Japan: 18 months in 18 pictures – October 07

Part 1 and explanation of the series here. Read entire series via tags, here.

One thing I came to realise about Japan towards the end of my first year there is just how strong the influences from America are on the country, both culturally and socially. The more you walk the streets and suburbs of Tokyo, the more you realise America’s influence and just how deep it runs. On the surface there are the obvious signs of American cultural imperialism: the English standard is American, all the brands you’d expect are there in the shops and foreign movies, music and TV are primarily American. Living there though you start to see other things that make you realise that there is more to it than just cultural imperialism. And considering Japan’s intertwined history with America since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it’s not that surprising that the country can at times come across as a mini-America of sorts.

Take a walk or a ride in the suburbs of Tokyo and you’re just as likely to come across an American diner as you are a traditional shrine or temple. Denny’s, Jonathan’s, you name it chances are there is a Japanese version. The buildings, the furniture, the food, everything is done to resemble the American ones, with of course the necessary Japanese changes such as side dishes of white rice, the lack of a really good steak and no overweight kids or families. Then you have the combinis, the malls and department stores and the Halloween and other American festivities.

As much as Japan feels alien and new, a world away from Europe, it also at times feels eerily just like America, a feeling I often found hard to reconcile with how unique, fascinating and intriguing Japan and its society can be (as well as infuriating and frustrating). What’s stranger is that the Japanese are generally proud and keen to defend their culture and society, telling any gaijin at hand just how different (which generally implies better) and unique they are, yet most of them won’t think twice about just how much influence America and its culture have had in shaping the modern Japanese society since WW2. Anti-American sentiments have grown over the years, fueled primarily by the presence and behaviour of the American military in various bases across the country, yet for all the protests Japan is already pretty much assimilated, even if they’d rather pretend they aren’t.

I visited Kawagoe in October 07, a small town in Saitama prefecture just on the outskirts of Tokyo. Kawagoe is one of the few last places in Tokyo were you can still see traditional Japanese shops housed in buildings from the Edo era, hence its nickname of Little Edo. Kawagoe’s old town and buildings survived the American attacks on Tokyo, and while they are beautifully preserved it struck me as quite ironic that the rest of the city and the society around them didn’t fare so well against America’s influence. Kawagoe made for a great day out, one I’d recommend to anyone who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo and experience what the suburbs and smaller cities can be like without too much effort. They also do amazing green tea soba noodles and tempura potatoes as local specialities, which are worth the detour alone.

Runner up pics
A bowl of power rice maybe, strange warning sign, a ramen gorilla, and a quick spot of late night street ramen.

October Flickr set(s):
Kawagoe day out
Random Tokyo