Tokyo Times

Tokyo is generally depicted as a very clean, orderly city, and in many ways it is. In fact even when there’s apparent chaos, it’s invariably of the organised variety. Cleanliness-wise, however, it’s a decidedly mixed bag, and perhaps surprisingly there’s also a fair bit of graffiti and (really quite good) urban art about, particularly in certain parts of the city. Like this narrow stairwell in Shibuya, where there are depictions of chimpanzees brandishing guns.

Others wearing crowns.

Elevator girls of the distinctly non-traditional variety.

And figures exposing the female form.

Particularly during the day, when the distracting neon is dimmed, the dirty and not in the least glamorous underbelly of Shinjuku is there for all to see. The squalor. Sleazy touts. Its truly dizzying array of adult-related shops. And yet without them, Shinjuku would more than likely just be another drearily homogenised district, rather than the truly fascinating city it actually is.

For Japan’s small but extremely vocal number of ultra-nationalists, National Foundation Day (February 11) is like New Year, the brazen denial of war crimes and the birth of a male heir to the imperial throne all rolled into one. A day to angrily drive about, make as much noise as possible and dust off one’s flag emblazoned finery.

Not to mention of course the very justified celebration of Japan’s wonderfully varied culture and history. Yet it’s a goal apparently best achieved by venomously deriding the wonderfully varied culture and history of many other countries. Or failing that, the simple dislike of anyone who doesn’t happen to be Japanese.