It was the geekiest of places, it was the trendiest of places. Tokyo may be most famous for the technorazzi [speedy tool change] skyscraper glitter and congestion, but every resident has their favorite spot to unwind. Some settle for the pachinko [pinball gambling] arcades right outside their company, while others change neighborhoods like clothing for different occasions. I recently did a little unsubsidized urban anthropology (a.k.a. people-watching) of the latter kind.
"Otaku" is slang for
a fanatical geek. Owning Dungeons & Dragons or both Halo games doesn't have quite the same cache in a cutting-edge metropolis, so the herds congregate in Akihabara's "Electric Town." I was reminded of nothing so much as the merchant stands in Shanghai where people browse from one crammed sidewalk shop to another.
In addition to the computer parts, video games, household gadgets, and luxury goods--these higher up in the department stores away from the street bargain seekers--were easy to find. Acting on a "free thing in Tokyo" tip, I tried out one of the massage chairs here, ready for a little muscle relaxation. In fact, it was actually stress-building; notice how the man's arms are locked into the machine! When the pads clamped around my legs, I had fleeting doubts about whether they would ever loosen. The masseuse fingers also turned out to be more insensitive than the most heartless Swede...but I asked for trouble with the "strong" setting.
I was pretty dismissive of the shallow samurai-land image projected by most Japan-related pop culture products in America, but apparently a similar historical oversimplification holds true for many people over here. How else can I explain this suit of displayed shogunal armor--an attempt to reassure buyers that their purchases affirm a consumer-oriented modern version of the warrior spirit? A stereotype is sadder when people custom-fit it to themselves.
Harajuku as a neighborhood has much less to fruitfully describe here, especially since I didn't go to glimpse the Sunday fashionistas who spring out of the suburbs to display their garish taste in costume to anyone with a camera phone. A good woodblock-print museum and vegetarian restaurant are in the area, but most Tokyoites come to spend and stroll in European style. If it wasn't for the flags and license plates, that street might be in Paris--but not having been there, all I can compare it to is downtown Sacramento. Ah, the places to go...
"Otaku" is slang for a fanatical geek. Owning Dungeons & Dragons or both Halo games doesn't have quite the same cache in a cutting-edge metropolis, so the herds congregate in Akihabara's "Electric Town." I was reminded of nothing so much as the merchant stands in Shanghai where people browse from one crammed sidewalk shop to another.
In addition to the computer parts, video games, household gadgets, and luxury goods--these higher up in the department stores away from the street bargain seekers--were easy to find. Acting on a "free thing in Tokyo" tip, I tried out one of the massage chairs here, ready for a little muscle relaxation. In fact, it was actually stress-building; notice how the man's arms are locked into the machine! When the pads clamped around my legs, I had fleeting doubts about whether they would ever loosen. The masseuse fingers also turned out to be more insensitive than the most heartless Swede...but I asked for trouble with the "strong" setting.
I was pretty dismissive of the shallow samurai-land image projected by most Japan-related pop culture products in America, but apparently a similar historical oversimplification holds true for many people over here. How else can I explain this suit of displayed shogunal armor--an attempt to reassure buyers that their purchases affirm a consumer-oriented modern version of the warrior spirit? A stereotype is sadder when people custom-fit it to themselves.
Harajuku as a neighborhood has much less to fruitfully describe here, especially since I didn't go to glimpse the Sunday fashionistas who spring out of the suburbs to display their garish taste in costume to anyone with a camera phone. A good woodblock-print museum and vegetarian restaurant are in the area, but most Tokyoites come to spend and stroll in European style. If it wasn't for the flags and license plates, that street might be in Paris--but not having been there, all I can compare it to is downtown Sacramento. Ah, the places to go...
2 comments:
The Harajuku district does look a lot like downtown Sacramento! The claim about its resemblance to Paris is also valid. However, the streets in both Sac and Paris are a little wider!
oh man!!! did you see the maid cafes? so crazy. i seriously am thinking of going to one next time i go. haha.
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