A slideshow of a recent visit to Sugamo, currently being cheerily promoted in the media as "the Ginza for Silver Set." A decidedly downscale and dowdy Ginza, more indicative of a rather more economically stressed retirement than one would believe the happy talk media would want us pondering.
It is actually a bit depressing to go into those types of places. I hope we aren't getting a glimpse of the future here...
ReplyDeleteBut besides the media fantasy (simply stop watching TV as a way to filter out things), isn't this Grayscale a black or white view of this area? Is the choice between cheerful Shibuya and gloomy Sugamo, between what you have been and what you will be? In either case the dreadful discovery that you don't belong here, and you don't want to belong here in some years. What do you want? Cheerful greyness of stock photographies with wrinckle freed and still somewhat sexy couples basking in retirement plans in Florida? I don't get it. At least did you go through the shopping street up to the streetcar station, board it down to Waseda? A lovely little trip in Tokyo through lush green provincial city. You can even see small children in that streecar.
ReplyDeleteJapan Interpreters -
ReplyDeleteTo the charge of idiosyncrasy, I plead guilty. The vision and presentation are my own: another may see the same scenes differently.
However, one has to challenge media depictions, not ignore them. For most persons the only way to travel to Sugamo or anywhere is vicariously through the media's offerings.