Tokyo Tales #1

Outside my window lies an urban landscape so very different from any European urban areas. At the first sight it reminds me of the Star Wars "Death Star" surface as Luke Skywalker peace over and through it in the first Star Wars movie.

I am in Tokyo in the Shinjuku district in a room in a hotel. Well, room is perhaps not the right word. Probably bedroom could do as it is simply a queen size bed with a bathroom attach. And a TV. Yes, the room I've booked is that small.

From high above the city seems so sterile and empty. Grey concrete, glass and metal structures as far the eye can see. On the surface though, when walking the streets, it is lively colourful and inspiring in this certain Japanese sense of being inspiring.

This is my 3rd time in Tokyo and even this time is only a brief stop over on the way to a rock festival in the mountains, it still leaves an impression.

Typical Japanese impression I could say, but what is that?

Is typical Japanese the way the houses are build and the way it all look like it has been randomly built, with no greater plan and concept?

Is typical Japanese the bright colours and light and noise coming from speakers and shops and the numbing number of neon signs and advertisement boards?

Or is all this what it means to be typical Japanese?

At least for me this seems to be what I recognise every time I get to Japan, either the main islands in the north or Okinawa further south.

There is a certain feel and vibe about Japan. Japan to me is a mix of new and hyper and extreme old fashion.

It is hard actually to explain this, but on street level it all seems so ultra modern and cutting edge. Extreme fashion statements and technology from all corners. When you get inside a post office or train ticket office, you suddenly feel like boosted some years back in time. There is paper folders and old fashioned computers and calculators. An a lot of paper. Piles of paper and grey cub bards. Nothing much cutting edge or 2017 like here.