Leaving Tokyo

So Im leaving Tokyo in the morning. Im of two thoughts. One thought tells me I love it here. I love the people, the transit, the politeness, the shopping and food. Another thought tells me I need to relax more, slow down.

Ive probably walked on average about 6-10 hours each day. There was a stretch there when I started at 5 a.m. and didnt get off my feet till 11 p.m. Im not complaining though, its been incredible.

Ive learned that I dont want to work as a unit. I dont want to be lost in the crowd. The Japanese culture puts such emphasis on the team. I dont think personal rewards come from your career here. You get that at home, I hope.

North Americans, although slightly selfish and consumptive, have it easy. We dont put as much effort on the group. We reward individual efforts and goals. We allow creative thought and risks. In Japan the unemployment rate is staggeringly low. Even the homeless are clean and thoughtful. Is this for the better of society? Probably.

Im surprised at how many people here have jobs that seem so meaningless. It seems among the endless easy to follow subways and roads there is twice as many people telling where to go and shuffle you along. Even the sidewalks are painted and dotted showing you how to walk. Like sheep. I found myself doing quite the opposite, not out of arrogance, but a small social experiment.

Today I got into a elevator. In this elevator it is common to walk in, turn around, not talk, and look at the numbers above you. What did I do? I walked in and stood with my back to the door. You would not believe how nervous people got. Was I doing something wrong? Maybe.

Canada is very free. We have cultural diversity. Every corner has mixed opinions and beliefs. Nothing is as it seems. Japan has strict immigration laws. The 2nd largest race here is Korean. Imagine a country with 126 million people and of that amount only 1% are non-Japanese. How humbled must you feel? You dont seem unique. Id feel alone......with my fellow 126 million.

Anyways, I have no message here. Just some random thoughts. No wait, maybe my point is that we can learn from diversity. Experiencing different cultures makes us more tolerant. I think the key is to have some discernment as we get tolerant. If that makes any sense. Accepting everything can make us flakey with no moral standard.

So on to Kyoto, where raked pebble gardens and modern day Geisha roam. Kyoto has a pale 1.4 million compared to Greater Tokyos 34 million. Im looking forward to slowing down and reflecting.

Talk to you all again soon!

D.