Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

Photography

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Typical Shibuya fashion and untypical transexual philanthropy

Towards the end of last week, the necessary evening blackouts meant a mass exodus from the city’s entertainment districts, as those living in the suburbs caught trains out of central Tokyo while they still could. In the afternoons, however, it was basically business as usual. And in Shibuya, that meant the standard fare of faux-tans.

Shibuya fashion after the earthquake

And fancy fashion.

Shibuya fashion after the earthquake

But a far less common sight, both in Shibuya and the city itself, was the large number of volunteers out and about collecting for people in need — the horrible plight of those caught up in the earthquake and tsunami even resulting in the unusual spectacle of transexual beauty queen, Haruna Ai, offering photos for donated funds.

transexual Haruna Ai collecting money for earthquake victims in Shibuya

Along with plenty of others requesting, in more conventional form, for a simple contribution.

Shibuya after the earthquake

All of which was an especially heart-warming sight considering the looming plume of radiation that was supposedly set to engulf the capital. And even more so when combined with the genuine passion and urgency of all those involved.

Shibuya fashion after the earthquake

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Ignore the tabloids, Tokyo is doing just fine, but Tohoku isn’t

There’s no getting away from it that the continuing problems at the Fukushima nuclear plant are a real concern, especially so for those nearby, but in Tokyo, well over 200 kilometres away, we are fine. No, better than fine actually. And, if it weren’t for occasional blackouts along with the scarcity of a few nonessential foodstuffs, life would be damned near normal.

Not that you’d think that seeing some of the sensationalist, woefully inaccurate ‘journalism’ coming out of the West. Possibly the worst of a sadly growing bad bunch being Britain’s, The Sun, with their GET OUT OF TOKYO NOW nonsense. A piece of so-called reporting that’s about as factual as the fact that I’m a 15-year-old from Finland called Fifi.

The thing is though, in a mere bid to sell more newspapers or attract more views, this kind of misinformation is bad enough, but when it causes terrible stress to those with loved ones in the areas apparently all set to be engulfed by a looming plume of radiation, it’s a very different story indeed. And yet even that’s nowhere near as despicable as the attention it’s detracting from all those north of the capital struggling with inadequate food, warmth and medicine. An enormous number of people who are suffering. Now. And need all the attention, plus more importantly aid, that all these supposedly doomsday scenarios don’t.

So ignore all the nonsense. Here in Tokyo we are doing fine. It’s nothing we can’t handle. Not by a long shot. None of us. It’s simply a case of get up.

Get out.

Tokyo after the earthquake

And get on with it as best as we can.

Tokyo after the earthquake

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Tokyo after the earthquake

No doubt due to the uncertainty surrounding the increasingly worrying state of the nuclear plant in Fukushima, panic buying has started in Tokyo, with instant noodles in particular all but gone from supermarket shelves. And where I live at least, there’s no point even queuing for fuel anymore, as the petrol stations have not only sold out, but simply closed.

Add into this mix the confusion of scheduled blackouts which all but haven’t happened, but are causing un-Tokyo-like transportation chaos, and it could well be a recipe for upheaval, or at the very least unrest.

Yet it’s not. Far from it in fact. Instead, everyone is going about their business, or at least trying to do, in a calm, dignified manner.

And, for a city that can certainly be very frosty, it’s noticeably more friendly. Nods, smiles and the odd konichi-wa are suddenly commonplace, with a definite feeling of, ‘we are all in this together’, now prominent.

Plus, were once the presence of others would be merely put up with, it’s now happily embraced — sought out even.

Tokyo after the earthquake

Of course it won’t last. No matter how much I wish it would. But it’s incredibly nice nonetheless.

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Tokyo mourns

Blackouts may well be starting from tomorrow, and petrol is suddenly at a premium, but in many ways it was business as usual in Tokyo today; trains were running, shops opened and people were out and about doing whatever it is they do.

That said, everything was understandably subdued, with the horrible events further north never really far away. And, at a fire walking festival that perhaps surprisingly went ahead, but at the same time offered those there a welcome break, prayers that would have otherwise been directed elsewhere, were focused solely on those who have tragically lost their lives, or loved ones.

A gesture that, even for those not religious like myself, was incredibly poignant, and a stark reminder of just how lucky we were in this massive city of millions.

Tokyo after the quake