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I was in Tokyo for two
weeks in early September. What a city! I lived there for several years
before, and each time I return it is always much better in real life than even
my fond memories. In my experience, in terms of overall fabulousness, Tokyo
is several grades above any other city I have been in, including New York,
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Paris, Milan, London, Singapore, Hong
Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Shanghai, and a few others. This is true even though
Tokyo, for the most part, lacks the antiquarian charm of Florence or Venice. Tokyo was largely
destroyed in an earthquake and fire in 1923, and again during the
carpet-bombing of World War II. Thus, pretty much everything you see has been
built since 1950, and sometimes built twice or three times over. Our own experience
in the U.S., and in most places in the world, is that most anything built
after World War II stinks. Compare the crappy concrete boxes of 1950s London
from the grand architecture of the 19th century, for example, or the marvels
of central Florence from the mediocre (but tolerable) post-war construction
that surrounds it.
Actually, Tokyo
architecture from the 1950s and 1960s also consists mostly of crappy concrete
boxes. In the 1980s-present, the boxes got a lot less crappy, and there are
many wonderful examples of modern architecture, but they are still basically
concrete boxes. After the earthquakes and fires and bombings, Japanese people
like building their homes out of steel-reinforced concrete. So, what makes
Tokyo wonderful is generally not "architecture", but rather City
Design -- and, of course, many Really Narrow Streets. We in the U.S.
are used to pretty things from before 1940, and a bunch of automobile slum
shite afterwards. This leads to a certain sort of despair, as the experience,
repeated over and over, is that nothing new is worth a crap. The result is a
sort of overall resistance to "development" in general. Everyone in
the U.S. is running toward nature ... but they need to work ... so they live
in the suburbs, which is exactly the problem they are trying to escape. Tokyo
is a good example of a very successful contemporary development. That's
probably why it is also about the largest city in the world, with a
population of about 36 million. It's a place that people want to go to,
not get away from. Look closely. Nothing here is all that hard
to make. It must be said, however, that the traditional pre-1940 Japanese
architecture was also very lovely, if unfortunately made mostly of wood. I wouldn't mind more of that.
A view looking down the
stairs from Yushima Tenjin shrine, near Ueno station. A lot of Tokyo looks like
this. Multistory (but not high-rise, 3-10 floors generally), Really Narrow
Streets, no automobile traffic. It's not really a postcard shot, but there is
a tremendous amount of interesting stuff when you walk around on street
level. Hmmm--multistory (but not high-rise), Really Narrow Streets, no
automobile traffic, pedestrian paradise. That sounds a lot like Florence, no?
Precisely my point. If you have these basic ingredients, you will have a
wonderful result, even if you build a bunch of concrete boxes.
A little part of the
Ameyoko shopping area, near Ueno station. This is a typical "shopping
street" -- though narrower than usual -- of which there are many
hundreds throughout the city. Looks like fun, no? It IS fun! The green bridge
in back is the Yamanote train line, one of the busiest train tracks in Tokyo.
This is an outdoor street, not an indoor mall. Where are the cars????
This is a nice
residential neighborhood a litte west of Meiji Jingu shrine. Still very much central
Tokyo. The streets are, of course, Really Narrow. Note plenty of greenery and
NO CARS. I used to jog through these areas regularly. My typical course was
from Toritsu Daigaku to Shinjuku Station, about five miles up the west side
of Tokyo. It was pretty much all neighborhoods like this. I used to run right
down the middle of the street. It was great jogging! It boggles people's
minds when I tell them that 90% of the streets in Tokyo have almost no
traffic at all. This is not a suburb, by the way. This is quite
close to the city center. Shinjuku station, the end of my jogging course, is
the busiest train station in the world.
You can see here why
there is so little traffic. Driving is a bitch! Walking, however, is pure
pleasure. If your streets are not Really Narrow, you will have an automobile
traffic problem. (There are some wide avenues for cars and trucks, which are
of course quite crowded.)
This is the Kagurazaka
street, in the absolute center of Tokyo -- only a short walk from the Emperor's
Palace. Nice place with lots of stuff going on. These women are a drawing
club. They are preparing to draw the scenery of Kagurazaka street. Is there
any street in your neighborhood that is worth drawing?
