It’s a rainy day in Tokyo, and I am sitting in the top floor gallery of the Museum of Modern Art, reflecting on my first week in this absolutely electric city. The view before me is misty sky scrapers and a bright green moat. I am exhausted, but invigorated by the organized chaos around me, and it is the best feeling. I am overwhelmed by different emotions and am not quite sure which is most accurate. The sheer size of the city amazes me, and I feel very small knowing that I could spend years here and would not come close to exploring every neighborhood. We will travel for 50 minutes on the subway, and exit in an intersection that rivals Times Square. The city seems infinite. Also, I find myself feeling very large in some ways. The Japanese are typically small in stature, and I have never felt so tall in comparison in my entire life. The dynamic is quite unique. I have never been to a developed country where I look so different. I feel very conspicuous and much more conscious of my actions, and how I am presenting myself.
I have observed an interesting contrast between consumer culture and a more reserved, practical lifestyle. It seems that the colorful, irresistible advertisements that surround me in a 360 degree radius at all times are designed to entice tourists almost exclusively. The local Japanese appear much more modest, most specifically in the way they dress and accessorize. Shops are filled with trinkets and accessories in bright neon colors with big words on them, while I observe locals dressing in loose but well tailored clothes in neutral tones with few accessories. The style is simple, and elegant. It is interesting that a society containing so much consumer culture doesn’t seem to play into it as much through what they wear. I also find myself reflecting on my own need for material goods, and how easily I find myself purchasing something because it is visually appealing, even if I have absolutely no need for it. I am very susceptible to being influenced by advertisements, and I am making note of it more and more. I don’t need it, but I want it. Then as soon as I get it, I want something else. I am thinking hard about enjoying myself and buying small momentos to commemorate this trip, but am also making note of the way consumerism is ruling my decisions.
In regards to consumerism and advertisement, one notable difference that has been prevalent in my travels: food models! There are hyper realistic food models advertising meals in most restaurant windows. They are incredibly detailed, and very helpful to overcome the language barrier. This was something that I had never seen before, and was curious if they were designed specifically for tourists or not. Upon reading about them and watching videos on how they are made, I learned that they are not actually designed for tourists, but are rather used as a helpful tool for any and all costumers to understand exactly what they are ordering and the portion size. I was reading a Swiss exchange students Tokyo travel blog, where he interviewed Swiss and Japanese students about cultural customs. He wrote that in Europe, having pictures and models of food gives the impression of a cheap, fast food restaurant. This is not the case in Japan! Many respected and higher end restaurants use food models as well, and owners will spend thousands of dollars on them.
A second cultural divide that I have observed is that there are very few trash cans in public places, on the streets, and in the train stations. This was interesting to me, because the city is so clean! This is something I have noticed in particular, having become an avid consumer of vending machine drinks. Again, exemplifying the concept of instant gratification that I mentioned earlier. The reasoning behind this is partly for security reasons, and partly very representative of the culture of personal cleanliness and responsibility here in Japan. I notice the local people are very careful with their waste, and limit it to certain areas. The expectation is that each individual is responsible for their own trash. Once, we were in a restaurant, and one of us had brought a bottle and piece of cardboard from a street vendor. When we were leaving, the restaurant owner reminded us to take it away with us. Holding on to my trash for a long period of time has also made me more conscious of the waste that I am producing. By carrying it around with me, I am more understanding of the quantity and frequency with which I dispose of plastic. Being hyper aware of this, I hope to limit this in the future.
These are impressions of some cultural contrasts. Throughout the week as well, I have been eating the most incredible food, snd seeing beautiful places and art that are completely new to me. I am absolutely floored by this city. It has been only a week, and I have learned so much, seen so much, and am so grateful for it.
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