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SHARING THE BATH WATER - TOKYO |
| JAPAN By Susan Hudson |
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As soon as I took my shoes off to enter the small Tokyo house, the smell of my pale western feet getting acclimatised to the 40-degree heat filled the tiny lounge. I realised I was in trouble.
My friend's distant relatives knelt along one side of the room and we lined up opposite, feeling desperately on show. Here was my first introduction to the vast divide between Eastern and Western cultures. In Japan, staring at what interests you is not seen as rude. For this is a society where individuality has traditionally been subdued and so seeing hulking great westerners with their differing skin tones, size and individual looks must be somewhat alarming. Yet a visitor should not be put off by the differences, for Japan has adapted pretty well to both cultures, making it a fascinating place to visit.
So many people live close together that the noise can be deafening but it all adds to the hustle and bustle. The streets are busy at all times and the daily shop is a big social event. The houses are small although many people now have sofas and mattresses for comfort, and reserve the traditional paper walls and tatami mats for their guests. Sleeping on the floor becomes more comfortable the longer you do it and waking up with sunlight filtering through the walls is relaxing.
Whilst the adults have adopted parts of Western culture, it is of course the country's youths who have digested it fully. In Tokyo, a breakaway sub-culture has emerged, especially in the Ginza district where a look that makes you stand out from the crowd is essential. Many areas have huge screens showing MTV all day, beaten only in volume by Times Square in New York. The difference here is that these crowds of disaffected youth collect under the screen, comparing their latest hair colour and their outfits. Western culture has been embraced by these kids with all the good and the bad trimmings. In my shorts and T-shirt I looked wildly underdressed.
Two other qualities that really strike you about the people are hygiene and politeness. As the Japanese hate to sweat, I encountered more parasols than I have ever seen being used to keep off the sun. Each will probably have about their person a handkerchief to mop a brow, a hand-held fan to cool their face and a flannel to clean and dry their hands after using public facilities. Not that the facilities are dirty - far from it. Never have hygiene and politeness been so connected as they are when it comes to toilet matters. In private homes that still have paper-thin walls, modern toilets come with an array of many buttons. After a few nervous pressings, I realised that you could have music to accompany you, a warmed seat, jets of hot or cold water and warm air to dry you. Politeness is a constant stream of 'sumimasen' or 'sorry, excuse me' and there is no pushing and shoving. In fact students are employed to push on your behalf with a hand pad to help you into a packed rush hour carriage. In all the places I stayed, I was welcomed and treated impeccably.
Life in Japan is a fascinating mixture of modern and old culture which are inextricably linked. The ancient way of life is vehemently protected, whilst modern living has truly arrived. This is seen all over Tokyo where between two towering skyscrapers, you will find a squashed little temple which is hundreds of years old. Visit this temple at lunchtime and you will see office workers performing ablutions and a little prayer to Confucius. This is truly a sight to be seen.
Susan Hudson visited Tokyo in September 1997
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