This is the Yushima
neighborhood, near Ueno station. Typical Tokyo stuff. Note that the street on
the left is Really Narrow, has no traffic, and there's a pedestrian walking
right down the middle of the road. Not very picturesque perhaps, but this is
a fabulous neighborhood with a wealth of interesting shops, restaurants,
businesses etc. Tennis fans -- that teal building toward the top is the world
headquarters of Yonex, the racquet manufacturer. I remember using a Yonex
raquet when I was in high school.
A Really, Really, Really
Narrow Street, in the Yanaka neighborhood a little north of Ueno. It's full
of interesting little shops, including about half a dozen restaurants and
bars, each of which seat 6-10 people.
This is a train station
for the Setagaya Line, which is a tiny train line that begins at Sangenchaya
("Three Tea Houses"). I used to jog past this station all the time.
This time, I rode the train. Notice that it only has two cars. This is an exception, of course.
This is a street of small
restaurants, clubs and places to drink near Ueno station, in the Yushima
neighborhood. There are dozens of streets like this in this neighborhood, and
dozens of neighborhoods like this. Each one of those little signs is another
bar/club/restaurant. You could go to a new one every week for the rest of
your life, all within a five-minute walk. Need I point out that the street is
Really Narrow and that there are NO CARS?
It's Friday night and
time to go have some fun! One little corner of the Ameyoko area, near Ueno
station. Where are the CARS?
Major score! We found
this "postwar" style yakitori restaurant under the train tracks in Ameyoko.
(You can see the train tracks up above, on concrete pillars.) Super-duper
"Showa" style. I think we prefer Showa style to Heisei style. Even
the name was fabulous. "Daitoryo," which means
"President." Who names a restaurant "President"?
Another night at
Daitoryo! Great yakitori, super scenery, all washed down by a lot of shochu
mixed with fresh squeezed lemon juice. (Another first
for me, but not the last!)
Cooking up the goodies at
Daitoryo. I'm focusing on this one restaurant not only because it was great
fun, but to make a point. When I say that "each one of those dozens and dozens
of signs is a bar, club or restaurant," it means that each one is
something like this. (Maybe not quite so busy.)
A cafe/antiques store
called the Globe, in the Mishuku neighborhood near Naka-Meguro. For a while,
I lived about a five minute walk from here, and often came by for coffee.
When you're done with
your coffee, you can shop for antique lights on the second floor.
This is a tiny park, just
a little west of Shibuya station (central Tokyo -- NOT a suburb!). You can
see that it is only about 100m long, and maybe 70m wide. Note the Really Narrow
Streets with no traffic. This was the first time I'd ever found this park,
although I had ventured in the area many times.
You enter the park...
...and there's a tiny
pond complete with waterwheel. Some people fish in parks like these. I don't think
they catch much, but it is probably a nice way to spend the afternoon.
In the category of
"just plain weird and wonderful" is this scooter with a fire
extinguisher. Somebody's idea of a cool ride. There is a ton of this sort of
funny, creative stuff everywhere. It's a very
artistic, creative environment.
This is a Teeny
Motorcycle Club. I'm not joking -- that's what it is. A bunch of guys (and
their girls) who say "no, thanks" to the big bikes, of which Japan manufactures
millions. They probably have a garage full of big bikes at home. Been there,
done that. Anyone with a credit card can buy a big bike. But to ride a teeny
bike takes a certain aplomb. Check out the scooter on the left with the
low-rider customization. This was in the hills near
Mt. Fuji.
The fellow in the blue shirt
appeared to be the club's leader. He had the teeniest bike.
Looking over the lotus
flowers at Shinobazu Pond, in Ueno park.
Well, that's more than
enough for today. Can you get a feel of why Tokyo is so fabulous? It all
boils down to Really Narrow Streets. Or, that's the best I can do with three
words. I have many more pictures and funny stories. Maybe we'll post more
someday.
Nathan
Lewis
Nathan Lewis was formerly the chief international
economist of a leading economic forecasting firm. He now works in asset
management. Lewis has written for the Financial Times, the Wall Street
Journal Asia, the Japan Times, Pravda, and other publications. He has
appeared on financial television in the United
States, Japan,
and the Middle East. About the Book: Gold:
The Once and Future Money (Wiley, 2007, ISBN: 978-0-470-04766-8, $27.95) is
available at bookstores nationwide, from all major online booksellers, and
direct from the publisher at www.wileyfinance.com or 800-225-5945. In Canada,
call 800-567-4797.
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