Tokyo Lights

I love Japan, yes its official! It has its problems like you can’t blame trains or traffic for your delays, or lack of a tour package for not seeing the country, or the lack of muggers for not partying late into the night. The shared planetary memory of crowded, expensive, earthquake prone place, non-English speaking natives and the Hollywood portrayal of nasty Japanese businesses has hidden this jewel from all of us. Not to mention the crummy acting of Joy Mukherjee and over acting of Asha Parekh in the only movie we made in Japan.

Move over Bangkok, Singapore, UK, US, Canada, Aus or whatever else, we have rediscovered Shangri-La and it isn’t in Chinese section of Himalayas. It has its silly problems with peoples, egos, and the strict following of rules (the country will break into anarchy if the rule book is stolen) and their uncanny ability to see through you as if you didn’t exist, but every country has something similar don’t they?

Show me a place where your lost wallet comes back to you untouched? Or where you can leave your bag in a Friday night crowded bar and not worry about its contents or people leaving their iPhones on the restaurant tables as a placeholder. A country where unaccompanied women can walk at 2-3am in the morning without even thinking twice, while wearing miniskirts and stilettos (yes I had to mention the ladies). Or a land where stupid is a serious swear word! And the country side is every bit as picturesque as the post cards. For being the most populous city on the planet Tokyo doesn’t even come close to the population ‘show’ and problems that a Mumbai or Delhi do, there are only a few places where you see crowds like you do in our cities and believe me they are not maddening.

As for the expensiveness, yes it is but the quality is as good as the price you are paying and there is no getting around that, they just don’t expect anything done badly whether its food, clothes, electronics or anything else made in Japan. Yes we Indians (most of us) take them for a ride with the Indian food joints serving some crappy fare that was cooked a year back and frozen and microwaved till the end of the century or till the last drop is over whichever is earlier. Who knows how a curry tastes like anyways right worst case add some garam masala.... hmm maybe that’s what it was invented for?!?

I strongly feel that this country should not change into a English speaking McDonalds guzzling oversized diabetics, but unfortunately it looks like it is inevitable. The close to natural form of cooking food may be soon lost, raw proteins, simple carbs (sushi, sashimi) or cooked with veggies, seaweed cooked in water and not oil. Use of natural elements like bamboo (food, mats, furniture), all the great manners and the use of water in the loos and not paper!

The other day while travelling to a nearby temple town (yes they have tons of those) and i saw kids (tiny tots) carrying their own bags with their stuff in it and when one of them wanted to see out of the train window the kid removed his shoes and his dad then stood him on the seat to watch!! When I think of the culture shock that i got looking at this place and how positive it was I just try and imagine the poor Japanese first time traveler’s culture shock when he meets the world!