo Tower behind

Since our fist encounter was rather spur of the moment and short-lived, I walked back over to Zōjō-ji Temple the next day for a more proper (daytime) visit. The half-day walk around the temple grounds and surrounding Shiba-Koen park instilled the kind of peace that I would think people constantly need in a place as busy and crowded at Tokyo.

Window patterns project onto the floor inside Zōjō-ji Temple

Inside Zōjō-ji Temple

Reflection in the garden outside Zōjō-ji Temple, Tokyo

Ubiquitous incense, outside Zōjō-ji Temple

MEW, the protector of Zōjō-ji

Detailed wood carving outside Zōjō-ji Temple

Tokyo Tower peeks out behind Zōjō-ji

Mizuko kuyō and the Jizō Figure

When a baby is stillborn in Japan, it’s supposedly common practice to have a ceremony called “Mizuko kuyō”. The statues in these photographs are representative of the Buddhist diety “Jizō”, often seen as the guardian of children and travelers.

The statues are used by parents of stillborn children and dedicated to the spirit of the child. As a result, most of them are dressed up in some type of children’s clothing, and laden with toys and trinkets.

Even without knowing the background, it’s still a little bit spooky to see all of these statues lined up.

A Jizō statue outside the temple Zōjō-ji

Jizō statues outside the temple Zōjō-ji

Decorated Jizō statues outside the temple Zōjō-ji

The breeze spins a plastic wind toy belonging to a Jizō statue

Do it Like a Businessman: Chicken and Beer

Get off work, and head out for beer and some quick eats at a little place like the one I found below.

The smoke billowing out of a half-opened window produces an aroma of meats and sweet sauces, all burnt to a crisp over open flames. From inside the dining area, an ebb and flow of conversation punctuated by staccato outbursts of laughter, and the phrase “sumimasen!” as  a group of rowdy businessmen order up another round of beer.

So far as I’ve heard, this is a big part of the drinking culture in Japan’s urban areas.

A Local Izakaya in Minato, Tokyo

And what better way to experience it than to just walk on in and try it out? Of course, I’m not dressed the part, but perhaps I’ll save the suit and tie for next time.

There’s no English menu of course, and only a few photos to point at. I start off with a Yebisu. Beer is easy enough, and from the looks of it, expected.

Menu and the easy part... Yebisu!

Fortunately for me, the very chipper waiter speaks some choice English… at least enough to recommend a typical chicken dish for me. Before that comes out though, he brings a complimentary sweet/salty (beef?) stew type dish. The meat was sliced super thin and oh so tender, really amazing stuff.

Complimentary Appetizer Dish

Then out came chicken and shredded lettuce, covered with a crazy tartar-type sauce. It, too, was excellent, although I subconsciously warned myself not to do this every night. Will I listen to that notion tomorrow? Unlikely.

Chicken Karaage

Done with the chicken, some potatoes, two beers,  and a complimentary glass of special sake, I just enjoyed sitting in this place and listening to the general tones of mirth and merriment.  Of course, taken as a daily routine, this sort of thing also tends to cause stain on relationships which are external to the business world. Perhaps more on that later, but for this moment, all is good in this Izakaya.

Wonderful Chef and Waiter

Yakitori, and $3 Cans of Beer

Quick update. I finally got some cash and took off to find food around my neighborhood. The Shiba area of Minato/Tokyo is very business/corporation oriented, which so far seems to mean lots of quick eats and a string of after-work hangouts, and a few 24-hour stores and restaurants. Mostly though, everyone seems to head straight for the train at night.

This morning I went to do some grocery shopping and managed to pack my fridge for about 7,000 yen (~$75). Not too bad. Big ticket items here that aren’t so in the U.S. include milk, butter, and beer… 300yen a can!? I might have to switch to sake…

I’ll leave you in the capable hands of this nice man at his yakitori street cart. He fortified my lunch with some meat today:

Yakitori Street Cart Man