The Pulse of Tokyo
It was 9 o’clock on a Tuesday night in a modest basement under an old building in Shinjuku. Separated from the outside world by a thick steel soundproof door, the place had an old-design look with just enough light and minimal furniture. It was, however, filled with thousands of old vinyls on the wall and, most important of all, passion for music. Japanese people, young and old, came there to jam out mesmerizing jazz tunes. All of them were in professional attire, probably after a long hard-working day. They looked like ordinary office workers, who I would never have eye contact with on Tokyo’s arduous commuting trains. On the stage, however, they were skillful musicians who pour their hearts into the hard-hitting rhythms of the bass or the mellow harmonies on the guitar. Lost in the music, I could not help but wonder what their day-to-day jobs were like, and how I, a foreigner, happened to be here to share the joy of music with them. It made me reflect upon my time here.
I came to Tokyo exactly one month ago for my internship. I didn’t know much about Japan at the time. I had read some Japanese literature and manga, and have a vague sense of admiration for Japan’s technology and economic development. After coming here, Japan has mystified me even more, for I find this place both strangely familiar yet completely foreign. I feel myself breathing in and out the “beat” of Tokyo, a microcosm of a country whose core is the mixture of tradition and modernism.
The old
Japan is, above all, a country with a deep rooted sense of tradition. When walking around Tokyo, for example, it is very usual to bump into old temples and shrines, which total to hundreds of thousands around country. Here, you can see the ultimate display of Japan’s tradition. Japan is under the influence of three ideologies: Shintoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. That’s why it’s normal to see a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine right next to each other.
Being a Vietnamese, I was quite familiar with Asian values, which come a lot from China. Living here, however, I find it fascinating how this blend of ideologies infiltrates every aspect of Japanese lifestyle. You can see it from tangible things like minimalistic architecture or greenery urban design. But it’s much more interesting to observe this influence on intangible concepts such as attention to details and concept of beauty. For example, if you do business in Japan, one indispensable item is “meishi” ( 名刺 -business card). It is not merely an object of utilitarian values but an important symbol of how much appreciation Japanese people gives to their clients and partners. A Japanese friend told me that they are taught to handle the business card with great care. This concept can be traced back to the idea of Shinto spirits (Yaoyorozu no Kami). In Japanese, Yaoyorozu(八百万) means 8 million literally and “limitless” figuratively. According to Shinto’s ideas, the Kami (Shinto gods) exists in Shinrabansho (all things in nature, the whole creation). And that’s why Japanese people try to cherish all thing. During the first week here, I was fortunate enough to attend a demonstration and lesson on tea ceremony. Among other interesting things, I noticed how the sensei (先生 — teacher) described the rules of the flowers on the wall. They must not be too colorful nor have too much scent, because that would distract people from enjoying the tea.
Personally, I resonate with these ideas a lot. Having just finished my first year of school in such a diverse and Westernized place as San Francisco, this was a proper time for me to re-evaluate my own ideas and values. I cannot say which I like more, but it is interesting to see how they contrast and complement each other.
The new
Tokyo is not only about shrines and temples. The parallel force alongside Japan’s deep traditions is its technological development. Everybody would marvel at how convenient and clean the public transportation system is or how you can literally buy ramen from a vending machines. Japan was, and is still, famous for its cars and electrical appliances. And the new breed of Japanese startups are building amazing new ideas with their technology. It is the engine that moves this country forward.
What’s also interesting for me is how the change also comes at the societal level, one aspect of which is language. Before coming here, the only Japanese I prepared for myself was watching a short YouTube video which teaches 5 “must-learn” phrases for any foreign visitors, which, of course, includes “sumimasen” and “arigato daimasu”! After the first week in Japan, I knew that this was definitely not enough. Japanese people, contrary to my belief, do not speak English well at all. Partly, it is due to the education system and the extremely homogeneous culture. But it was also rooted in the sense of perfectionism that permeates Japanese mindset. A lot of people may understand English perfectly, but they are afraid to speak up for fear of making mistakes. A Japanese professional told me it also makes sense in economic context. Japanese economy, for a long time, has been self-sustainable thanks to its large domestic market and unique geographical location. Firms can often thrive without putting much emphasis on foreign market. Thus, young people at the time did not had much incentive to learn English.
The situation is, of course, changing quickly. Japan is now grappling with an aging demography and consumer demand deficiency. Facing with a need to open to the world, now Japanese young people are more eager to learn English than ever. In Tokyo, I met a Japanese young entrepreneur who, after having traveled the world, started a free tour-guide business for foreign visitors with hundreds of volunteers, most of them university students wanting to practice English. This is just a small example of how Japanese youths are changing this country.
One thing I cannot wait to see is how this change is gonna affect the culture of Japan in the long run. Will it continue to be such a homogeneous country, or it will grow into a more diverse place under the grip of globalization ? Only time will answer.
And a mixture of everything in between
If you find the description above too lengthy. Let’s just take a walk around Tokyo.
Overall, living in Tokyo is interesting for me because everything is a manifestation of the two forces that blend together to make it like a special cocktail. I cannot quite tell what is in there, but at the same time I definitely feel something very Japanese. I cannot wait to see how the rest of my time here will unfold. And the music still goes on.
