There was no preparation for this. I wrote this to my friend Barry after my first full day here:
"Tokyo = No travel book could prepare a person from there for here: Cityscape, food, language, collective psyche, rhythm, infrastructure, sound.
In the pouring rain I went for my first solo walk while my friend Liz attended her language class. The small part of Tokyo I've seen exists in physical layers... the transit system consists of hundreds of train lines, subway lines and buses, some stations are massive, with entire cities of food and retail and services under and over them. There's a sense that the actual ground is far below somewhere. But then just past the Colonel Sanders dressed as Santa Clause, there's a narrow alley down which I spotted a Shinto Shrine. Just like that.
Funny, I've been here 36 hours, and already the local Seattle things that seem so important, ideas and certainties about who we are and what life is about... all bets are off. New reality? I'll say!"
More later. The food is amazing.
Do not not be fooled by this image. This is a TINY TINY portion of this vast city.
