Tokyo surprise
August 1st, 2006 by ChrisI have to admit, I wasn’t really looking forward to Tokyo. Its size and general craziness level scared me a bit, not to mention its gargantuan subway system with multiple overlapping train companies and signage in 漢字. The first thing I had to do on landing (right at midnight by my body’s clock) was get to my host’s apartment in downtown Tokyo on the train during rush hour.
But Tokyo has surprised me. Within hours of arriving I already loved it. Perhaps this is because our host (fellow Mudder Andrew Hughes, who is now a lawyer at the Tokyo office of a New York firm) lives in the “embassy district” of Roppongi, a rather upscale part of town.
Many of the common perceptions of Tokyo and Japan I have already found to be true, but it’s surprised me in some ways too:
- Everything is illuminated and/or automated. Sleek, silent sliding doors grace the entrances of almost every building. Escalators stop when no one is on them and rumble to life again as you approach. Even the luggage delivery ramp at the Narita baggage claim would pause when it sensed there was luggage in the way on carousel. Small signs above subway doors illuminate to indicate which set of doors is going to open at the next stop. The list goes on.
- Spotless society. There is almost no litter anywhere. The sidewalks and subways are both impeccably clean. Part of the reason for this is that it’s considered rude to eat or drink while walking, a fact I remembered this morning as I sipped my coffee. An annoying side-effect of this is that it’s really difficult to find a trash can anywhere. However a pleasant result is Tokyo actually smells nice, something I haven’t generally experienced in large cities.
- Obsequious service. Shopkeepers, waiters, and barristas do an excellent job of making it seem like you are the most important person in the world. I will definitely miss this when I return home.
- Restaurant impugnity. I’m sure there is bad food in Tokyo, but I haven’t found it yet. Just about any establishment you stumble into will serve you delicious and mostly healthy food. Case in point: I was aiming for a tonkatsu place yesterday but walked in the wrong entrance to the building. I ended up in a small one-room establishment run by a bunch of old ladies who spoke no English. I couldn’t read the menu, so I just pointed to the plate of the guy next to me. I ended up with a slab of fish with rice and soup, and the best sesame-garlic noodles I’ve ever tasted. I have never loved fish, but I thouroughly enjoyed this meal and so I am much relieved and looking forward to the Japanese diet more than I thought I would.
We have one remaining day in Tokyo; on Wednesday we travel to Noshiro and will see our house for the first time. I can’t wait!