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Oct 03 2011 7 Comments

Down and (almost) out in Tokyo?

Almost like someone flipped an enormous red leaf-emblazoned switch, Tokyo practically went from summer to autumn overnight. A change that, after the seemingly never-ending heat, was very welcome indeed. The humidity has all but gone, and the evenings are wonderfully cool — it’s bliss, basically.

Or at least it is if you have a home. But for those that don’t, it marks the beginning of longer and ever colder nights. Conditions that for the young and fit would be awful, but for the old weak, possibly fatal.

Tokyo homeless

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Andrew Harrison says

    10/3/2011 at 11:19 pm

    That’s intensely sad. Does Japan have an equivalent to Shelter? Any idea?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/3/2011 at 11:49 pm

      Not as I know of, but I’d love to be proven wrong…

      Reply
  2. Robert says

    10/4/2011 at 1:29 am

    According to Wikipedia there are shelters: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ホームレス緊急一時宿泊施設
    Although in 2006 there were just 10 of them, and the nearest one to Tokyo was in Yokohama…

    There seems to be a general belief here that the homeless don’t want to be helped, as illustrated by the answerer here:
    http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1218421972

    He also says that the homeless can’t get into the shelter unless they register a residency card first! Which on the face of it sounds like a bit of a Catch 22. But I don’t know what is required to register a residency card.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/4/2011 at 9:11 am

      Thanks a lot Robert, that’s interesting. I’ve heard similar things said about the homeless in the past, almost as though it was a lifestyle choice.

      Reply
  3. Andrew Harrison says

    10/4/2011 at 8:11 am

    Thanks for the responses. What’s the betting you need an address to get a residency card?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/4/2011 at 9:12 am

      As much as I hope it doesn’t, it really wouldn’t surprise me…

      Reply
  4. Alain says

    10/8/2011 at 6:52 pm

    excellent as a light like the photo

    Reply

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