Photographs from a small group of islands
Tokyo is a city of almost constant contrasts, whether they be the old and new, rich and poor, or gentle and perhaps not so gentle. Juxtapositions that never fail to fascinate. And the sight of a Buddhist pilgrim walking through Ginza, the capital’s homage to high-end consumerism, was definitely no different.
The idea of most Japanese being passive and reluctant to get involved in any kind of public confrontation is a prevalent one. Generally speaking it’s fairly true too. But that’s not to say there isn’t a lot of feeling bubbling under the surface, because obviously there is. And it’s not all that unusual to see it boiling over either. Sometimes unprovoked; other times quite the opposite. Like the camera-induced expression seen below.
Yet when it comes to the likes of the upcoming election this weekend, the question of nuclear power, or Japan’s increasingly worrying shift to the right, that anger — in an outwardly visible form at least — can be very difficult to find.
The varied owners of Tokyo’s mind-boggling array of rough and ready bars are generally an interesting bunch. They are invariably very friendly. Often really quite old too. But rarely are they rockabillies.
And presumably even rarer are rockabillies with a penchant for portable record players.
The self-consciousness of an untraditional, traditional kimono, selfie?
Or at least a fake Louis Vuitton construction worker outfit.
