Tokyo

Wednesday night in Shinjukyu. I did not go to the Shoe Plaza.

Tokyo is the capital of Japan and the largest metropolitan area in the entire world.

3.5 million people pass through Shinjukyo station every day. That's about the same as the population of the state of Oregon.

It is a mind-boggling urban landscape.

 

A few years back, when "Lost in Translation" came out, a film about "existential ennui," I said I never wanted to go there.

John joked about buying me one of these adult-sized school girl outfits. "That would be hilarious" is what I said, and I meant it.

Because, seriously, there's some pretty weird shit going on there.

Just the sheer size of it, and the assault to the senses! I took this video, amazed, on a Wednesday evening in the Shibuyu  area of Tokyo, where some of the scenes from "Lost in Translation" were shot.

Those of you who know John will understand why this picture is included.

However.

I completely enjoyed Tokyo, although I was exhausted by it.

 

Of course it's not all neon lights. There are parks and museums, neighborhoods and interesting things to see and do, just like any big city. Take the Tsukiji fish market for example: a complex of enormous warehouses that open at 4:00AM to sell seafood.

Better watch out, or you'll get run over by one of these.

It's the largest wholesale fish market on the planet.

This is salmon roe. It probably came from an Alaskan boat.

Buyers come from all over Japan every morning, but they also come from other countries. Some buyers come from the US, buy fish here in Tokyo that was caught in Alaska, and resell it in the US to sushi restaurants.

Pretty crazy.

And probably not sustainable.

The vast array of sea life sold here was rather sobering.

I'm not sure how you eat these, but obviously you can.

The market has hundreds of accountants and merchants.

It did make me wonder what it would be like if we had a similar market in the US. How vast a quantity do we reap from the sea on a daily basis? What would that actually look like?

A worker, pausing for lunch. The market is closed by noon. (John's photo)

Meanwhile the Tsukiji market goes on day after day, as it has for many many years in this island nation.

Tokyo is a combination of many things and it would take a lifetime to understand it.