Tokyo is an assault on the senses. It's very crowded, with narrow, winding streets, crowds of people bumping and jostling you, telephone wires crossing overhead, sounds and smells. Don't get me wrong, it's not like Mumbai. It's not hostile or disgusting or jarring. Nevertheless, you feel it. This is a Sunday morning, early - this is as quiet and empty and peaceful as it can get, unless....
You enter a 100 yen shop, the Japanese equivalent to our dollar stores. The signage and colors are in your face. This particular one is in Shimokitazawa, a neighborhood in Western Tokyo. Pingles tells me they're all alike. The employees are running all over, stocking shelves and yelling out in Japanese to nobody in particular - like a market barker. The females call out in an especially annoying high-pitch voice, enough to drive you mad after a while.
If that weren't enough, in the aisles there are small lcd screens that are showing mini-commercials for the products for that particular shelf. Hundreds of miniature electronic barkers adding to the din.
No comments:
Post a Comment