Teeming Metropolis -

July 17th

Hi,

It's 5.53am here, we're all tuned into Japanese breakfast TV - which is more execrable than you can possibly imagine.....but we're ready for bed by 9.00pm. and waking up at sunrise, which is OK.

The weather forecast is predicting a typhoon to hit Tokyo in the middle of the week with 100mph winds and torrential rain but we'll be headed to Sydney by then - the flight might be bumpy...

Yesterday was amaziing we were up very early and visited a small park next to the hotel - it was clear, blue and peaceful - only a few hobos and the odd Buddhist meditating amongst the trees, modern sculpture and most amazing skyscrapers towering above - the twin towers of the Metropolitan Building and wedge shaped Hyatt tower - both over 900 feet.

Then we headed for Akihabara - electric town - epicentre of all things manga and anime - giant screens pumping out J-pop and stills of manga characters surround shops dedicated to comic culture - compared to the rest of Tokyo the area does feel less corporate - a bit left field in comparison.

Maybe it was the 36 degree heat but cosplayers were a bit thin on the ground, but undetered Laura dived into the loos of a local department store to re-emerge as Yuki - who is an alien apparently. We spent ages browsing around Animate which is a 5 storey store packed full of manga, related Jpop, DVD's and costumes - there were SOME other 50 somethings there....but not many...

Later in the afternoon we stopped off at Haraijuku - an upscale distict about a mile or so South of the Shinjuku area where we're staying. Full of trendy fashion outlets and beautiful young things showcasing them - Japanese young people are very fashionable and style savvy. Taste seems very eclectic - no one style prevails - apart from a predeliction with stilettos - lots of tall leggy girls accompanied by well groomed shorter boyfriends.

And boy, did the Metropolis teem - at times it seemed that all of Tokyo's 10 million inhabitants were facing you across the wide pedestrian crossings at each of the intersections. But you don't get squashed, the opposing crowds just melt into each other like two streams as the lights change to the green man. Everyone is patient, drivers careful and rule abiding, the metro works like clockwork - a well oiled urban machine, which I guess could only work if everyone conformed. It's not all self regulated, however, there is a large police presence and lots of uniformed security around too.

And so the city prevails, a wonder of glittering towers and garish neon - is it sustainable - well I guess it's all a question of faith and doubt...you do sense that the Japanese do share the optimism you get in America in 'the system' - that the market will find solutions, science and technology will provide answers to questions of environmental impact - and the party will go on.

But given the sheer scale of the urban sprawl and the fact that such mega cities are springing up in every corner of the globe, most unlike Tokyo, ringed by shanty towns and abject poverty...then somehow you doubt that the party CAN go on forever.

But what is more corrosive to the human spirit...faith or doubt...on that suitably Greene-ish thought I'll sign off - we're headed to the Gibli Museum today.

love to you both

Dad

xxx