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Oct 28 2010 15 Comments

Grey Japan

With all its concrete, which will surely only increase due to bureaucratic self interest, Tokyo, as well as Japan in general, often offers one a very grey landscape to look upon. And now, with its old people living ever longer, and kids not especially common, it’s a colour that not only has other connotations, but future complications.

ageing Japan

Categorized: Current Affairs, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dean says

    10/28/2010 at 11:21 pm

    That is so NOT the Japan of my dreams……………..

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/29/2010 at 7:48 am

      Maybe not Dean, but it could well be the Japan of the future.

      Reply
  2. Linette says

    10/29/2010 at 12:42 am

    Can she not stand up?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/29/2010 at 7:52 am

      Not sure, but from what I saw of her, that seems to be the most she can straighten up. Osteoporosis, from my admittedly limited knowledge of the subject, does seem to be a problems for a large number of Japanese old ladies.

      Reply
  3. Jozee says

    10/29/2010 at 12:52 am

    Japan full of immigrants will lose its culture and uniqueness… imagine a Japan full of Indians and PRCs with their own culture diluting the current one. It won’t be the current city you see.. instead u will see a mumbai or a beijing

    Reply
    • Grass Jelly says

      10/29/2010 at 3:39 am

      Mumbai or Beijing? I think that’s a little extreme. Having witness it first hand, you underestimate cultural assimilation.

      Reply
  4. Grass Jelly says

    10/29/2010 at 6:09 am

    I admire the elderly in Japan, they stay amazingly active in their daily chores and other activities. Any idea why she was up and about?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/29/2010 at 7:54 am

      Yes, the farmers in particular amaze me. Working in the fields everyday at tremendously advanced ages.

      Not sure what she was up to. I think she may have come out of the building on the left, but I’ve no idea where she was headed.

      Reply
  5. Chris says

    10/29/2010 at 10:53 am

    Looks like my neighbor. Moving around with what must be an invisible life support system because I don’t know how some of them get out of bed much less walk around.

    Reply
  6. naie says

    10/29/2010 at 2:34 pm

    Oh man, that’s such a sad photo. One of the worst things in life must be living til a ripe old age but with nobody to care for you 🙁

    Reply
  7. Eric says

    10/31/2010 at 12:11 pm

    Lots of great photos on this site, but this is one of my faves now. Well captured!
    Osteoporosis is surely to blame in many cases, but farming – manual, bent-over farming – combines with osteoporosis in a nasty way.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/31/2010 at 1:58 pm

      Thanks Eric!

      Yeah, bent over in the fields for hours on end, year after year, really can’t do the back any good at all.

      Reply
  8. Edgar says

    12/31/2010 at 3:14 am

    Firts of all i wants to say that you have a great collections here.
    I really admired the photo, it probably look sad but the image show a lot of history and the reality that we go thesame stage some day.
    I still have my mother, who is now 89 and be celebrating her 90th bday on April, 2011.
    She still move around the house by her own and take care of her self very well…just thru her doctor advice we have to watch her closely…afraid she will fall, hip fracture is very common among this ages…. one thing that we can leave her home alone anymore….what amaze me with your picture is that she was all alone by her self. WOW!

    Reply
  9. Edgar says

    12/31/2010 at 3:15 am

    correction: we can not leave her home alone anymore.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/31/2010 at 11:42 am

      Cheers Edgar. Yes, in some ways the photo is a bit sad, and yet, as you say, she is still getting about on her own. Plus, above all else, she’s been lucky enough to get to a ripe old age.

      Reply

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