Tokyo

It's here in this city that people are so busy. Walking from one of the million shops and boutiques to another, some taking their time, some walking like they don't know how to run. Many dressed up in suits, many for the catwalk, all to impress. 

The architecture is never ending and beautiful, and as varied and bazaar as the species in the deepest parts of the ocean, with definite hope that the best is yet to come. I've seen more coffee shops, heard more jazz, and felt more brisk winds in these first three days than in all my years in America.

No one dares to disrespect an elder, and even I feel so respected myself, but I bow and allow others to pass by. I can't speak but three words of japanese, yet the understanding that I share with them is deeply rooted in mutual respect, and communicated by outward demonstrations and brief visual connections.

The women have no interest in me, spare one I saw on the up escalator as I was going down; I caught her looking and embarrassed her, which brought a smile to my face, in turn embarrassing me. 

This place is so inspiring, and so strangely familiar. I can feel their culture, and am honestly expecting myself to start speaking japanese fluently as if it were English or German, and I know to some degree that it will happen, I'm just waiting for it. Of course it is odd seeing asian men wear the Star of David merely as a fashion statement, probably having no idea of its symbolism.

I don't feel that my time here is limited; I could stay forever and not feel out of place. Although all of the buildings are unique, I easily get lost. Everyone is very helpful and polite, especially the women. Even if they have no idea what you're asking, and even if they do but do not know the answer, most will go out of their way to try and help you. 


I was shocked by the mouth coverings, and thought at first that many people were still scared of SARS, and jokingly wondered why there were so many muslim women who covered their faces but not their hair. However, once I found out they were simply covering their noses and mouths because they were sick, as not to spread anything or be a center of viral outreach, even despite the unfashionability of this covering, the custom revealed itself as yet another form of respect.