Tokyo: From the Top to its Underbelly

 

With a population of 13.5 million, Tokyo is the most populated of Japan’s 47 prefectures. As result of people’s ambition and rapid economic progress Tokyo’s cityscape changed in the last 50 years. Today, 16 of 25 tallest building in Japan are in Tokyo. The 1500 earth quakes that rattle Japan each year haven’t deterred people from building such tall towers and making them quake resistant.

Though there are a few places for one to enjoy the breathtaking views of the city in Tokyo, I headed to the Tokyo Government Metropolitan Tower in Shinjuku to catch a glimpse of the city. I’ve seen this building in the climax battle between Godzilla and Mecha-Kind Ghidorah in the move Godzilla.

Being an Indian, I didn’t have great expectations given how shabbily we maintain our Government Offices, but Tokyo proved me wrong and set new standards of expectation. The 48-story building has two towers, the North and South and the 45^th floor has a free viewing deck that gives unabated view of the city and its landscape.  

A separate access to the 45^th floor ensures tourists don’t hamper functioning of building and its occupants. It was a cold morning and I picked up at hot chocolate and boarded the separate elevator that took less than 50 seconds to get to the observation deck. Unlike Sear’s and Sean Tower with a see through glass floor on the observatory deck, the Metropolitan Building is less dramatic and more informative and scenic.

Huge glass windows give great views of the city that is home to 13.5 million people and a million trees. Each window has a panel that informs you of the buildings in front from the famous Sky Tower in the East, Tokyo Tower akin to Eiffel Tower in the North to Yoyogi Park in the South. I overheard one the guides talk about the old Olympic Stadium from 1964 and then pointing towards the proposed site for the new one for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

 

The view of Tokyo from above is overwhelming and is a great example of planned urbanization and economic prosperity. After spending 45minutes on each of the towers, I came down with the feeling of visually conquering Tokyo and with a question: do beautiful and populous cities like Tokyo have underbellies?

While some may want to categorize love hotels, red light districts and seedy side as the underbelly, but I choose to hunt down people living in poverty and looking for squatters and those engaging in creative art aka graffiti or street art. I found answer to my question between Shinjuku and Shibuya. As much as economic development added beauty to the skyline of Tokyo, its downturn created underbellies for homeless and hungry. Though squatting is illegal in Japan and squatters have no place to go except parks.

None 300 people were visible when we look at Yoyogi Park from the Metropolitan building, but when I walked by the park I couldn’t ignore those who put to tents and make shift roofs against rain and sun. Shouldn’t developed countries create a safety net to catch those being ejected from the wheel of fortune?

While I went looking for dens of homeless people, I discovered the artistic side of Tokyo that I call the modern day Musee d’orsay. Can a disciplined nation that love to live by rules engage in graffiti wars defacing public places?

Japan considers graffiti an act of vandalism and if caught one can face up to 5 years in prison. Some artists have found ways to skirt constraints by performing in front of an audience.

 

Last year, Japan hosted its first weeklong event Pow Wow inviting graffiti artists to paint in certain areas of the town like Shibuya and Harajuku. Here are some pictures taken during my exploration in Tokyo. Though Tokyo rates much lower compared to what I witnessed in US (NYC, Chicago) and Europe (Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam), but then it is quickly becoming the graffiti capital of Asia. Here is an interesting read: http://www.vice.com/read/writers-block-how-tokyo-became-asias-graffiti-capital.

I came home that evening overwhelmed from the views atop 243 meter Metropolitan Building and exploration walk between Shibuya and Shinjuku. As much as the law prohibits, Mangas and Graffiti co-exist alongside the rich and homeless without being on your face and disturbing the equilibrium.

Come back soon to take our ride on the famous Shinkansen to Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima.