Tokyo is not a pretty city. In fact you could probably call it ugly and people wouldn't put up too much of a fight. It doesn't have a majestic shoreline or rows of massive skyscrapers sporting stunning architecture.
That doesn't mean it is run down or dirty or otherwise charmless though, Tokyo just...... is.
It is the epitome of function over form. Tokyo may not be beautiful to look at but it can be beautiful to live in. Everything just seems to work. You look at everyday objects and think "that's such a good idea". From the parking lots that stack cars one on top of each other, to the traffic lights that tell you how long you have until they change in your favour. The metro trains which flash up a map showing you exactly where the various exits from the station will be in relation to your carriage. Everything is designed to make life easier.
But while in some ways Tokyo can be a paradise of common sense, I can't shake the vague uneasy feeling that I am staying in some kind of Dystopian video game.
Everything here talks to you, the escalators jabber something at you as you get on and off, the Metro announcements appear to be voiced by Glados from Portal. Which makes me wonder if they are describing the next stop or cheerfully describing your imminent demise. Police cars blare out voices as well as Sirens and I have no idea what they are saying, they could be announcing the end of the world or looking for directions to the nearest donut shop.
And yet at the same time it also reminds me of a Fisher Price city set. Everyone wears a uniform, from the street sweepers up and sports the ubiquitous white gloves. Construction workers don blue jumpsuits and white hard hats. Cars, vans and delivery trucks are designed to fit narrow streets, the width of which haven't changed since the days of horses and carts. Vehicles are snub nosed shrunken versions of their North American and European cousins. There is a slightly surreal feeling that you are witnessing a child's toy set.
I'm not sure what I was expecting Tokyo to be, but at the moment it certainly has my interest.
More soon
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