I like this picture because it clearly shows how crowded Japan has become over the last decade or so. I like how this picture shows the old and the new. The old in the sense that the houses are small and the streets are narrow. And the new in the sense that there is over crowdedness, modern clothes and cars. I know that when I walk to school every morning, I feel kind of claustrophobic with the lack of space there is available. I am always worried that there is not enough room and because everyone is in a hurry, I always make sure to take extra caution. I have noticed that in America, drivers are made sure to stop at pedestrian crosswalk but here it seems that drivers are less likely to stop for the pedestrian. Additionally, I like this picture because it shows the way Japanese people dress is not that much different from the way foreigners dress. Thus, this shows that the traditional Japan is transforming into a more western style and yet there are still things that remind people of the traditional Japan.
You can see some examples of this wonderful cultural juxtaposition within smaller parts of this photo, too. Check out that first house on the right side - they're made to look like a more traditional design, but all the materials are no less modern than the vending machine sitting in front of it. The Japanese really do go to great lengths to try to preserve aspects of their heritage where they can. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteYou have some interesting first impressions of Japan. Indeed, I had some of the same ones when I first arrived.
ReplyDeleteI think you want to be careful with terms like thus, traditional culture, western culture and transforming. These things need to be defined and more fully illustrated perhaps within the context of globalization.
Keep up your observations and explorations.